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.
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