One after another, messengers had
hurried to assure me that the king was just now approaching; but still
the troops remained in expectation, and no king made an appearance.
"At length, after this long delay, he sent Rahonka to say that 'if it
was all the same to me, he would rather see me at his own house.'
"This unmannerly young cub was actually suspicious of foul play, and was
afraid to enter my tent!
"I immediately told Rahonka that his king was evidently not old enough
to have learnt good manners, therefore I should at once dismiss the
troops, who had already been waiting for nearly two hours to do him
honour.
"I ordered the bugler to sound the 'destoor,' and the troops at once
obeyed the signal.
"Terrified at the sound of the bugle, which was known to be some
mysterious order, Rahonka implored me not to be angry, and he would at
once bring Kabba Rega to the tent. The troops resumed their position.
"In a few minutes a great din of horns, drums, and whistles announced
his approach, and we observed him walking down the road with an
extraordinary gait. He was taking enormous strides, as though
caricaturing the walk of a giraffe. This was supposed to be an imitation
of M'tese, the king of Uganda, whose ridiculous attempt to walk like a
lion has been described by Speke.
