They Had
Been Here A Month Waiting For Leave To Approach The King's
Palace.
Not a villager was to be seen for miles round; not a
plantain remained on the trees, nor was there even a sweet potato
to be found in the ground.
The whole of the provisions of this
beautiful place had been devoured by the king's guests, simply
because he had been too proud to see them in a hurry. This was
alarming, for I feared I should be served the same trick,
especially as all the people said this kind of treatment was a
mere matter of custom which those great kings demanded as a
respect due to their dignity; and Bombay added, with laughter,
they make all manner of fuss to entice one to come when in the
distance, but when they have got you in their power they become
haughty about it, and think only of how they can best impose on
your mind the great consequence which they affect before their
own people.
Here I was also brought to a standstill, for N'yamgundu said I
must wait for leave to approach the palace. He wished to have a
look at the presents I had brought for Mtesa. I declined to
gratify it, taking my stand on my dignity; there was no occasion
for any distrust on such a trifling matter as that, for I was not
a merchant who sought for gain, but had come, at great expense,
to see the king of this region.
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