To Avert Over-Hastiness, However - For My Servants Began To
Be Alarmed As I Demurred Against Doing As I Was Bid - I Allowed
Five Minutes To The Court To Give Me A Proper Reception, Saying,
If It Were Not Conceded I Would Then Walk Away.
Nothing, however, was done.
My own men, knowing me, feared for
me, as they did not know what a "savage" king would do in case I
carried out my threat; whilst the Waganda, lost in amazement at
what seemed little less than blasphemy, stood still as posts.
The affair ended by my walking straight away home, giving Bombay
orders to leave the present on the ground, and to follow me.
Although the king is said to be unapproachable, excepting when he
chooses to attend court - a ceremony which rarely happens -
intelligence of my hot wrath and hasty departure reached him in
an instant. He first, it seems, thought of leaving his toilet-
room to follow me, but, finding I was walking fast, and had gone
far, changed his mind, and sent Wakungu running after me. Poor
creatures! they caught me up, fell upon their knees, and implored
I would return at once, for the king had not tasted food, and
would not until he saw me. I felt grieved at their touching
appeals; but, as I did not understand all they said, I simply
replied by patting my heart and shaking my head, walking if
anything all the faster.
On my arrival at my hut, Bombay and others came in, wet through
with perspiration, saying the king had heard of all my
grievances. Suwarora's hongo was turned out of court, and, if I
desired it, I might bring my own chair with me, for he was very
anxious to show me great respect - although such a seat was
exclusively the attribute of the king, no one else in Uganda
daring to sit on an artificial seat.
My point was gained, so I cooled myself with coffee and a pipe,
and returned rejoicing in my victory, especially over Suwarora.
After returning to the second tier of huts from which I had
retired, everybody appeared to be in a hurried, confused state of
excitement, not knowing what to make out of so unprecedented an
exhibition of temper. In the most polite manner, the officers in
waiting begged me to be seated on my iron stool, which I had
brought with me, whilst others hurried in to announce my arrival.
But for a few minutes only I was kept in suspense, when a band of
music, the musicians wearing on their backs long-haired goat-
skins, passed me, dancing as they went along, like bears in a
fair, and playing on reed instruments worked over with pretty
beads in various patters, from which depended leopard-cat skins -
the time being regulated by the beating of long hand-drums.
The mighty king was now reported to be sitting on his throne in
the statehut of the third tier. I advanced, hat in hand, with my
guard of honour following, formed in "open ranks," who in their
turn were followed by the bearers carrying the present. I did
not walk straight up to him as if to shake hands, but went
outside the ranks of a three-sided square of squatting Wakungu,
all inhabited in skins, mostly cow-skins; some few of whom had,
in addition, leopard-cat skins girt round the waist, the sign of
royal blood. Here I was desired to halt and sit in the glaring
sun; so I donned my hat, mounted my umbrella, a phenomenon which
set them all a-wondering and laughing, ordered the guard to close
ranks, and sat gazing at the novel spectacle! A more theatrical
sight I never saw. The king, a good-looking, well-figured, tall
young man of twenty-five, was sitting on a red blanket spread
upon a square platform of royal grass, encased in tiger-grass
reeds, scrupulously well dressed in a new mbugu. The hair of his
head was cut short, excepting on the top, where it was combed up
into a high ridge, running from stem to stern like a cockscomb.
On his neck was a very neat ornament - a large ring, of
beautifully-worked small beads, forming elegant patterns by their
various colours. On one arm was another bead ornament, prettily
devised; and on the other a wooden charm, tied by a string
covered with snakeskin. On every finger and every toe, he had
alternate brass and copper rings; and above the ankles, halfway
up to the calf, a stocking of very pretty beads. Everything was
light, neat, and elegant in its way; not a fault could be found
with the taste of his "getting up." For a handkerchief he held a
well-folded piece of bark, and a piece of gold-embroidered silk,
which he constantly employed to hide his large mouth when
laughing, or to wipe it after a drink of plantain-wine, of which
he took constant and copious draughts from neat little gourd-
cups, administered by his ladies-in-waiting, who were at once his
sisters and wives. A white dog, spear, shield, and woman - the
Uganda cognisance - were by his side, as also a knot of staff
officers, with whom he kept up a brisk conversation on one side;
and on the other was a band of Wichezi, or lady-sorcerers, such
as I have already described.
I was now asked to draw nearer within the hollow square of
squatters, where leopard-skins were strewed upon the ground, and
a large copper kettledrum, surmounted with brass bells on arching
wires, along with two other smaller drums covered with cowrie-
shells, and beads of colour worked into patterns, were placed. I
now longed to open conversation, but knew not the language, and
no one near me dared speak, or even lift his head from fear of
being accused of eyeing the women; so the king and myself sat
staring at one another for full an hour - I mute, but he pointing
and remarking with those around him on the novelty of my guard
and general appearance, and even requiring to see my hat lifted,
the umbrella shut and opened, and the guards face about and show
off their red cloaks - for such wonders had never been seen in
Uganda.
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