IDNO

N.19365.ROS

Description

A government station? in the Lake Albert region. The image is taken from the ship - Sir Samuel Baker (named after the English explorer Samuel White Baker (1821-1893)).

Physical Condition: Film is a yellow colour.

Place

E Africa; Uganda; Lake Albert; ?Butiaba

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

?Roscoe, John R.

Collector / Expedition

Roscoe, John R. [Mackie Ethnological Expedition, Uganda, 1919 - 1920]

Date

1919 - 1920

Collection Name

Roscoe Collection

Source

Format

Film Negative Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

This negative was kept in an envelope marked C30/308/ by the cataloguer. The envelope was kept in box marked C30/ by the cataloguer.
Previously stored on Shelf 4, in group of 4 wooden boxes numbered 180.

Context: "Next day, in the early morning, the men went out with pointed sticks and speared two antelopes. They were busily engaged in cutting up the meat, when to my intense relief I heard a distant siren and knew the boat was somewhere in the neighbourhood. The sound was repeated from time to time, but no sign of the ship could be seen for half an hour, when we saw first a little smoke, them the funnel, and later the ship herself approaching rapidly. When she cast anchor a boat was sent for us, and I learned that on a previous day a mistake had been made and she had passed from the Congo side without coming in to call for me. The sounding of the siren had been intended to attract my attention and notify me of her approach, lest I might leave the shore or start to take the road to Bunyoro. This ship is named the Sir Samuel Baker, and is a paddle-steamer, drawing only a few inches of water and thus navigating the shallow parts of the Lake with ease. It did not take long to have the loads packed and shipped, and we were soon ready to sail, leaving the porters to go back to Kabarole and get their pay, which I had left for them at the Government Station.
The voyage was interesting and the constantly changing scenery was refreshing. Each side of the narrow lake could be seen, and at times objects on each shore were clearly defined. Lake Albert is a depression or valley in the mountain range, so that the hills shut out all view of the country beyond them. Sometimes the foreshore is several miles wide, but in other places the mountains slope down to the lake. Butiaba is on the fairly level stretch of land at the north-eastern end of the lake. It is the port for Masindi, where the Government station is situated, and the spot was chosen for its nearness to the water’s edge. The heat, however, is found very trying, and the idea of moving the settlement up the escarpment, so as to provide a healthier-dwelling place for the staff has been seriously considered” (Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co. p. 132). [ED 1/10/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Elisabeth Deane 27/9/2007]