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. He took very little notice of the presents, but requested that
the gun might be fired off. This was done, to the utter confusion of the
crowd, who rushed away in such haste that they tumbled over each other
like so many rabbits. This delighted the king, who, although himself
startled, now roared with laughter. He told me that I must be hungry and
thirsty; therefore he hoped I would accept something to eat and drink.
Accordingly he presented me with seventeen cows, twenty pots of sour
plantain cider, and many loads of unripe plantains. I inquired whether
Speke had left a medicine-chest with him.
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