My
goats and other things had been taken away without causing me
much distress of mind, but now, after this shocking event, I
ordered my men to shoot at any thieves that came near them.
This night one was shot, without any mistake about it; for the
next morning we tracked him by his blood, and afterwards heard he
had died of his wound. The Wasui elders, contrary to my
expectation, then came and congratulated us on our success. They
thought us most wonderful men, and possessed of supernatural
powers; for the thief in question was a magician, who until now
was thought to be invulnerable. Indeed, they said Arabs with
enormous caravans had often been plundered by these people; but
though they had so many more guns than ourselves, they never
succeeded in killing one.
Nasib then returned to inform us that the king had heard our
complaint, and was sorry for it, but said he could not interfere
with the rights of his officers. He did not wish himself to take
anything from us, and hoped we would come on to him as soon as we
had satisfied his officers with the trifle they wanted. Virembo
then sent us some pombe by his officers, and begged us to have
patience, for he was then fleecing Masudi at the encamping-ground
near the palace.
