Moreover, Wakungu Will Be Killed By Dozens, And Lamentations Will
Reign Throughout The Court To Propitiate The Devils Who Brought
Such disasters on them." Bombay, also in a fright, said, "Pray
don't do so; you don't know these savages as
We do; there is no
knowing what will happen; it may defeat our journey altogether.
Further, we have had no food these four days, because row
succeeds row. If we steal, you flog us; and if we ask the
Waganda for food, they beat us. We don't know what to do." I
was imperative, however, and said, "Maula must take back these
things in the morning, or stand the consequences." In fact, I
found that, like the organ-grinders in London, to get myself
moved on I must make myself troublesome.
17th. - The queen's presents were taken back by Maula and Nasib,
whilst I went to see the Kamraviona. Even this gentleman kept me
waiting for some time to show his own importance, and then
admitted me into one of his interior courts, where I found him
sitting on the ground with several elders; whilst Wasoga
minstrels played on their lap-harps, and sang songs in praise of
their king, and the noble stranger who wore fine clothes and
eclipsed all previous visitors. At first, on my approach, the
haughty young chief, very handsome, and twenty years of age, did
not raise his head; then he begged me to be seated, and even
enquired after my health, in a listless, condescending kind of
manner, as if the exertion of talking was too much for his
constitution or his rank; but he soon gave up this nonsense as I
began to talk, inquired, amongst other things, why I did not see
the Waganda at my house, when I said I should so much like to
make acquaintance with them, and begged to be introduced to the
company who were present.
I was now enabled to enlarge the list of topics on which it is
prohibited to the Waganda to speak or act under pain of death. No
one even dare ever talk about the royal pedigree of the countries
that have been conquered, or even of any neighbouring countries;
no one dare visit the king's guests, or be visited by them,
without leave, else the king, fearing sharers in his plunder,
would say, What are you plucking our goose for? Neither can any
one cast his eye for a moment on the women of the palace, whether
out walking or at home, lest he should be accused of amorous
intentions. Beads and brass wire, exchanged for ivory or slaves,
are the only articles of foreign manufacture any Mganda can hold
in his possession. Should anything else be seen in his house - for
instance, cloth - his property would be confiscated and his life
taken.
I was now introduced to the company present, of whom one Mgema,
an elderly gentleman of great dignity, had the honour to carry
Sunna the late king; Mpungu, who cooked for Sunna, also ranks
high in court; then Usungu and Kunza, executioners, rank very
high, enjoying the greatest confidence with the king; and,
finally, Jumba and Natigo, who traced their pedigree to the age
of the first Uganda king.
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