To keep the king up to the mark, and seal our passage, in the
evening I took a Lancaster rifle, with ammunition, and the iron
chair he formerly asked for, as a parting present, to the palace,
but did not find him, as he had gone out shooting with his
brothers.
4th. - Grant and I now called together on the king to present the
rifle, chair, and ammunition, as we could not thank him in words
sufficiently for the favour he had done us in granting the road
through Unyoro. I said the parting gift was not half as much as
I should like to have been able to give; but we hoped, on
reaching Gani, to send Petherick up to him with everything that
he could desire. We regretted we had no more powder or shot, as
what was intended, and actually placed out expressly to be
presented on this occasion, was stolen. The king looked hard at
his head page, who was once sent to get these very things now
given, and then turning the subject adroitly, asked me how many
cows and women I would like, holding his hand up with spread
fingers, and desiring me to count by hundreds; but the reply was,
Five cows and goats would be enough, for we wished to travel
lightly in boats, starting from the Murchison Creek. Women were
declined on such grounds as would seem rational to him. But if
the king would clothe my naked men with one mbugu (bark cloth)
each, and give a small tusk each to nine Wanyamuezi porters, who
desired to return to their home, the obligation would be great.
Everything was granted without the slightest hesitation; and then
the king, turning to me, said, "Well, Bana, so you really wish to
go?" "Yes, for I have not seen my home for four years and
upwards" - reckoning five months to the year, Uganda fashion.
"And you can give no stimulants?" "No." "Then you will send me
some from Gani - brandy if you like; it makes people sleep sound,
and gives them strength." Next we went to the queen to bid her
farewell, but did not see her.
On returning home I found half my men in a state of mutiny. They
had been on their own account to beg for the women and cows which
had been refused, saying, If Bana does not want them we do, for
we have been starved here ever since we came, and when we go for
food get broken heads; we will not serve with Bana any longer;
but as he goes north, we will return to Karague and Unyanyembe.
Bombay, however, told them they never had fed so well in all
their lives as they had in Uganda, counting from fifty to sixty
cows killed, and pombe and plantains every day, whenever they
took the trouble to forage; and for their broken heads they
invariably received a compensation in women; so that Bana had
reason to regret every day spent in asking for food for them at
the palace - a favour which none but his men received, but which
they had not, as they might have done, turned to good effect by
changing the system of plundering for food in Uganda.
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