Hearing This, She Introduced Me To Her Prime
Minister, Chancellor Of Exchequer, Women-Keepers, Hangmen, And
Cooks, As The First Nobles In The Land, That I Might Recognise
Them Again If I Met Them On The Road.
All n'yanzigged for this
great condescension, and said they were delighted with their
guest; then producing a strip of common joho to compare it with
my blanket, they asked if I could recognise it.
Of course, said
I, it is made in my country, of the same material, only of
coarser quality, and everything of the same sort is made in
Uzungu. Then, indeed, said the whole company, in one voice, we
do like you, and your cloth too - but you most. I modestly bowed
my head, and said their friendship was my chief desire.
This speech also created great hilarity; the queen and
councillors all became uproarious. The queen began to sing, and
the councillors to join in chorus; then all sang and all drank,
and drank and sang, till, in their heated excitement, they turned
the palace into a pandemonium; still there was not noise enough,
so the band and drums were called again, and tomfool - for Uganda,
like the old European monarchies, always keeps a jester - was made
to sing in the gruff, hoarse, unnatural voice which he ever
affects to maintain his character, and furnished with pombe when
his throat was dry.
Now all of a sudden, as if a devil had taken possession of the
company, the prime minister with all the courtiers jumped upon
their legs, seized their sticks, for nobody can carry a spear
when visiting, swore the queen had lost her heart to me, and
running into the yard, returned, charging and jabbering at the
queen; retreated and returned again, as if they were going to put
an end to her for the guilt of loving me, but really to show
their devotion and true love to her. The queen professed to take
this ceremony with calm indifference, but her face showed that
she enjoyed it. I was not getting very tired of sitting on my
low stool, and begged for leave to depart, but N'yamasore would
not hear of it; she loved me a great deal too much to let me go
away at this time of day, and forthwith ordered in more pombe.
The same roystering scene was repeated; cups were too small, so
the trough was employed; and the queen graced it by drinking,
pig-fashion, first, and then handing it round to the company.
Now, hoping to produce gravity and then to slip away, I asked if
my medicines had given her any relief, that I might give her more
to strengthen her. She said she could not answer that question
just yet; for though the medicine had moved her copiously, as yet
she had seen no snake depart from her. I told her I would give
her some strengthening medicine in the morning: for the present,
however, I would take my leave, as the day was far gone, and the
distance home very great; but though I dragged my body away, my
heart would still remain here, for I loved her much.
This announcement took all by surprise; they looked at me and
then at her, and looked again and laughed, whilst I rose, waved
my hat, and said, "Kua heri, Bibi" (good-bye, madam). On
reaching home I found Maribu, a Mkungu, with a gang of men sent
by Mtesa to fetch Grant from Kitangule by water. He would not
take any of my men with him to fetch the kit from Karague, as
Mtesa, he said, had given him orders to find all the means of
transport; so I gave him a letter to Grant, and told him to look
sharp, else Grant would have passed the Kitangule before he
arrived there. "Never mind," says Maribu, "I shall walk to the
mouth of the Katonga, boat it to Sese island, where Mtesa keeps
all his large vessels, and I shall be at Kitangule in a very
short time."
4th. - I sent Bombay off to administer quinine to the queen; but
the king's pages, who watched him making for her gateway, hurried
up to him, and turned him back by force. He pleaded earnestly
that I would flog him if he disobeyed my orders, but they would
take all the responsibility - the king had ordered it; and then
they, forging a lie, bade him run back as fast as he could,
saying I wanted to see the king, but could not till his return.
In this way poor Bombay returned to me half-drowned in
perspiration. Just then another page hurried in with orders to
bring me to the palace at once, for I had not been there these
four days; and while I was preparing to express the proper amount
of indignation at this unceremonious message, the last impudent
page began rolling like a pig upon my mbugued or carpeted floor,
till I stormed and swore I would turn him out unless he chose to
behave more respectfully before my majesty, for I was no peddling
merchant, as he had been accustomed to see, and would not stand
it; moreover, I would not leave my hut at the summons of the king
or anybody else, until I chose to do so.
This expression of becoming wrath brought every one to a sense of
his duty; and I then told them all I was excessively angry with
Mtesa for turning back my messenger; nobody had ever dared do
such a thing before, and I would never forgive the king until my
medicines had been given to the queen. As for my going to the
palace, it was out of the question, as I had been repeatedly
before told the king, unless it pleased him to give me a fitting
residence near himself. In order now that full weight should be
given to my expressions, I sent Bombay with the quinine to the
king, in company with the boys, to give an account of all that
had happened; and further, to say I felt exceedingly distressed I
could not go to see him constantly - that I was ashamed of my
domicile - the sun was hot to walk in; and when I went to the
palace, his officers in waiting always kept me waiting like a
servant - a matter hurtful to my honour and dignity.
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