I
Said Further, That Should Mtesa Act Up To My Desires, I Would
Then Know He Was My Friend, And Other White Men Would Not Fear To
Enter Uganda; But If He Acted Otherwise, They Would Fear Lest He
Should Imprison Them, Or Seize Their Property Of Their Men.
If
these deserters escaped punishment, no white men would ever dare
trust their lives with such men again.
The officer said he
should be afraid to deliver such a message to Mtesa direct; but
he certainly would tell the queen every word of it, which would
be even more efficacious.
4th. - I bullied Kamrasi by telling him we must go with this moon,
for the benefit of its light whilst crossing the Kidi wilderness;
as if we did not reach the vessels in time for seasonable
departure down the Nile, we should have to wait another year for
their return from Khartum. "What!" said Kamrasi, "does Bana
forget my promised appointment that I would either see him to-day
or to-morrow? I cannot do so to-day, and therefore to-morrow we
will certainly meet and bid good-bye." The Gani men, who came
with Bombay, said they would escort us to their country,
although, as a rule, they never cross the Kidi wilderness above
once in two years, from fear of the hunting natives, who make
gave of everybody and everything they see; in other words, they
seize strangers, plunder them, and sell them as slaves. To cross
that tract, the dry season is the best, when all the grass is
burnt down, or from the middle of December to the end of March.
I gave them a cow, and they at once killed it, and, sitting down,
commenced eating her flesh raw, out of choice.
5th. - The Kamraviona came to inform us that the king was ready
for the great interview, where we could both speak what we had at
heart, for as yet he had only heard what our servants had to say;
and there was a supplement to the message, of the usual kind,
that he would like a present of a pencil. The pencil was sent in
the first place, because we did not like talking about trifles
when we visited great kings.
The interview followed. It was opened on our side by our saying
we had enjoyed his hospitality a great number of days, and wished
to go to our homes; should be have any message to send to the
great Queen of England, we should be happy to convey it. A long
yarn then emanated from the throne. He defended his over-
cautiousness when admitting us into Unyoro. It was caused at
first by wicked men who did not wish us to visit him; he
subsequently saw through their representations, and now was very
pleased with us as he found us. Of course he could not tie us
down to stopping here against our wish, but, for safety's sake,
he would like us to stop a little longer, until he could send
messengers ahead, requesting the wild men in Kidi not to molest
us. That state trick failing to frighten and stop us, he tried
another, by saying, when we departed, he hoped we would leave two
men with guns behind, to occupy our present camp, and so delude
the people into the belief that merely a party of their
followers, and not the white men themselves, had left his house,
for the purpose of spreading terror in the minds of the people we
might meet, who, not knowing the number of men behind, would
naturally conclude there was a large reserve force ready to
release us in case of necessity.
This foxy speech was too transparent to require one moment's
reflection. In a country where men were property, the fate of
one or two left behind was obvious; and had we doubted that his
object was to get possession of them, his next words would have
sufficiently revealed it. He said, "As you gave men to Mtesa,
why would you refuse them to me?" but was checkmated on being
told, "Should any of those men who deserted us in this country
ever reach their homes, they will all be hung for breaking their
allegiance or oath." "Well," says the king, "I have acceded to
everything you have to say; and the day after to-morrow, when I
shall have had time to collect men to go with you, and selected
the two princes you have promised to educate, we will meet again
and say good-bye; but you must give me a gun and some more
medicine, as well as the powder and ball you promised after
reaching the vessels." This was all acquiesced in, and we wished
to take his portrait, but he would not have it done on any
consideration. The Kamraviona and Kidgwiga followed us home, and
told Bombay the king did not wish us to leave till next moon, and
then he would like us to fight his brothers on the way. This
message, sent in such an underhand manner after the meeting,
Bombay failed to deliver, telling them he should be afraid to do
so.
6th. - The Kamraviona was sent to us with four loads of fish and a
request for ammunition, notwithstanding everything asked for
yesterday had been refused until we reached the vessels.
"Confound Kamrasi!" was the reply; "does he think we came here to
trick kings that he doubts our words? We came to open the road;
and, as sure as we wish it, we will send him everything that has
been promised. Why should he doubt our word more than anybody
else? We are not accustomed to be treated in this manner, and
must beg he won't insult us any more. Then about fighting his
brothers, we have already given answer that we never fight with
black men; and should the king persist in it, we will never take
another thing from his hands.
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