Having Two Heads In A Country Was A Most Dangerous Thing,
But It Could Not Be Helped For The Present, As His Hands Were Too
Completely Occupied Already.
There were Rohinda, the Watuta, and
M'yonga, whom he must settle with before he could attend to Ruhe;
but when he was free, then Ruhe should know who was the chief.
To bring the matter to a climax, Mrs. Lumeresi then said she
ought to have something, because Ruhe was her son, whilst
Lumeresi was only her second husband and consort, for Ruhe was
born to her by her former husband. She therefore was queen.
Difficulties now commenced again (28th). All the Wanguana
struck, and said they would go no further. I argued - they
argued; they wanted more pay - I would not give more. Bombay, who
appeared the only one of my men anxious to go on with Grant and
myself, advised me to give in, else they would all run away, he
said. I still stuck out, saying that if they did go, they should
be seized on the coast and cast into jail for desertion. I had
sent for fifty more men on the same terms as themselves, and
nothing in the world would make me alter what had been
established at the British Consulate. There all their
engagements were written down in the office-book, and the Consul
was our judge.
29th to 4th. - This shut them up, but at night two of them
deserted; the Wanyamuezi porters also deserted, and I had to find
more. Whilst this was going on, I wrote letters and packed up my
specimens, and sent them back by my late valet, Rahan, who also
got orders to direct Sheikh Said to seize the two men who
deserted, and take them down chained to the coast when he went
there. On the 4th, Lumeresi was again greatly perplexed by his
sovereign Rohinda calling on him for some cloths; he must have
thirty at least, else he would not give up Lumeresi's son.
Further, he commanded in a bullying tone that all the Wahuma who
were with Lumeresi should be sent to him at once, adding, at the
same time, if his royal mandate was not complied with as soon as
he expected, he would at once send a force to seize Lumeresi, and
place another man in his stead to rule over the district.
Lumeresi, on hearing this, first consulted me, saying his chief
was displeased with him, accusing him of being too proud, in
having at once two such distinguished guests, and meant by these
acts only to humble him. I replied, if that was the case, the
sooner he allowed us to go, the better it would be for him; and,
reminding him of his original promise to give me assistance on to
Usui, said he could do so now with a very good grace.
Quite approving himself of this suggestion, Lumeresi then gave me
one of his officers to be my guide - his name was Sangizo.
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