As I Took Down A Note Of Their Several
Names, Each Seemed Delighted At Finding His Name Written Down By
Me; and Kunza, the executioner, begged as a great favour that I
would plead to the king to spare his
Son's life, who, as I have
mentioned, was ordered out to execution on the last levee day.
At first I thought it necessary, for the sake of maintaining my
dignity, to raise objections, and said it would ill become one of
my rank to make any request that might possibly be rejected; but
as the Kamraviona assured me there would be no chance of failure,
and everybody else agreed with him, I said it would give me
intense satisfaction to serve him; and the old man squeezed my
hand as if overpowered with joy.
This meeting, as might be imagined, was a very dull one, because
the company, being tongue-tied as regards everything of external
interest, occupied themselves solely on matters of home business,
or indulged their busy tongues, Waganda fashion, in gross
flattery of their "illustrious visitor." In imitation of the
king, the Kamraviona now went from one hut to another, requesting
us to follow that we might see all his greatness, and then took
me alone into a separate court, to show me his women, some five-
and-twenty of the ugliest in Uganda. This, he added, was a mark
of respect he had never conferred on any person before; but,
fearing lest I should misunderstand his meaning and covet any of
them, he said, "Mind they are only to be looked at."
As we retired to the other visitors, the Kamraviona, in return
for some courteous remarks of mine, said all the Waganda were
immensely pleased with my having come to visit them; and as he
heard my country is governed by a woman, what would I say if he
made the Waganda dethrone her, and create me king instead?
Without specially replying, I showed him a map, marking off the
comparative sizes of British and Waganda possessions, and shut
him up. The great Kamraviona, or commander-in-chief, with all
his wives, has no children, and was eager to know if my skill
could avail to remove this cloud in his fortunes. He generously
gave me a goat and eggs, telling my men they might help
themselves to plantains from any gardens they liked beyond
certain limits, provided they did not enter houses or take
anything else. He then said he was tired and walked away without
another word.
On returning home I found Nasib and Maula waiting for me, with
all the articles that had been returned to the queen very neatly
tied together. They had seen her majesty, who, on receiving my
message, pretended excessive anger with her doorkeeper for not
announcing my arrival yesterday - flogged him severely - inspected
all the things returned - folded them up again very neatly with
her own hands - said she felt much hurt at the mistake which had
arisen, and hoped I would forgive and forget it, as her doors
would always be open to me.
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