Upon My Approach, The Crowd Gave Way, And I Was Shortly Laid On A Mat At
The King's Feet.
He was a fine- looking man, but with a peculiar
expression of countenance, owing to his extremely prominent eyes; he was
about six feet high, beautifully clean, and was dressed in a long robe
of bark cloth most gracefully folded.
The nails of his hands and feet
were carefully attended to, and his complexion was about as dark brown
as that of an Abyssinian. He sat upon a copper stool placed upon a
carpet of leopard-skins, and he was surrounded by about ten of his
principal chiefs.
Our interpreter, Bacheeta, now informed him who I was, and what were my
intentions. He said that he was sorry I had been so long on the road,
but that he had been obliged to be cautious, having been deceived by
Debono's people. I replied that I was an Englishman, a friend of Speke
and Grant, that they had described the reception they had met with from
him, and that I had come to thank him, and to offer him a few presents
in return for his kindness, and to request him to give me a guide to the
Lake Luta N'zige. He laughed at the name, and repeated it several times
with his chiefs. He then said it was not LUTA, but M-WOOTAN N'zige; but
that it was SIX MONTHS' journey from M'rooli, and that in my weak
condition I could not possibly reach it; that I should die upon the
road, and that the king of my country would perhaps imagine that I had
been murdered, and might invade his territory. I replied that I was weak
with the toil of years in the hot countries of Africa, but that I was in
search of the great lake, and should not return until I had succeeded;
that I had no king, but a powerful Queen who watched over all her
subjects, and that no Englishman could be murdered with impunity;
therefore he should send me to the lake without delay, and there would
be the less chance of my dying in his country.
I explained that the river Nile flowed for a distance of two years'
journey through wonderful countries, and reached the sea, from which
many valuable articles would be sent to him in exchange for ivory, could
I only discover the great lake. As a proof of this, I had brought him a
few curiosities that I trusted he would accept, and I regretted that the
impossibility of procuring porters had necessitated the abandonment of
others that had been intended for him.
I ordered the men to unpack the Persian carpet, which was spread upon
the ground before him. I then gave him an Abba (large white Cashmere
mantle), a red silk netted sash, a pair of scarlet Turkish shoes,
several pairs of socks, a double-barrelled gun and ammunition, and a
great heap of first-class beads made up into gorgeous necklaces and
girdles.
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