As To The Uganda Question, And My Desiring
Him To Make Friends With Mtesa, In Hopes That The Influence Of
Trade Would Prevent Any Plundering In Future, He Merely Tossed
His Head.
He often said he did not know what to think about his
guests, now he had got them; to
Which Bombay, in rather
successful imitation of what he had heard me say on like
occasions, replied, "If you do not like them after you have seen
them, cut their heads off, for they are all in your hands."
11th. - With great apparent politeness Kamrasi sent in the morning
to inquire how we had slept. He had "heard our cry" - an
expression of regal condescension - and begged we would not be
alarmed, for next morning he would see us, and after the meeting
change our residence, when, should we not approve of wading to
his palace, he would bridge all the swamps leading up to it; but
for the present he wanted two rounds of ball-cartridge - one to
fire before his women, and the other before his officers and a
large number of Kidi men who were there on a visit. To please
this childish king, Bombay was sent with two other of my men, and
no sooner arrived than a cow was placed before them to be shot.
Bombay, however, thinking easy compliance would only lead to
continued demands on our short store of powder, said he had no
order to shoot cows, and declined. A strong debated ensued, which
Bombay, by his own account, turned to advantage, by saying, "What
use is there in shooting cows? we have lots of meat; what we want
is flour to eat with it." To which the great king retorted, "If
you have not got flour, that is not my fault, for I ordered your
master to come slowly, and to bring provisions along with him."
Then getting impatient, as all his visitors wanted sport, he
ordered the cow out again, and insisted on my men shooting at it,
saying at the same time to his Kidi visitors, boastfully, "Now I
will show you what devils these Wanguana are: with firearms they
can kill a cow with one bullet; and as they are going to Gani, I
advise you not to meddle with them." The Kidi visitors said,
"Nonsense; we don't believe in their power, but we will see."
Irate at his defeat, Bombay gave orders to the men to fire over
the cow, and told Kamrasi why he had done so - Bana would be angry
with him. "Well," said the king of kings, "if that is true, go
back to your master, tell him you have disappointed me before
these men, and obtain permission to shoot the cow in the morning;
after which, should you succeed, your master can come after
breakfast to see me - but for the present, take him this pot of
pombe."
12th. - To back Bombay in what he had said, I gave him two more
cartridges to shoot the cow with, and orders as well to keep
Kamrasi to his word about the oft-promised interview and change
of residence.
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