24th. - Early This Morning The Pages Came To Say Mtesa Desired I
Would Send Him Three Of My Wanguaga To Shoot Cows Before Him.
This was just what I wanted.
It had struck me that personal
conferences with me so roused the excitable king, that there was
no bringing plain matters of business home to him; so, detaching
seven men with Bombay, I told him, before shooting, to be sure
and elicit the matter I wanted - which was, to excite the king's
cupidity by telling him I had a boat full of stores with two
white men at Gani, whom I wished to call to me if he would
furnish some guides to accompany my men; and further, as Grant
could not walk, I wished boats sent for him, at least as far as
the ferry on the Kitangule, to which place Rumanika, at any rate,
would slip him down in canoes. At once, on arriving, Mtesa
admitted the men, and ordered them to shoot at some cows; but
Bombay, obeying my orders to first have his talk out, said, No -
before he could shoot he must obey master and deliver his
message; which no sooner was told than the king, in a hurry,
excited by the prospects of sport, impatiently said, "Very good;
I will send men either by water or overland through Kidi,[FN#19]
just as your master likes; only some of his men had better go
with mine: but now shoot cows, shoot cows; for I want to see how
the Waguana shoot." They shot seven, and all were given to them
when they were dismissed.
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