I Felt Grieved At Their Touching
Appeals; But, As I Did Not Understand All They Said, I Simply
Replied By Patting My Heart And Shaking My Head, Walking If
Anything All The Faster.
On my arrival at my hut, Bombay and others came in, wet through
with perspiration, saying the king had heard of all my
grievances.
Suwarora's hongo was turned out of court, and, if I
desired it, I might bring my own chair with me, for he was very
anxious to show me great respect - although such a seat was
exclusively the attribute of the king, no one else in Uganda
daring to sit on an artificial seat.
My point was gained, so I cooled myself with coffee and a pipe,
and returned rejoicing in my victory, especially over Suwarora.
After returning to the second tier of huts from which I had
retired, everybody appeared to be in a hurried, confused state of
excitement, not knowing what to make out of so unprecedented an
exhibition of temper. In the most polite manner, the officers in
waiting begged me to be seated on my iron stool, which I had
brought with me, whilst others hurried in to announce my arrival.
But for a few minutes only I was kept in suspense, when a band of
music, the musicians wearing on their backs long-haired goat-
skins, passed me, dancing as they went along, like bears in a
fair, and playing on reed instruments worked over with pretty
beads in various patters, from which depended leopard-cat skins -
the time being regulated by the beating of long hand-drums.
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