Uledi, Not Wishing
To Be Plagued By His Satanic Majesty's Angels On The March,
Sacrificed A Cow And Fed The Poor, According To The Great Phepo's
Orders, And Had Been Exempted From It; But Wadi Hamadi, Who
Preferred Taking His Chance, Had Been Visited Several Times:
Once
at Usui, when he was told the journey would be prosperous, only
the devil wanted one man's life, and one man would fall sick;
which proved true, for Hassani was murdered, and Grant fell sick
in Karague.
The second time Wadi Hamadi saw the devil in
Karague, and was told one man's life would be required in Uganda,
and such also was the case by Kari's murder; and a third time, in
Unyoro, he was possessed, when it was said that the journey would
be prosperous but protracted.
3d. - Though we stormed every day at being so shamefully neglected
and kept in the jungles, we could not get on, nor find out the
truth of our position. I asked if Kamrasi was afraid of us, and
looking into his magic horn; and was answered, "No; he is very
anxious to see you, or he would not have sent six of his highest
officers to look after you, and prevent the unruly peasantry from
molesting you." "Then by whose orders are we kept here?" "By
Kamrasi's." "Why does Kamrasi keep us here?" "He thinks you are
not so near, and men have gone to tell him." "How did we come
here from the last ground?" "By Kamrasi's orders; for nothing
can be done excepting by his orders." "Then he must know we are
here?" "He may not have seen the men we sent to him; for unless
he shows in public no one can see him." The whole affair gave us
such an opinion of Kamrasi as induced us to think it would have
served him right had we joined Mtesa and given him a thrashing.
This, I said, was put in our power by an alliance with his
refractory brothers; but Kidgwiga only laughed and said,
"Nonsense! Kamrasi is the chief of all the countries round here -
Usoga, Kidi, Chopi, Gani, Ulega, everywhere; he has only to hold
up his hand and thousands would come to his assistance."
Kwibeya, the officer of the place, presented us with five fowls
on the part of the king, and some baskets of potatoes.
4th. - We halted again, it was said, in order that Kwibeya might
give us all the king had desired him to present. I sent Bombay
off with a message to Kamrasi explaining everything, and begging
for an early interview, as I had much of importance to
communicate, and wished, of all things, to see the letter he had
from Gani, as it must have come from our dear friends at home.
Seven goats, flour, and plantains, were now brought to us; and as
Kidgwiga begged for the flour without success, he flew into a fit
of high indignation because these things were given and received
without his having first been consulted.
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