On The 6th, The Deputation, Headed By Baraka, Returned
Triumphantly Into Kaze, Leading In Two Of Manua Sera's Ministers-
-One Of Them A Man With One Eye, Whom I Called Cyclops - And Tow
Others, Ministers Of A Chief Called Kitambi, Or Little Blue
Cloth.
After going a day's journey, they said they came to where
Manua Sera was residing with Kitambi, and met
With a most
cheerful and kind reception from both potentates, who, on hearing
of my proposition, warmly acceded to it, issued orders at once
that hostilities should cease, and, with one voice, said they
were convinced that, unless through my instrumentality, Manua
Sera would never regain his possessions. Kitambi was quite beside
himself, and wished my men to stop one night to enjoy his
hospitality. Manua Sera, after reflecting seriously about the
treacherous murder of old Maula, hesitated, but gave way when it
had been explained away by my men, and said, "No; they shall go
at once, for my kingdom depends on the issue, and Bana Mzungu
(the White Lord) may get anxious if they do not return promptly."
One thing, however, he insisted on, and that was, the only place
he would meet the Arabs in was Unyanyembe, as it would be beneath
his dignity to settle matters anywhere else. And further, he
specified that he wished all the transactions to take place in
Musa's house.
Next day, 7th, I assembled all the Arabs at Musa's "court," with
all my men and the two chiefs, four men attending, when Baraka,
"on his legs," told them all I proposed for the treaty of peace.
The Arabs gave their assent to it; and Cyclops, for Manua Sera,
after giving a full narrative of the whole history of the war, in
such a rapid and eloquent manner as would have done justice to
our Prime Minister, said his chief was only embittered against
Snay, and now Snay was killed, he wished to make friends with
them. To which the Arabs made a suitable answer, adding, that
all they found fault with was an insolent remark which, in his
wrath, Manua Sera had given utterance to, that their quarrel with
him was owing chiefly to a scurvy jest which he had passed on
them, and on the characteristic personal ceremony of initiation
to their Mussulman faith. Now, however, as Manua Sera wished to
make friends, they would abide by anything that I might propose.
Here the knotty question arose again, what territory they, the
Arabs, would give to Manua Sera? I thought he would not be
content unless he got the old place again; but as Cyclops said
no, that was not in his opinion absolutely necessary, as the
lands of Unyanyembe had once before been divided, the matter was
settled on the condition that another conference should be held
with Manua Sera himself on the subject.
I now (8th and 9th) sent these men all off again, inviting Manua
Sera to come over and settle matters at once, if he would,
otherwise I should go on with my journey, for I could not afford
to wait longer here. Then, as soon as they left, I made Musa
order some of his men off to Rungua, requesting the chief of the
place to send porters to Mininga to remove all our baggage over
to his palace; at the same time I begged him not to fear the
Watuta's threat to attack him, as Musa would come as soon as the
treaty was concluded, in company with me, to build a boma
alongside his palace, as he did in former years, to be nearer his
trade with Karague. I should have mentioned, by the way, that
Musa had now made up his mind not to go further than the borders
of Usui with me, lest I should be "torn to pieces," and he would
be "held responsible on the coast." Musa's men, however, whom he
selected for this business, were then engaged making Mussulmans
of all the Arab slave boys, and said they would not go until they
had finished, although I offered to pay the "doctor's bill," or
allowance they expected to get. The ceremony, at the same time
that it helps to extend their religion, as christening does ours,
also stamps the converts with a mark effective enough to prevent
desertion; because, after it has been performed, their own tribe
would not receive them again. At last, when they did go, Musa,
who was suffering from a sharp illness, to prove to me that he
was bent on leaving Kaze the same time as myself, began eating
what he called his training pills - small dried buds of roses with
alternate bits of sugar-candy. Ten of these buds, he said, eaten
dry, were sufficient for ordinary cases, and he gave a very
formidable description of the effect likely to follow the use of
the same number boiled in rice-water or milk.
Fearful stories of losses and distress came constantly in from
Ugogo by small bodies of men, who stole their way through the
jungles. To-day a tremendous commotion took place in Musa's tembe
amongst all the women, as one had been delivered of still-born
twins. They went about in procession, painted and adorned in the
most grotesque fashion, bewailing and screeching, singing and
dancing, throwing their arms and legs about as if they were
drunk, until the evening set in, when they gathered a huge bundle
of bulrushes, and, covering it with a cloth, carried it up to the
door of the bereaved on their shoulders, as though it had been a
coffin. Then setting it down on the ground, they planted some of
the rushes on either side of the entrance, and all kneeling
together, set to bewailing, shrieking, and howling incessantly
for hours together.
After this (10th to 12th), to my great relief, quite
unexpectedly, a man arrived from Usui conveying a present of some
ivories from a great mganga or magician, named Dr K'yengo, who
had sent them to Musa as a recollection from an old friend,
begging at the same time for some pretty cloths, as he said he
was then engaged as mtongi or caravan director, collecting
together all the native caravans desirous of making a grand march
to Uganda.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 41 of 207
Words from 40754 to 41803
of 210958
