He Wishes To See You, But Does Not Like Doing
Things In A Hurry.
Superstition, you know, preys on these men's
minds who have not seen the world like you and myself." Sirhid
Then said he would ask Suwarora to grant us an interview as soon
as possible; then, whilst leaving, he begged for the iron chair
he had sat upon; but hearing we did not know how to sit on the
ground, and therefore could not spare it, he withdrew without any
more words about it.
Virembo then said (3d) he must have some more wire and beads, as
his proxy Kariwami had been satisfied with too little. I drove
him off in a huff, but he soon came back again with half the
hongo I had paid to Kariwami, and said he must have some cloths
or he would not have anything. As fortune decreed it, just then
Sirhid dropped in, and stopped him importunity for the time by
saying that if we had possessed cloths his men must have known
it, for they had been travelling with us. No sooner, however,
did Virembo turn tail than the Sirhid gave us a broad hint that
he usually received a trifle from the Arabs before he made an
attempt at arranging the hongo with Suwarora. Any trifle would
do but he preferred cloth.
This was rather perplexing. Sirhid knew very well that I had a
small reserve of pretty cloths, though all the common ones had
been expended; so, to keep in good terms with him who was to be
our intercessor, I said I would give him the last I had got if he
would not tell Suwarora or any one else what I had done. Of
course he was quite ready to undertake the condition, so I gave
him two pretty cloths, and he in return gave me two goats. But
when this little business had been transacted, to my surprise he
said: "I have orders from Suwarora to be absent five days to
doctor a sick relation of his, for there is no man in the country
so skilled in medicines as myself; but whilst I am gone I will
leave Karambule, my brother, to officiate in my stead about
taking your hongo; but the work will not commence until to-
morrow, for I must see Suwarora on the subject myself first."
Irungu, a very fine-looking man of Uganda, now called on me and
begged for beads. He said his king had heard of our approach,
and was most anxious to see us. Hearing this I begged him to
wait here until my hongo was paid, that we might travel on to
Uganda together. He said, No, he could not wait, for he had been
detained here a whole year already; but, if I liked, he would
leave some of his children behind with me, as their presence
would intimidate Suwarora, and incite him to let us off quickly.
I then begged him to convey a Colt's six-chamber revolving rifle
to his king, Mtesa, as an earnest that I was a prince most
desirous of seeing him.
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