8th. - As Mtesa Was Tired With His Yesterday's Work, And Would Not
See Anybody, I Took Lugoi And Kahala, With A Bundle Of Beads, To
Give A Return To The Mgemma For His Late Treat Of Pombe.
His
household men and women were immensely delighted with us, but
more so, they said, for the honour of the visit.
They gave us
more pombe, and introduced us to one of N'yamasore's numerous
sisters, who was equally charmed with myself and my children. The
Mgemma did not know how he could treat us properly, he said, for
he was only a poor man; but he would order some fowls, that I
might carry them away. When I refused this offer, because we
came to see him, and not to rob him, he thought it the most
beautiful language, and said he would bring them to the house
himself. I added, I hoped he would do so in company with his
wife, which he promised, though he never dared fulfil the
promise; and, on our leaving, set all his servants to escort us
beyond the premises. In the evening, as the king's musicians
passed the camp, I ordered them in to play the milele, and give
my men and children a treat of dancing. The performers received
a bundle of beads and went away happy.
9th. - I called on Congow, but found him absent, waiting on the
king, as usual; and the king sent for my big rifle to shoot birds
with.
10th. - In consequence of my having explained to the king the
effect of the process of distilling, and the way of doing it, he
sent a number of earthen pots and bugus of pombe that I might
produce some spirits for him; but as the pots sent were not made
after the proper fashion, I called at the palace and waited all
day in the hope of seeing him. No one, however, dared enter his
cabinet, where he had been practising "Uganga" all day, and so
the pombe turned sour and useless. Such are the ways of Uganda
all over.
11th. - The king was out shooting; and as nothing else could be
done, I invited Uledi's pretty wife Guriku to eat a mutton
breakfast, and teach my child Meri not to be so proud. In this
we were successful; but whether her head had been turned, as
Bombay thought, or what else, we know not; but she would neither
walk, nor talk, nor do anything but lie at full length all day
long, smoking and lounging in thorough indolence.
12th. - I distilled some fresh pombe for the king; and taking it
to him in the afternoon, fired guns to announce arrival. He was
not visible, while fearful shrieks were heard from within, and
presently a beautiful woman, one of the king's sisters, with
cockscomb erect, was dragged out to execution, bewailing and
calling on her king, the Kamraviona, and Mzungu, by turns, to
save her life. Would to God I could have done it!
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