Every now and then several men of Kabba Rega's body-guard
rushed into the crowd and laid about them with bludgeons five feet long,
hitting to the right and left. This always chased the people away for a
few minutes, until, by degrees, they resumed their position. Everybody
was dressed up for a grand occasion, mostly in new clothes of bark-
cloth, and many were in skins of wild animals, with their heads
fantastically ornamented with the horns of goats or antelopes. The
sorcerers were an important element. These rascals, who are the curse of
the country, were, as usual, in a curious masquerade with fictitious
beards manufactured with a number of bushy cows' tails.
"Kabba Rega was about five feet ten inches in height, and of extremely
light complexion. His eyes were very large, but projected in a
disagreeable manner. A broad but low forehead and high cheek-bones,
added to a large mouth, with rather prominent but exceedingly white
teeth, complete the description of his face. His hands were beautifully
shaped, and his finger-nails were carefully pared and scrupulously
clean. The nails of his feet were equally well attended to. He wore
sandals of raw buffalo-hide, but neatly formed, and turned up round the
edges.
"His robe of bark-cloth, which completely covered his body, was
exquisitely made, and had been manufactured in Uganda, which country is
celebrated for this curious production.
"This was Kabba Rega, the son of Kamrasi, the sixteenth king of Unyoro,
of the Galla conquerors, a gauche, awkward, undignified lout of twenty
years of age, who thought himself a great monarch. He was cowardly,
cruel, cunning, and treacherous to the last degree. Not only had he
ordered the destruction of his brother, Kabka Miro, but after his death,
he had invited all his principal relations to visit him; these he had
received with the greatest kindness, and at parting, he had presented
them with gifts, together with an escort of his body-guard, called
bonosoora, to see them safe home. These men, by the young king's
instructions, murdered them all in the high grass during their return
journey. By these means he had got rid of troublesome relations, and he
now sat securely upon the throne with only one great enemy; this was
Rionga, the stanch and determined foe of his father, who had escaped
from every treachery, and still lived to defy him in the north-eastern
provinces of Unyoro.
"It was easy to understand that he would welcome my arrival with a force
sufficiently large to assist him against Rionga, and at the same time to
rid him of Suleiman's party. He made use of the latter force as
mercenary troops, to which he was obliged to allow boundless license;
otherwise he might be invaded by the whole power of the combined
companies of Fabbo, Faloro, Fatiko, and Farragenia. These companies
might at any time change sides and ally themselves with Rionga, thus,
could I clear the country of such doubtful allies, he would be relieved
from all cause of alarm."
Notwithstanding these advantages, the young king sat uneasily upon his
divan, and appeared timid and suspicious. According to Turkish
etiquette, a handsome chibouque, trimmed with blue silk and gold, was
handed to him. He examined the amber mouth-piece but declined to smoke,
as "tobacco would blacken his teeth;" this was a curious excuse from a
Central African dandy.
I begged him to accept the long pipe as a reminiscence of my arrival.
Coffee and sherbet were then handed to him, but he declined both, and
insisted upon two of his chiefs drinking the whole; during which
operation he watched them attentively, as though in expectation of some
poisonous effect.
This was conduct that boded no good for future relations. My wife tried
to converse with him through the interpreter, Umbogo. Kabba Rega then
explained that he recollected us both, as he was one of a crowd when a
boy on the day we started from M'rooli for the Albert N'yanza.
The conversation quickly turned upon Rionga, whom he declared must be
either captured or killed, before any improvement could take place in
the country. The young king assumed that it was already arranged that I
should assist him in this laudable object. I now changed the
conversation by ordering a large metal box to be brought in. This had
already been filled with an assortment of presents, including a watch. I
explained to him that the latter had been intended for his father,
Kamrasi; in the recollection of his constant demands for my watch during
my former visit. The new toy was ticking loudly, and it was of course
handed round and held to the ear of each chief before it was replaced in
the box.
Kabba Rega replied that he knew I had been a great friend of his father,
Kamrasi, and that I had now brought many valuable presents for him; but
I must not forget, that, although the father was dead, the son (himself)
was still alive, therefore I might at once hand over to him all that I
had intended for his parent.
This was a true son of his father in the art of begging. I replied, that
"hens did not lay all their eggs in one day, but continued one by one;
and that I hoped, when I should know him better, he would discover the
advantage of commerce, as the various goods that had now been introduced
were intended to exhibit the manufactures of my own country. These would
continue to arrive in Unyoro to be exchanged for ivory."
I then exhibited the large musical box with drums and bells. This was
one of the best instruments of its kind, and it played a remarkably good
selection of airs, which quite charmed the audience.
