Here I Was Also Brought To A Standstill, For N'yamgundu Said I
Must Wait For Leave To Approach The Palace.
He wished to have a
look at the presents I had brought for Mtesa.
I declined to
gratify it, taking my stand on my dignity; there was no occasion
for any distrust on such a trifling matter as that, for I was not
a merchant who sought for gain, but had come, at great expense,
to see the king of this region. I begged, however, he would go
as fast as possible to announce my arrival, explain my motive for
coming here, and ask for an early interview, as I had left my
brother Grant behind at Karague, and found my position, for want
of a friend to talk to, almost intolerable. It was not the
custom of my country for great men to consort with servants, and
until I saw him, and made friends, I should not be happy. I had
a great deal to tell him about, as he was the father of the Nile,
which river drained the N'yanza down to my country to the
northward. With this message N'yamgundu hurried off as fast as
possible.
Next day (15th) I gave each of my men a fez cap, and a piece of
red blanket to make up military jackets. I then instructed them
how to form a guard of honour when I went to the palace, and
taught Bombay the way Nazirs was presented at courts in India.
Altogether we made a good show. When this was concluded I went
with Nasib up a hill, from which we could see the lake on one
side, and on the other a large range of huts said to belong to
the king's uncle, the second of the late king Sunna's brothers,
who was not burnt to death when he ascended the throne.
I then (16th) very much wished to go and see the escape of the
Mwerango river, as I still felt a little sceptical as to its
origin, whether or not it came off those smaller lakes I had seen
on the road the day before I crossed the river; but no one would
listen to my project. They all said I must have the king's
sanction first, else people, from not knowing my object, would
accuse me of practising witchcraft, and would tell their king so.
They still all maintained that the river did come out of the
lake, and said, if I liked to ask the king's leave to visit the
spot, then they would go and show it me. I gave way, thinking it
prudent to do so, but resolved in my mind I would get Grant to
see it in boats on his voyage from Karague. There were not
guinea-fowls to be found here, nor a fowl, in any of the huts, so
I requested Rozaro to hurry off to Mtesa, and ask him to send me
something to eat. He simply laughed at my request, and said I
did not know what I was doing.
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