Lugoi's Dress, However, Absorbed All Their Thoughts, And He Was
Made To Take It Off And Put It On Again As Often As Any Fresh
Visitor Came To Call.
Hardly a word was said about anything
else; even the pictures, which generally are in such demand,
attracted but little notice.
I asked the Kamraviona to allow me
to draw his pet dog; when the king's sister Miengo came in and
sat down, laughing and joking with me immoderately.
At first there was a demur about my drawing the dog - whether from
fear of bewitching the animal or not, I cannot say; but instead
of producing the pet - a beautifully-formed cream-coloured dog - a
common black one was brought in, which I tied in front of Miengo,
and then drew both woman and dog together. After this unlawful
act was discovered, of drawing the king's sister without his
consent, the whole company roared with laughter, and pretended
nervous excitement lest I should book them likewise. One of my
men, Sangoro, did not return to camp last night from foraging;
and as my men suspect the Waganda must have murdered him, I told
the Kamraviona, requesting him to find out; but he coolly said,
"Look for him yourselves two days more, for Wanguana often make
friends with our people, and so slip away from their masters; but
as they are also often murdered, provided you cannot find him in
that time, we will have the Mganga out."
21st. - Last night I was turned out of my bed by a terrible hue
and cry from the quarter allotted to Rozaro and his Wanyambo
companions; for the Waganda had threatened to demolish my men,
one by one, for seizing their pombe and plaintains, though done
according to the orders of the king; and now, finding the
Wanyambo nearest to the road, they set on them by moonlight, with
spear and club, maltreating them severely, till, with
reinforcements, the Wanyambo gained the ascendancy, seized two
spears and one shield as a trophy, and drove their enemies off.
In the morning, I sent the Wakungu off with the trophies to the
king, again complaining that he had turned my men into a pack of
highwaymen, and, as I foresaw, had thus created enmity between
the Waganda and them, much to my annoyance. I therefore begged he
would institute some means to prevent any further occurrence of
such scenes, otherwise I would use firearms in self-defence.
Whilst these men were on this mission, I went on a like errand to
the queen, taking my page Lugoi with the liver medicine. The
first object of remark was Lugoi, as indeed it was everywhere;
for, as I walked along, crowds ran after the little phenomenon.
Then came the liver questions; and, finally what I wanted - her
complaint against my men for robbing on the road, as it gave me
the opportunity of telling her the king was doing what I had been
trying to undo with my stick ever since I left the coast; and I
begged she would use influence to correct these disagreeables.
She told me for the future to send my men to her palace for food,
and rob no more; in the meanwhile, here were some plantains for
them. She then rose and walked away, leaving me extremely
disappointed that I could not make some more tangible arrangement
with her - such as, if my men came and found the gate shut, what
were they to do then? there were forty-five of them; how much
would she allow; etc. etc. But this was a true specimen of the
method of transacting business among the royal family of Uganda.
They gave orders without knowing how they are to be carried out,
and treat all practical arrangements as trifling details not
worth attending to.
After this unsatisfactory interview, I repaired to the king's,
knowing the power of my gun to obtain an interview, whilst
doubting the ability of the Wakungu to gain an audience for me.
Such was the case. These men had been sitting all day without
seeing the king, and three shots opened his gate immediately to
me. He was sitting on the iron chair in the shade of the court,
attended by some eighty women, tweedling the loading rod in his
fingers; but as my rod appeared a better one than his, they were
exchanged. I then gave him a tortoise-shell comb to comb his
hair straight with, as he invariably remarked on the beautiful
manner in which I dressed my hair, making my uncap to show it to
his women, and afterwards asked my men to bring on the affair of
last night. They feared, they said, to speak on such subjects
whilst the women were present. I begged for a private audience;
still they would not speak until encouraged and urged beyond all
patience. I said, in Kisuahili, "Kbakka" (king), "my men are
afraid to tell you what I want to say"; when Maula, taking
advantage of my having engaged his attention, though the king did
not understand one word I said, said of himself, by way of
currying favour, "I saw a wonderful gun in Rumankika's hands,
with six barrells; not a short one like your fiver" (meaning the
revolving pistol) "but a long one, as long as my arm." "Indeed,"
says the king, "we must have that." A page was then sent for by
Maula, who, giving him a bit of stick representing the gun
required, told him to fetch it immediately.
The king then said to me, "What is powder made of?" I began with
sulphur (kibriti), intending to explain everything; but the word
kibriti was enough for him, and a second stick was sent for
kibriti, the bearer being told to hurry for his life and fetch
it. The king now ordered some high officers who were in waiting
to approach. They come, almost crouching to their knees, with
eyes averted from the women, and n'yanzigged for the favour of
being called, till they streamed with perspiration.
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