All Now Went To The Camp; But What Was My
Astonishment On Reaching The Hut To Find Every Servant Gone,
Along with the pots, pans, meat, everything; and all in
consequence of the king's having taken the drums on board,
Which,
being unusual, was regarded as one of his delusive tricks, and a
sign of immediate departure. He had told no one he was going to
the N'yanza, and now it was thought he would return in the same
way. I fired for my supper, but fired in vain. Boys came out,
by the king's order to inquire what I wanted, but left again
without doing anything further.
At my request the king sent off boats to inquire after the one
that left, or was supposed to have left, for Grant on the 3d of
March, and he then ordered the return home, much to my delight;
for, beautiful as the N'yanza was, the want of consideration for
other people's comfort, the tiring, incessant boating, all day
long and every day, in the sun, as well as the king's hurry-
scurry about everything he undertook to do, without the smallest
forethought, preparation, or warning, made me dream of my
children, and look forward with pleasure to rejoining them.
Strange as it may appear to Englishmen, I had a sort of paternal
love for those little blackamoors as if they had been my
offspring; and I enjoyed the simple stories that their sable
visitors told me every day they came over to smoke their pipes,
which they did with the utmost familiarity, helping themselves
from my stores just as they liked.
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