On This She Produced A Number
Of Rings Similar To The One She Wore, And Taking Off Her Own,
Placed It Round My Neck.
Then, pointing to her wreath, she said,
"This is the badge of a kidnapper's office - whoever wears it,
catches
Little children." I inferred that its possession, as an
insignia of royalty, conferred on the bearer the power of
seizure, as the great seal in this country confers power on
public officers.
The queen's dinner was now announced; and, desiring me to remain
where I was for a short time, she went to it. She sent me
several dishes (plantain-leaves), with well-cooked beef and
mutton, and a variety of vegetables, from her table, as well as a
number of round moist napkins, made in the shape of wafers, from
the freshly-drawn plantain fibres, to wash the hands and face
with. There was no doubt now about her culinary accomplishments.
I told her so when she returned, and that I enjoyed her parties
all the more because they ended with a dinner. "More pombe, more
pombe," cried the queen, full of mirth and glee, helping
everybody round in turn, and shouting and laughing at their
Kiganda witticisms - making, though I knew not a word said, an
amusing scene to behold - till the sun sank; and her majesty
remarking it, turned to her court and said, "If I get up, will
Bana also rise, and not accuse me of deserting him?" With this
speech a general rising took place, and, watching the queen's
retiring, I stood with my hat in hand, whilst all the Wakungu
fell upon their knees, and then all separated.
28th. - I went to the palace, and found, as usual, a large levee
waiting the king's pleasure to appear; amongst whom were the
Kamraviona, Masimbi, and the king's sister Miengo. I fired my
gun, and admitted at once, but none of the others could follow me
save Miengo. The king, sitting on the chair with his women by
his side, ordered twelve cloths, the presents of former Arab
visitors, to be brought before him; and all of these I was
desired to turn into European garments, like my own coats,
trousers, and waistcoats. It was no use saying I had no tailors -
the thing must be done somehow; for he admired my costume
exceedingly, and wished to imitate it now he had cloth enough for
ever to dispense with the mbugu.
As I had often begged the king to induce his men, who are all
wonderfully clever artisans, to imitate the chair and other
things I gave him, I now told him if he would order some of his
sempsters, who are far cleverer with the needle than my men, to
my camp, I would cut up some old clothes, and so teach them how
to work. This was agreed to, and five cows were offered as a
reward; but as his men never came, mine had to do the job.
Maula then engaged the king's attention for fully an hour,
relating what wonderful things Bana kept in his house, if his
majesty would only deign to see them; and for this humbug got
rewarded by a present of three women. Just at this juncture an
adjutant flew overhead, and, by way of fun, I presented my gun,
when the excited king, like a boy from school, jumped up,
forgetting his company, and cried, "Come, Bana, and shoot the
nundo; I know where he has gone - follow me." And away we went,
first through one court, then through another, till we found the
nundo perched on a tree, looking like a sedate old gentleman with
a bald head, and very sharp, long nose. Politeness lost the
bird; for whilst I wished the king to shoot, he wished me to do
so, from fear of missing it himself. He did not care about
vultures - he could practise at them at any time; but he wanted a
nundo above all things. The bird, however, took the hint, and
flew away.
Chapter XIII
Palace, Uganda - Continued
A Visit to a Distinguished Statesman - A Visit from the King -
Royal Sport - The Queen's Present of Wives - The Court Beauties and
their Reverses - Judicial Procedure in Uganda - Buffalo-Hunting - A
Musical Party - My Medical Practice - A Royal Excursion on the
N'yanza - The Canoes of Uganda - A Regatta - Rifle Practice -
Domestic Difficulties - Interference of a Magician - The King's
Brothers.
29th. - According to appointment I went early this morning to
visit Congow. He kept me some time waiting in his outer hut, and
then called me in to where I found him sitting with his women - a
large group, by no means pretty. His huts are numerous, the
gardens and courts all very neat and well kept. He was much
delighted with my coming, produced pombe, and asked me what I
thought of his women, stripping them to the waist. He assured me
that he had thus paid me such a compliment as nobody else had
ever obtained, since the Waganda are very jealous of one another-
-so much so, that any one would be killed if found starring upon
a woman even in the highways. I asked him what use he had for so
many women? To which he replied, "None whatever; the king gives
them to us to keep up our rank, sometimes as many as one hundred
together, and we either turn them into wives, or make servants of
them, as we please." Just then I heard that Mkuenda, the queen's
woman-keeper, was outside waiting for me, but dared not come in,
because Congow's women were all out; so I asked leave to go home
to breakfast, much to the surprise of Congow, who thought I was
his guest for the whole day. It is considered very indecorous in
Uganda to call upon two persons in one day, though even the king
or the queen should be one of them. Then, as there was no help
for it - Congow could not detain me when hungry - he showed me a
little boy, the only child he had, and said, with much fatherly
pride, "Both the king and queen have called on me to see this
fine little fellow"; and we parted to meet again some other day.
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