To Be Returned To Them, But Called In Vain,
As The Scoundrels Said, "Findings Are Keepings, By The Laws Of
Our country; and as we found your cows, so we will keep them."
For my part I was glad they
Were gone, as the Wanguana never yet
kept anything I put under their charge; so, instead of allowing
them to make a fuss the next morning, I marched straight on for
M'ynoga's, the chief of the district, who was famed for his
infamy and great extortions, having pushed his exactions so far
as to close the road.
On nearing his palace, we heard war-drums beat in every
surrounding village, and the kirangozi would go no farther until
permission was obtained from M'yonga. This did not take long, as
the chief said he was most desirous to see a white man, never
having been to the coast, though his father-in-law had, and had
told him that the Wazungu were even greater people than the
sultan reigning there. On our drawing near the palace, a small,
newly-constructed boma was shown for my residence; but as I did
not wish to stop there, knowing how anxious Grant would be to
have his relief, I would not enter it, but instead sent Baraka to
pay the hongo as quickly as possible, that we might move on
again; at the same time ordering him to describe the position
both Grant and myself were in, and explain that what I paid now
was to frank both of us, as the whole of the property was my own.
Should he make any remarks about the two cows that were stolen, I
said he must know that I could not wait for them, as my brother
would die of suspense if we did not finish the journey and send
back for him quickly. Off went Baraka with a party of men,
stopping hours, of course, and firing volleys of ammunition away.
He did not return again until the evening, when the palace-drums
announced that the hongo had been settled for one barsati, one
lugoi, and six yards merikani. Baraka approached me
triumphantly, saying how well he had managed the business.
M'yonga did not wish to see me, because he did not know the coast
language. He was immensely pleased with the present I had given
him, and said he was much and very unjustly abused by the Arabs,
who never came this way, saying he was a bad man. He should be
very glad to see Grant, and would take nothing from him; and,
though he did not see me in person, he would feel much affronted
if I did not stop the night there. In the meanwhile he would
have the cows brought in, for he could not allow any one to leave
his country abused in any way.
My men had greatly amused him by firing their guns off and
showing him the use of their sword-bayonets. I knew, as a matter
of course, that if I stopped any longer I should be teased for
more cloths, and gave orders to my men to march the same instant,
saying, if they did not - for I saw them hesitate - I would give
the cows to the villagers, since I knew that was the thing that
weighed on their minds. This raised a mutiny. No one would go
forward with the two cows behind; besides which, the day was far
spent, and there was nothing but jungle, they said, beyond. The
kirangozi would not show the way, nor would any man lift a load.
A great confusion ensued. I knew they were telling lies, and
would not enter the village, but shot the cows when they arrived,
for the villagers to eat, to show them I cared for nothing but
making headway, and remained out in the open all night. Next
morning, sure enough, before we could get under way, M'yonga sent
his prime minister to say that the king's sisters and other
members of his family had been crying and tormenting him all
night for having let me off so cheaply - they had got nothing to
cover their nakedness, and I must pay something more. This
provoked fresh squabbles. The drums had beaten and the tax was
settled; I could not pay more. The kirangozi, however, said he
would not move a peg unless I gave something more, else he would
be seized on his way back. His "children' all said the same; and
as I thought Grant would only be worsted if I did not keep
friends with the scoundrel, I gave four yards more merikani, and
then went on my way.
For the first few miles there were villagers, but after that a
long tract of jungle, inhabited chiefly by antelopes and
rhinoceros. It was wilder in appearance than most parts of
Unyamuezi. In this
jungle a tributary nullah to the Gombe, called Nurhungure, is the
boundary-line between the great Country of the Moon and the
kingdom of Uzinza.
Chapter VI
Uzinza
The Politics of Uzinza - The Wahuma - "The Pig's" Trick - First
Taste of Usui Taxation - Pillaged by Mfumbi - Pillaged by Makaka -
Pillaged by Lumeresi - Grant Stripped by M'Yonga - Stripped Again
by Ruhe - Terrors and Defections in the Camp - Driven back to Kaze
with new Tribulations and Impediments.
Uzinza, which we now entered, is ruled by two Wahuma chieftains
of foreign blood, descended from the Abyssinian stock, of whom we
saw specimens scattered all over Unyamuezi, and who extended even
down south as far as Fipa. Travellers see very little, however,
of these Wahuma, because, being pastorals, they roam about with
their flocks and build huts as far away as they can from
cultivation. Most of the small district chiefs, too, are the
descendants of those who ruled in the same places before the
country was invaded, and with them travellers put up and have
their dealings. The dress of the Wahuma is very simple, composed
chiefly of cow-hide tanned black - a few magic ornaments and
charms, brass or copper bracelets, and immense number of sambo
for stockings, which looked very awkward on their long legs.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 45 of 207
Words from 44900 to 45928
of 210958
