It Was Kamrasi's Orders That Budja
Should Tell This To His "Child The Mkavia," Meaning Mtesa; For
When The Waganda
Came the first time to see him, three of his
family died; and when they came the second time, three
More died;
and as this rate of mortality was quite unusual in his family
circle, he could only attribute it to foul magic. The presence
of people who brought such results was of course by no means
desirable. This neat message elicited with a declaration of the
necessity of Budja's going to Gani with us, and a response from
the commander-in-chief, probably to terrify the Waganda, that
although Gani was only nine days' journey distant from Kamrasi's
palace, the Gani people were such barbarians, they would call a
straight-haired man a magician, and any person who tied his mbugu
in a knot upon his shoulder, or had a full set of teeth as the
Waganda have, would be surely killed by them. Finally, we must
wait two days, to see if Kamrasi would see us or not. Such was
Unyoro diplomacy.
An announcement of a different kind immediately followed. The
king had heard that I gave a cow to Vittagura and Kidgwiga when
they first came to me in Uganda, and wished the Wanyamuezi to
ascertain if this was true. Of course, I said they were my
guests in Uganda, and if they had been wise they would have eaten
their cow on the spot; what was that to Kamrasi? It was a pity
he did not treat us as well who have come into his country at his
own invitation, instead of keeping us starving in this gloomy
wilderness, without a drop of pombe to cheer the day; - why could
not he let us go on? He wanted first to hear if the big Mzungu,
meaning myself, had really come yet. All fudge!
Three days were spent in simply waiting for return messages on
both sides, and more might have been lost in the same way, only
we amused Vittagura and gave him confidence by showing our
pictures, looking-glass, scissors, knives, etc., when he promised
a march in the morning, leaving a man behind to bring on the
Wanguana sent to Mtesa's, it being the only alternative which
would please Budja; for he said there was no security for life in
Unyoro, where every Mkungu calls himself the biggest man, and no
true hospitality is to be found.
The next two days took us through Chagamoyo to Kiratosi, by the
aid of the compass; for the route Kamrasi's men took differed
from the one which Budja knew, and he declared the Wanyoro were
leading us into a trap, and would not be convinced we were going
on all right till I pulled out the compass and confirmed the
Wanyoro. We were anything but welcomed at Kiratosi, the people
asking by what bad luck we had come there to eat up their crops;
but in a little while they flocked to our doors and admired our
traps, remarking that they believed each iron box contained a
couple of white dwarfs, which we carry on our shoulders, sitting
straddle-legs, back to back, and they fly off to eat people
whenever they get the order. One of these visitors happened to
be the sister of one of my men, named Baruti, who no sooner
recognised her brother, than, without saying a word, she clasped
her head with her hands, and ran off, crying, to tell her husband
what she had seen. A spy of Kamrasi dropped the report that the
Wanguana were returning from Mtesa's, and hurried on to tell the
king.
31st. - Some Waganda hurrying in, confirmed the report of last
night, and said the Wanguana, footsore, had been left at the
Uganda frontier, expecting us to return, as Mtesa, at the same
time that he approved highly of my having sent men back to inform
him of Kamrasi's conduct, begged we would instantly return, even
if found within one march of Kamrasi's, for he had much of
importance to tell his friend Bana. The message continued to
this effect: I need be under no apprehensions about the road to
the coast, for he would give me as many men as I liked; and,
fearing I might be short of powder, he had sent some with the
Wanguana. Both Wanguana were by the king given women for their
services, and an old tin cartridge-box represented Mtesa's card,
it being an article of European manufacture, which, if found in
the possession of any Mganda, would be certain death to him.
Finally, all the houses and plantains where my men were wounded
had been confiscated.
When this message was fully delivered, Budja said we must return
without a day's delay. I, on the contrary, called up Kidgwiga. I
did not like my men having been kept prisoners in Uganda, and
pronounced in public that I would not return. It would be an
insult to Kamrasi my doing so, for I was now in his "house" at
his own invitation. I wished Bombay would go with him (Kidgwiga)
at once to his king, to say I had hoped, when I sent Budja with
Mabruki, in the first instance, conveying a friendly present from
Mtesa, which was done at my instigation, and I found Kamrasi
acknowledged it by a return-present, that there would be no more
fighting between them. I said I had left England to visit these
countries for the purpose of opening up a trade, and I had no
orders to fight my way except with the force of friendship. That
Rumanika had accepted my views Kamrasi must be fully aware by
Baraka's having visited him; and that Mtesa did the same must
also be evident, else he would never have ordered his men to
accompany me to Gani; and I now fondly trusted that these Waganda
would be allowed to go with me, when, by the influence of trade,
all animosity would cease, and friendly relations be restored
between the two countries.
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