Meanwhile Nasib Returned From The Queen-Dowager's Palace Without
Having Seen Her Majesty, Though He Had Waited There Patiently The
Whole day long, for she was engaged in festivities, incessantly
drumming and playing, in consequence of the birth of twins
(Mabassa), which had just taken place in her palace; but he was
advised to return on the morrow.
8th. - After breakfast I walked to the palace, thinking I had
gained all I wanted; entered, and fired guns, expecting an
instant admittance; but, as usual, I was required to sit and
wait; the king was expected immediately. All the Wagungu talked
in whispers, and nothing was heard but the never-ceasing harps
and harmonicons. In a little while I felt tired of the monotony,
and wished to hang up a curtain, that I might lie down in privacy
and sleep till the king was ready; but the officers in waiting
forbade this, as contrary to law, and left me the only
alternative of walking up and down the court to kill time,
spreading my umbrella against the powerful rays of the sun. A
very little of that made me fidgety and impetuous, which the
Waganda noticed, and, from fear of the consequences, they began
to close the gate to prevent my walking away. I flew out on
them, told Bombay to notice the disrespect, and shamed them into
opening it again. The king immediately, on hearing of this, sent
me pombe to keep me quiet; but as I would not touch it, saying I
was sick at heart, another page rushed out to say the king was
ready to receive me; and, opening a side gate leading into a
small open court without a hut in it, there, to be sure, was his
majesty, sitting on an Arab's donkey run, propped against one
page, and encompassed by four others.
On confronting him, he motioned me to sit, which I did upon my
bundle of grass, and, finding it warm, asked leave to open my
umbrella. He was much struck at the facility with which I could
make shade, but wondered still more at my requiring it. I
explained to him that my skin was white because I lived in a
colder country than his, and therefore was much more sensitive to
the heat of the sun than his black skin; adding, at the same
time, if it gave no offence, I would prefer sitting in the shade
of the court fence. He had no objection, and opened conversation
by asking who it was that gave me such offence in taking my guard
from me to seize his Wakungu. The boy who had provoked me was
then dragged in, tied by his neck and hands, when the king asked
him by whose orders he had acted in such a manner, knowing that I
objected to it, and wished to speak to him on the subject first.
The poor boy, in a dreadful fright, said he had acted under the
instructions of the Kamraviona:
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