This Was Startling,
And Induced Me To Send All The Men I Could Prudently Spare Off To
Grant At Once, Cautioning Him To Avoid Ruhe's, As Lumeresi Had
Promised Me He Would Not Allow One Other Thing To Be Taken From
Me.
Lumeresi by this time was improving, from lessons on the
policy of moderation which I had been teaching him; for when he
tried to squeeze as much more out of Masudi as Ruhe had taken, he
gave way, and let him off cheaply at my intercession.
He had seen
enough to be persuaded that this unlimited taxation or plunder
system would turn out a losing game, such as Unyamyembe and Ugogo
were at that time suffering from. Moreover, he was rather put to
shame by my saying, "Pray, who now is biggest - Ruhe or yourself?
for any one entering this country would suspect that he was, as
he levies the first tax, and gives people to understand that, by
their paying it, the whole district will be free to them; such at
any rate he told me, and so it appears he told Masudi. If you
are the sultan, and will take my advice, I would strongly
recommend your teaching Ruhe a lesson, by taking from him what
the Arabs paid, and giving it back to Masudi.
At midnight (16th) I was startled in my sleep by the hurried
tramp of several men, who rushed in to say they were Grant's
porters - Bogue men who had deserted him.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 211 of 767
Words from 57645 to 57894
of 210958
