25th. - In The Morning, The Commander-In-Chief Wished Us To Cast A
Horoscope, And See Where Bombay Was, And If He Were Getting On
Well.
That being negatived, he told us to put our hut in order,
as Kamrasi was coming to see us.
Accordingly we made everything
as smart as possible, hanging the room round with maps, horns,
and skins of animals, and places a large box covered with a red
blanket, as a throne for the king to set upon. As he advanced,
my men, forming a guard of honour fired three shots immediately
on his setting foot upon our side the river; whilst Frij, with
his boatswain's whistle, piped the 'Rogue's March,' to prepare us
for his majesty's approach. We saluted him, hat in hand, and,
leading the way, showed him in. He was pleased to be
complimentary, remarking, what Waseja (fine men) we were, and
took his seat. We sat on smaller boxes, to appear humble, whilst
his escort of black "swells" filled the doorway, squatting on the
ground, so as to stop the light and interfere with our
decorations.
After the first salutations, the king remarked the head of a
nsamma buck, and handled it; then noticed my mosquito-curtains
hanging over the bed, and begged for them. He was told they
could not be given until Bombay returned, as the mosquitoes would
eat us up. "But there were two," said the escort, "for we have
seen one in the other hut." That was true; but were there not
two white men? However, if the king wanted gauze, here was a
smart gauze veil - and the veil vanished at once. The iron camp-
bed was next inspected, and admired; then the sextant, which was
coveted and begged for, but without success, much to the
astonishment of the king, as his attendants had led him to expect
he would get anything he asked for. Then the thermometers were
wanted and refused; also table-knives, spoons, forks, and even
cooking-pots, for we had no others, and could not part with them.
The books of birds and animals had next to be seen, and being
admired were coveted, the king offering one of the books I first
gave him in exchange for one of these. In fact, he wanted to
fleece us of everything; so, to shut him up, I said I would not
part with one bird for one hundred tusks of ivory; they were all
the collections I had made in Africa, and if I parted with them
my journey would go for nothing; but if he wanted a few drawings
of birds I would do some for him - at present I wished to speak
to him. "Well, what is it? we are all attention." "I wish to
know positively if you would like English traders to come here
regularly, as the Arabs do to trade at Karague? and if so, would
you give me a pembe (magic horn) as a warrant, that everybody may
know Kamrasi, king of Unyoro, desires it?"
Kamrasi replied, "I like your proposition very much; you shall
have the horn you ask for, either large or small, just as you
please; and after you have gone, should we hear any English are
at Gani wishing to come here, as my brothers are in the way we
will advance with spears whilst they approach with guns, and
between us both, my brothers must fly - for I myself will head the
expedition.
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