The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume IX, No. 4 [‎200v] (71/172)

388 TWO YEARS’ TRAVEL IN UGANDA, UNYORO, AND ON THE UPPER NILE.
stretches a long way from north to south, and the edge of it is not far
from Ugowe hay. In Kavirondo, with the exception of Kikelelwa’s
forest, hardly a tree is visible, and great difficulty is experienced in
getting wood. No one realizes what Captain Lugard did for our rule
in Central Africa, by going over to the west of Lak* 3 Albert, and enlisting
these former soldiers of Emin Pasha’s in our service. Needless to say
that without them it would have been almost impossible to have held
the country.
On our return to Uganda, we marched along the right bank of the
Nzoia, and through the Wanifa country to the Maandi hills, and on to
Port Victoria at Berkeley bay. After a short time spent in Uganda, I
started home at the end of February, 1896. The roads in the Uganda
Protectorate have been much improved, and if once wheeled traffic is
introduced, the king and the chiefs will have the roads widened and the
bridges repaired for their own convenience. Mr. G. Wilson has a large
garden at Kampala, in which all kinds of trees, fruits, and vegetables
are doing well. A great deal of rice has been grown lately by the
people themselves, and the native coffee is very good. There should be
a great future for coffee-planters in these countries. Tobacco should
also do very well.
It has been said that it will be impossible to get native labour, but
I can only say that at present in Uganda itself the people have been
induced to carry loads in the Protectorate, and perform a certain amount
of work ; numbers of natives bring in timber for Mr. Hobley at Mumia;
until the outbreak of Masai, hundreds of V'a Kikuyu were carrying
loads to Lldoma; and at Machakos they have been induced to work in
the fields. Owing to the administration of the country, a cessation of
war, and internal strife, the population of Uganda and the surrounding
countries is increasing largely. As they become more civilized their
wants will increase, and they will be forced to work to supply themselves
witli the necessities of life. Wonders have been done by the missionaries,
and no end of the people are able to read and write. One still sometimes
meets horrible objects in the streets without hands, noses, ears, or lips—
awful proofs of the old barbarities.
A regular post has been established, which the chiefs avail them
selves of to write to each other.
On mj way home, I was sorry to see the ravages caused by the
locusts in the magnificent banana plantations of Usoga. All the leaves
were eaten off the trees, and the people had given up driving them off
in despair.
One result of the railway will be that horses and donkeys will be
transported rapidly through the belt of country infested by the tsetse
fly, lying between the Tsavo and Kibwezi, and ought to reach Uganda
in good condition. Animals do well there, if properly looked after,
though dangers exist in snakes, and bad grass met with in places. It