In The Evening, Masudi, With Sangoro And Several
Other Merchants, Came Up From Kufro To Pay Us A Visit Of Respect.
28th and 29th.
- A gentle hint having come to us that the king's
brother, Wazezeru, expected a trifle in virtue of his rank, I
sent him a blanket and seventy-five blue egg-beads. These were
accepted with the usual good grace of these people. The king
then, ever attentive to our position as guests, sent his royal
musicians to give us a tune. The men composing the band were a
mixture of Waganda and Wanyambo, who played on reed instruments
made telescope fashion, marking time by hand-drums. At first
they marched up and down, playing tunes exactly like the
regimental bands of the Turks, and then commenced dancing a
species of "hornpipe," blowing furiously all the while. When
dismissed with some beads, Nnanaji dropped in and invited me to
accompany him out shooting on the slopes of the hills overlooking
the lake. He had in attendance all the king's sons, as well as a
large number of beaters, with three or four dogs. Tripping down
the greensward of the hills together, these tall, athletic
princes every now and then stopped to see who could shoot
furthest, and I must say I never witnessed better feats in my
life. With powerful six-feet-long bows they pulled their arrows'
heads up to the wood, and made wonderful shots in the distance.
They then placed me in position, and arranging the field, drove
the covers like men well accustomed to sport - indeed, it struck
me they indulged too much in that pleasure, for we saw nothing
but two or three montana and some diminutive antelopes, about the
size of mouse deer, and so exceedingly shy that not one was
bagged.
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