To give him confidence, I went to see him
unattended, except by Lieutenant Baker and my ever-faithful attendant,
Monsoor, who did not at all approve of my going unarmed.
The conversation quickly turned upon guns. Kabba Rega was delighted with
the mechanism of Monsoor's snider rifle, which he at once understood and
explained to his body-guard. He appeared to have quite lost his shyness;
and he begged me to consider him simply in the light of my own son, and
to give him all the merchandise AT ONCE that I had brought with me to
establish a new trade.
I told him that fathers did not give their sons all their property at
once; but that if I saw that he performed his duty to the Khedive, he
need not fear. I had both the power and the good-will to reward him.
He continued the conversation precisely according to his late father
Kamrasi's style: "I have no one but yourself to regard. Does not a
father consider the interests of his son? You were my father's friend;
and I have always looked for your return. I knew that Abou Saood was a
liar when he spoke against you; I knew that he was an impostor when he
announced himself as the son of a sultan. Would the son of a sultan only
give me a present of an old carpet and a dirty washing-basin? I always
said, 'Wait till the Pacha comes', Mallegge, (Mallegge, or the Man with
the Beard, was my nickname in Unyoro during my former journey.) my
father's friend. He is truly a great man, who does not travel
empty-handed; and he will bring me presents worth my acceptance - things
that the impostor, Abou Saood, does not understand the use of.' By the
by, there was a magic instrument with which you could find your way
without a guide in strange countries, that you PROMISED to send to my
father; you have, of course, brought it for me?"
This demand amused me much, as I well remembered how Kamrasi had
bothered me for my compass. I pretended that he meant a watch, which I
had already given him.
At length I was obliged to promise that if he would clear away the grass
and cultivate the neighbouring ground, I would give him a compass.
I now explained the advantages of free trade, and I begged him to order
his men to complete the government house without delay, as I could not
unpack my numerous boxes until I had some place where I could exhibit
the contents. I described the difficulties of the route from Khartoum,
and the expense of transport from Gondokoro, owing to the unwillingness
of the Baris to carry loads, and I explained my intention of erecting
steamers on the Nile which would bring all kinds of merchandise to
Unyoro via the Albert N'yanza in exchange for ivory, thus the Zanzibar
trade would turn towards the north and the elephants' tusks that were
now purchased by M'tese, would remain in Unyoro, until delivered to the
Khedive's government in barter for manufactured goods.
