They Returned Last
Night; But The Waganda Escort, Afraid Of My Obtaining Information
Of Them Before The King Received It, Kept Them Concealed.
They
had been defeated in Usoga, two marches each of Kira, at the
residence of Nagozigombi, Mtesa's border officer,
Who gave them
two bullocks, but advised their returning at once to inform the
king that the independent Wasoga had been fighting with his
dependent Wasoga subjects for some time, and the battle would not
be over for two months or more, unless he sent an army to their
assistance.
I now sent Bombay to the king to request an interview, as I had
much of importance to tell him; but the could not be seen, as he
was deep in the interior of the palace enjoying the society of
his wives. The Kamraviona, however, was found there waiting, as
usual, on the mere chance of his majesty taking it into his head
to come out. He asked Bombay if it was true the woman he gave me
ran away; and when Bombay told him, he said, "Oh, he should have
chained her for two or three days, until she became accustomed to
her residence; for women often take fright and run away in that
way, believing strangers to be cannibals." But Bombay replied,
"She was not good enough for Bana; he let her go off like a dog;
he wants a young and beautiful Mhuma, or none at all." "Ah,
well, then, if he is so particular, he must wait a bit, for we
have none on hand. What I gave him is the sort of creature we
give all our guests." A Msoga was sent by the king to take the
dead adjutant of yesterday out of the nest - for all Wasoga are
expert climbers, which is not the case with the Waganda; but the
man was attacked half-way up the tree by a swarm of bees, and
driven down again.
14th. - After all the vexatious haggling for a house, I gained my
object to-day by a judicious piece of bribery which I had
intended to accomplish whenever I could. I now succeeded in
sending - for I could not, under the jealous eyes in Uganda, get
it done earlier - a present of fifteen pints mixed beads, twenty
blue eggs, and five copper bracelets, to the commander-in-chief,
as a mark of friendship. At the same time I hinted that I should
like him to use his influence in obtaining for me a near and
respectable residence, where I hoped he, as well as all the
Waganda nobility, would call upon me; for my life in Uganda was
utterly miserable, being shut up like a hermit by myself every
day. The result was, that a number of huts in a large plantain
garden were at once assigned to me, on the face of a hill,
immediately overlooking and close to the main road. It was
considered the "West End." It had never before been occupied by
any visitors excepting Wahinda ambassadors; and being near, and
in full view of the palace, was pleasant and advantageous, as I
could both hear the constant music, and see the throngs of people
ever wending their way to and from the royal abodes.
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