It Then Appeared
That Dagara, Having Failed, In His Own Opinion, To Arrive Any
Nearer To The Object In View,
Gave the excavating up as a bad
job, and turned the cave into a mysterious abode, where it was
confidently
Asserted he spent many days without eating or
drinking, and turned sometimes into a young man, and then an old
one, alternately, as the humour seized him.
19th to 22d. - On the 19th I went fishing, but without success,
for they said the fish would not take in the lake; and on the
following day, as Grant's recovery seemed hopeless, for a long
time at least, I went with all the young princes to se what I
could do with the hippopotami in the lake, said to inhabit the
small island of Conty. The part was an exceedingly merry one.
We went off to the island in several canoes, and at once found an
immense number of crocodiles basking in the sun, but not a single
hippopotamus was in sight. The princes then, thinking me "green"
at this kind of sport, said the place was enchanted, but I need
not fear, for they would bring them out to my feet by simply
calling out certain names, and this was no sooner done than four
old and one young one came immediately in font of us. It seemed
quite a sin to touch them, they looked all so innocent; but as
the king wanted to try me again, I gave one a ball on the head
which sent him under, never again to be seen, for on the 22nd, by
which time I supposed he ought to have risen inflated with gases,
the king sent out his men to look out for him; but they returned
to say, that whilst all the rest were in the old place, that one,
in particular, could not be found.
On this K'yengo, who happened to be present whilst our interview
lasted, explained that the demons of the deep were annoyed with
me for intruding on their preserves, without having the courtesy
to commemorate the event by the sacrifice of a goat or a cow.
Rumanika then, at my suggestions, gave Nnanaji the revolving
pistol I first gave him, but not without a sharp rebuke for his
having had the audacity to beg a gun of me in consideration of
his being a sportsman. We then went into a discourse on
astrology, when the intelligent Rumanika asked me if the same sun
we saw one day appeared again, or whether fresh suns came every
day, and whether or not the moon made different faces, to laugh
at us mortals on earth.
23d and 24th. - This day was spent by the king introducing me to
his five fat wives, to show with what esteem he was held by all
the different kings of the countries surrounding. From Mpororo -
which, by the by, is a republic - he was wedded to Kaogez, the
daughter of Kahaya, who is the greatest chief in the country;
from Unyoro he received Kauyangi, Kamrasi's daughter; from Nkole,
Kambiri, the late Kasiyonga's daughter; from Utumbi, Kirangu, the
late Kiteimbua's daughter; and lastly, the daughter of
Chiuarungi, his head cook.
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