I Therefore Sentenced Him To Fifty Lashes - Twenty-Five For The Injury He Had Inflicted On My By Working Up A Rebellion In My House, And The Remaining Twenty-Five For Attempting Larceny - Saying, As He Had Wanted My Goat And Its Skin, So Now In Return I Wanted His Skin.

These words were no sooner pronounced than the wretched Meri cried out against it, saying all the fault was hers:

"Let the stick skin my back, but spare my doctor; it would kill me to see him touched."

This appeal let me see that there was something in the whole matter too deep and intricate to be remedied by my skill. I therefore dismissed her on the spot, and gave her, as a sister and free woman, to Uledi and his pretty Mhmula wife, giving Bombay orders to carry the sentences into execution. After walking about till after dark, on returning to the empty house, I had some misgivings as to the apparent cruelty of abandoning one so helpless to the uncertainties of this wicked world. Ilmas's woman also ran away, doubtless at the instigation of Rozaro's sister, for she had been denied any further access to the house as being at the bottom of all this mischief.

3d. - I was haunted all night by my fancied cruelty, and in the morning sent its victim, after Uganda fashion, some symbolical presents, including a goat, in token of esteem; a black blanket, as a sign of mourning; a bundle of gundu anklets; and a packet of tobacco, in proof of my forgiveness.

Chapter XIV

Palace, Uganda - Continued

Reception of a Victorious Army at Court - Royal Sport - A Review of the Troops - Negotiations for the Opening of the Road along the Nile - Grant's Return - Pillagings - Court Marriages - The King's Brothers - Divinations and Sacrifices - The Road granted at last - The Preparations for continuing the Expedition - The Departure.

I now received a letter from Grant to say he was coming by boat from Kitangule, and at once went to the palace to give the welcome news to the king. The road to the palace I found thronged with people; and in the square outside the entrance there squatted a multitude of attendants, headed by the king, sitting on a cloth, dressed in his national costume, with two spears and a shield by his side. On his right hand the pages sat waiting for orders, while on his left there was a small squatting cluster of women, headed by Wichwezis, or attendant sorceresses, offering pombe. In front of the king, in form of a hollow square, many ranks deep, sat the victorious officers, lately returned from the war, variously dressed; the nobles distinguished by their leopard-cat skins and dirks, the commoners by coloured mbugu and cow or antelope skin cloaks; but all their faces and arms were painted red, black, or smoke-colour. Within the square of men, immediately fronting the king, the war-arms of Uganda were arranged in three ranks; the great war-drum, covered with a leopard-skin, and standing on a large carpeting of them, was placed in advance; behind this, propped or hung on a rack of iron, were a variety of the implements of war in common use, offensive and defensive, as spears - of which two were of copper, the rest iron - and shields of wood and leather; whilst in the last row or lot were arranged systematically, with great taste and powerful effect, the supernatural arms, the god of Uganda, consisting of charms of various descriptions and in great numbers.

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