I Therefore Begged He
Would Institute Some Means To Prevent Any Further Occurrence Of
Such Scenes, Otherwise I Would Use Firearms In Self-Defence.
Whilst these men were on this mission, I went on a like errand to
the queen, taking my page Lugoi with the liver medicine.
The
first object of remark was Lugoi, as indeed it was everywhere;
for, as I walked along, crowds ran after the little phenomenon.
Then came the liver questions; and, finally what I wanted - her
complaint against my men for robbing on the road, as it gave me
the opportunity of telling her the king was doing what I had been
trying to undo with my stick ever since I left the coast; and I
begged she would use influence to correct these disagreeables.
She told me for the future to send my men to her palace for food,
and rob no more; in the meanwhile, here were some plantains for
them. She then rose and walked away, leaving me extremely
disappointed that I could not make some more tangible arrangement
with her - such as, if my men came and found the gate shut, what
were they to do then? there were forty-five of them; how much
would she allow; etc. etc. But this was a true specimen of the
method of transacting business among the royal family of Uganda.
They gave orders without knowing how they are to be carried out,
and treat all practical arrangements as trifling details not
worth attending to.
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