River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-08-24

Z Btit bliBAtAAblios iAI RitA'NAl VI tTtA0NN
Islands, in the Victoria NiyanZa, is Il
descendant of this tribe.
Whence came this singular people
have no means of ascertaining except
from the Waganda, who say that the
first king of Unyoro gave them the
land around the base Of Gambaragara
mountain, wherein through many
vielssitudes they have continued TO re-
side for centuries. On the approach
Of al invading host they retreat 10 the
summit of the mountain, the intense
cold Of which defes the most deter.
mined of their enemies. Two years
ago Emperor Mtesa dispatched his
primo miBister with about 100000
men to Gambaragara and Usongora
/ but though the great general of Uganda
occupied the slopes and assembled q
great height in pursuit, he was com.
PEELED by the inclemcnt climate to de.
scend without having captured more
than few black slaves, the pale-faced
tribe having retreated 10 their impreg.
nable fortress at the summit.
The mountain, it appears, is an ex.
tinct volcano, for on the summit Is
crystal clear lake, about 500 yards in
length, from the centre Of which rises
a column.ike rock 10 a great height.
\ rim Of firm rock, like a wall,
surrounds the summit, within which
are several villages, where the prin
cipal medicine man and his people re-
side.
Our further passage TO Lake Albert
was along the southern bank of the
Rusango river, which bounds in and
out and among deep mountain folds,
and rushes headlong on its course in
roaring cataracts and brawling rapids.
Ten hours swift marching enabled us
to cross an uninhabited tract of Ankori
and emerge again in Unyoro, in the
district Of Kitogwenda, which is well
populated and cultivated. Our sudden
appearance on the scene, with drums
beating, cOlOrs flying, and bugles blow.
ing, drove the natives in panic from
their fields and their houses in such
hot haste that many of our people
found the family porridge still cook
ing and great pots full of milk stand
ing ready for the evening meal.
ut had been previously agreed upon
between "Gen." SambooZi and myself
that if the natives chose to permit our
peaceful passage through Unyoro that
no violence was TO be done to any per.
son. But at Kitagwenda we found
ourselves in possession of a populous
and thriving district, with not a single
native near us to give us information.
Lake Albert, on the evening of Jan. 9,
uhnaf fipaa milan Jtta
us, and saw the nececessity
that we might not be surprised, to
OBTAIN information as to the feelings
of the natives towards us. SambOOZi
was clever enough to perceive our posi-
ton, and he consented to send out 200
men next morning as scouts. and to
capture a few men through which we
could communicate with the chief of
Kitagwenda, and satisfy him that if
unmOlested we had no hostile inten-
ton, and, If permitted to reside two
months, would pay himin cloth, beads,
or wire for whatever we consumed.
The next day was a halt, and the !
scouts brought in five natives, who |
were sent with a peaceful message TO !
their chief. The chief did not deign |
TO answer us, though we knew he re-
sided on the summit of a mountain |
close by. On the llth we moved our /
camp to within one mile Of the edge Of |
the plateau, athOusand feet below which |
was the Albert NiyanZa. Here we con- !
structed our camp on the morning of |
the llth, and receiving no word from
the chief of the kltagwenda or of Tn
yampaka, sent 500 Waganda and so of
the Anglo.AmeTiean expedition TO seek
out locality for II fenced camp, and
to seize upon all canoes along the coast
at the base of the plateau on which we
were camped. In about three hours
the accommodating party returned,
bringing information that they had
only succeeded in securing five small
canoes, too small to be of any service
TO us, and that the alarm had already
spread far along the coast that large
force of strangers had arrived at the
lake for war purposes.
The 18th was spent by me in en-
deayoring TO induce SamhoOzi TO move
to the lake, that we might build for.
titled camp and put the boat Lady
Alice together, but il was in vain.
The natives had by this time recovered
their wits, and, strongly reinforced
from the neighhoring districts, they
were preparing themselves for an ef-
fort to punish us for our temerity, and,
by the immunity they enjoyed from
attack, they occupied all the heights
and villages east Of our camp. Once
we sailed out of our camp for a battle
lint tho nuffxrna nj fln aFsff Ia
told us to keep our strength for the
next day. Unable TO persuade sam
boozi TO move his camp OF stay longer
than the next day, there remained for
MS only to return with them to Uganda,
for among such people IL was useless
10 think for moment that a peacea.
BILE residence would he permitted. Be
sides the country was tnyorO and kab.
ha.Rega, the enemy of the Europeans
at Gondokols, was the king, There.
fore peaceful solution of our dihcul.
~ was out Of the question. Accord
mgly, on the night Of the 18th il was
resolved to return and try 70 discover
some other country where the eXpedi.
tion could camp in safety while ! cx.
plored the lake in the Lady Alice.
On the morning OF the 18th we set
ont on our return from the lake in or.
der Of battle. 500 Spcarmen in front,
800 spearmen for rear guard, 1000
speamen and tho expedition in the
centre. Whether 10 was Our COM
pact column that prevented an at.
tack or not | cannot say. We were,
however, permitted TO leave the coun.
try of kltagwenda unmolested, the ma.
tiyes merely closing in ON our rear 10
snatch stragglers. On the l4th our
expedition comprised the rear guard,