The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume IX, No. 4 [‎193r] (56/172)

TWO YEARS’ TRAVEL IN UGANDA, UNYORO, AND ON THE UPPER NILE. 373
Baker could have execrated the foetid swamps and dense overgrowth
more than we did whilst striving to get the stretchers over and across
these obstacles.
The river Titi runs into the Nile close to Magia hill, and in rain is
quite impassable. In the second expedition we travelled by a higher
and much better road via Kibugumia and Katonezi, through the same
gorge at Kisoga, and across the level dried-up plain to Mruli, where a
column Avith Captain Teruan, n.s.o., and Lieut. Madocks joined us from
Uganda. '
The road through the hills A\-as the main road to the old capital at
Kuampara, and Kabba Rega’s subjects were certainly obliged to keep the
roads in very good order; the old bridges across the swamps, made of
palm trees, were still standing. We found a small village called
Chagwe in the plain, where the water Avas very bad and scarce.
Mruli used to be the old capital in King Khamrasi’s time, in 1864,
and has always had a certain importance from being on the main road
to Uganda. This was the most southern post occupied by Gen.
Gordon, and I saw the site of the old fort on the right bank of the
Kafu. It is low and unhealthy, and there is a great deal of sud along
the banks of the Nile here, which is also continually blocking up
the mouth of the Kafu, only about 30 yards broad. A few miles up the
Kafu there is a fine grass plain on both sides, where there are to be
found elephant, kobus kob, Jackson’s hartebeest, also smaller antelope.
The river there is a nice running stream between steep banks, and
several villages and banana plantations are scattered about in the
distance.
The Nile at Mruli is about 900 yards broad, and had distinctly
risen since I was there in February, and one was able to see the water
over the papyrus. We heard afterwards that Lake Victoria had risen
considerably, which would have accounted for it; in fact, the pier
built by Colonel Colvile at Port Alice was completely covered with
water.
After considerable opposition, the passage of the Nile was forced at
Mruli, and the force crossed to the other bank, which is pretty steep,
and at first gives one the impression of being an island. Canoes had
been brought overland all the way from Lake V ictoria, in sections,
and the ribs were then sewn together. The Wanyoro do not under
stand making these canoes themselves, and only use dug-outs, made
principally of the palm trees. Mr. Grant brought some canoes down
the river from Namionjwa, one of which was called the fiag-ship. It
was hewn out of a single tree, and held easily fifty men, with a maxim
gun in the bows.
We were now in the unknown Wakedi country, and made our way
along the right bank of the Nile. The country was thickly Avooded
with A’ery fine trees, and 10 miles to the east lay some high hills