He Stared, And Everybody Stared, Believing
Me To Be A Magician, When The King Said He Would Like To Have
Pictures of the birds drawn and hung up in the palace; "but let
us go and shoot some more, for
It is truly wonderful." Similar
results followed, for the herons were continually whirling round,
as they had their nests upon a neighbouring tree; and then the
king ordered his pages to carry all the birds, save the vulture -
which, for some reason, they did not touch - and show them to the
queen.
He then gave the order to move on, and we all repaired to the
palace. Arrived at the usual throne-room, he took his seat,
dismissed the party of wives who had been following him, as well
as the Wakungu, received pombe from his female evil-eye averters,
and ordered me, with my men, to sit in the sun facing him, till I
complained of the heat, and was allowed to sit by his side.
Kites, crows, and sparrows were flying about in all directions,
and as they came within shot, nothing would satisfy the excited
boy-king but I must shoot them, and his pages take them to the
queen, till my ammunition was totally expended. He then wanted
me to send for more shot; and as I told him he must wait for more
until my brothers come, he contented himself with taking two or
three sample grains and ordering his iron-smiths to make some
like them.
Cows were now driven in for me to kill two with one bullet; but
as the off one jumped away when the gun fired, the bullet passed
through the near one, then through all the courts and fences, and
away no one knew where. The king was delighted, and said he must
keep the rifle to look at for the night. I now asked permission
to speak with him on some important matters, when he sent his
women away and listened. I said I felt anxious about the road on
which Mabruki was travelling, to which I added that I had ordered
him to tell Petherick to come here or else to send property to
the value of one thousand dollars; and I felt anxious because
some of the queen's officers felt doubtful about Waganda being
able to penetrate Kidi. He said I need not concern myself on
that score; he was much more anxious for the white men to come
here than even I was, and he would not send my men into any
danger; but it was highly improper for any of his people to speak
about such subjects. Then, assembling the women again, he asked
me to load Whitworth for him, when he shot the remaining cow,
holding the rifle in both hands close to his thigh. The feat, of
course, brought forth great and uproarious congratulations from
his women. The day thus ended, and I was dismissed.
13th. - Mabriki and Bilal come into camp:
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