Indeed, I Was Not Only Surprised At The Amount Of Information
About Distant Places I Was Enabled To Get Here From These Men,
But Also At The Correctness Of Their Vast And Varied Knowledge,
As I Afterwards Tested It By Observation And The Statements Of
Others.
I rely so far on the geographical information I thus
received, that I would advise no one to doubt the accuracy of
these protractions until he has been on the spot to test them by
actual inspection.
About the size only of the minor lakes do I
feel doubtful, more especially the Little Luta Nzige, which on
the former journey I heard was a salt lake, because salt was
found on its shores and in one of its islands. Now, without
going into any lengthy details, and giving Rumanika due credit
for everything - for had he not ordered his men to give me every
information that lay in their power, they would not have done so-
-I will merely say for the present that, whilst they conceived
the Victoria N'yanza would take a whole month for a canoe to
cross it, they thought the Little Luta Nzige might be crossed in
a week. The Mfumbiro cones in Ruanda, which I believe reach
10,000 feet, are said to be the highest of the "Mountains of the
Moon." At their base are both salt and copper mines, as well as
hot springs. There are also hot springs in Mpororo, and one in
Karague near where Rogero lived.
30th. - The important business of announcing our approach to
Uganda was completed by Rumanika appointing Kachuchu to go to
king Mtesa as quickly as possible, to say we were coming to visit
him. He was told that we were very great men, who only travelled
to see great kings and great countries; and, as such, Rumanika
trusted we should be received with courteous respect, and allowed
to roam all over the country wherever we liked, he holding
himself responsible for our actions for the time being. In the
end, however, we were to be restored to him, as he considered
himself our father, and therefore must see that no accident
befell us.
To put the royal message in proper shape, I was now requested to
send some trifle by way of a letter or visiting card; but, on
taking out a Colt's revolving rifle for the purpose, Rumanika
advised me not to send it, as Mtesa might take fright, and,
considering it a charm of evil quality, reject us as bad
magicians, and close his gates on us. Three bits of cotton cloth
were then selected as the best thing for the purpose; and,
relying implicitly on the advice of Rumanika, who declared his
only object was to further our views, I arranged accordingly, and
off went Kachuchu.
To keep my friend in good-humour, and show him how well the
English can appreciate a kindness, I presented him with a hammer,
a sailor's knife, a Rodger's three-bladed penknife, a gilt
letter-slip with paper and envelopes, some gilt pens, an ivory
holder, and a variety of other small articles. Of each of these
he asked the use, and then in high glee put it into the big
block-tin box, in which he kept his other curiosities, and which
I think he felt more proud of than any other possession. After
this, on adjourning to his baraza, Ungurue the Pig, who had
floored my march in Sorombo, and Makinga, our persecutor in Usui,
came in to report that the Watuta had been fighting in Usui, and
taken six bomas, upon which Rumanika asked me what I thought of
it, and if I knew where the Watuta came from. I said I was not
surprised to hear Usui had attracted the Watuta's cupidity, for
every one knew of the plundering propensities of the inhabitants,
and as they became rich by their robberies, they must in turn
expect to be robbed. Where the Watuta came from, nobody could
tell; they were dressed something like the Zulu Kaffirs of the
South, but appeared to be now gradually migrating from the
regions of N'yazza. To this Dr K'yengo, who was now living with
Rumanika as his head magician, added that, whilst he was living
in Utambara, the Watuta invested his boma six months; and
finally, when all their cows and stores were exhausted, they
killed all the inhabitants but himself, and he only escaped by
the power of the charms which he carried about him. These were
so powerful, that although he lay on the ground, and the Watuta
struck at him with their spears, not one could penetrate his
body.
In the evening after this, as the king wished to see all my
scientific instruments, we walked down to the camp; and as he did
not beg for anything, I gave him some gold and mother-of-pearl
shirt studs to swell up his trinket-box. The same evening I made
up my mind, if possible, to purchase a stock of beads from the
Arabs, and sent Baraka off to Kufro, to see what kind of a
bargain he could make with them; for, whilst I trembled to think
what those "blood-suckers" would have the impudence to demand
when they found me at their mercy, I felt that the beads must be
bought, or the expedition would certainly come to grief.
1st and 2d. - Two days after this the merchants came in a body to
see me, and said their worst beads would stand me 80 dollars per
frasala, as they would realise that value in ivory on arrival at
the coast. Of course no business was done, for the thing was
preposterous by all calculation, being close on 2500 per cent.
above Zanzibar valuation. I was "game" to give 50 dollars, but
as they would not take this, I thought of dealing with Rumanika
instead. I then gave Nnanaji, who had been constantly throwing
out hints that I ought to give him a gun as he was a great
sportsman, a lappet of beadwork to keep his tongue quiet, and he
in return sent me a bullock and sundry pots of pombe, which, in
addition to the daily allowance sent by Rumanika, made all my
people drunk, and so affected Baraka that one of the women - also
drunk - having given him some sharp abuse, he beat her in so
violent a manner that the whole drunken camp set upon him, and
turned the place into a pandemonium.
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