Notwithstanding This Apparent Richness In The Land, The
Wanyambo, Living In Their Small Squalid Huts, Seem Poor.
The
tobacco they smoke is imported from the coffee-growing country of
Uhaiya.
After arrival in the village, who should we see but the
Uganda officer, Irungu! The scoundrel, instead of going on to
Uganda, as he had promised to do, conveying my present to Mtesa,
had stopped here plundering the Wanyambo, and getting drunk on
their pombe, called, in their language, marwa - a delicious kind
of wine made from the banana. He, or course, begged for more
beads; but, not able to trick me again, set his drummers and
fifers at work, in hopes that he would get over our feelings in
that way.
Henceforth, as we marched, Irungu's drummers and fifers kept us
alive on the way. This we heard was a privilege that Uganda
Wakungu enjoyed both at home and abroad, although in all other
countries the sound of the drum is considered a notice of war,
unless where it happens to accompany a dance or festival.
Leaving the valley of Uthenga, we rose over the spur of
N'yamwara, where we found we had attained the delightful altitude
of 5000 odd feet. Oh, how we enjoyed it! every one feeling so
happy at the prospect of meeting so soon the good king Rumanika.
Tripping down the greensward, we now worked our way to the Rozoka
valley, and pitched our tents in the village.
Kachuchu here told us he had orders to precede us, and prepare
Rumanika for our coming, as his king wished to know what place we
would prefer to live at - the Arab depot at kufro, on the direct
line to Uganda, in his palace with himself, or outside his
enclosures.
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