Nobody But
Musa Had Ever Given Him Such Beautiful Beads Before, And None
Ever Gave With Such Free Liberality.
Whatever I wanted I should
have in return for it, as it was evident to him I had really done
him a great honour in visiting him.
Neither his father nor any
of his forefathers had had such a great favour shown them. He
was alarmed, he confessed, when he heard we were coming to visit
him, thinking we might prove some fearful monsters that were not
quite human, but now he was delighted beyond all measure with
what he saw of us. A messenger should be sent at once to the king
of Uganda to inform him of our intention to visit him, with his
own favourable report of us. This was necessary according to the
etiquette of the country. Without such a recommendation our
progress would be stopped by the people, whilst with one word
from him all would go straight; for was he not the gatekeeper,
enjoying the full confidence of Uganda? A month, however, must
elapse, as the distance to the palace of Uganda was great; but,
in the meantime, he would give me leave to go about in his
country to do and see what I liked, Nnanaji and his sons
escorting me everywhere. Moreover, when the time came for my
going on to Uganda, if I had not enough presents to give the
king, he would fill up the complement from his own stores, and
either go with me himself, or send Nnanaji to conduct me as far
as the boundary of Uganda, in order that Rogero might not molest
us on the way.
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