This Was A Fearful
Drain On My Store; But The Pig, Seeing My Concern, Merely Laughed
At It, And Said,
"Oh, these savage chiefs are all alike here; you
will have one of these taxes to pay every stage to
Uyofu, and
then the heavy work will begin; for all these men, although they
assume the dignity of chief to themselves, are mere officers, who
have to pay tribute to Suwarora, and he would be angry if they
were shortcoming."
The drums as yet had not beaten, for Makaka said he would not be
satisfied until we had exchanged presents, to prove that we were
the best of friends. To do this last act properly, I was to get
ready whatever I wished to give him, whilst he would come and
visit me with a bullock; but I was to give him a royal salute, or
the drums would not beat. I never felt so degraded as when I
complied, and gave orders to my men to fire a volley as he
approached my tent; but I ate the dirt with a good grace, and met
the young chief as if nothing had happened. My men, however,
could not fire the salute fast enough for him; for he was one of
those excitable impulsive creatures who expect others to do
everything in as great a hurry as their minds wander. The moment
the first volley was fired, he said, "Now, fire again, fire
again; be quick, be quick! What's the use of those things?"
(meaning the guns). "We could spear you all whilst you are
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