After
Pausing A Little, I Asked The King What Ailed Him, For I Was
Sorry To Hear He Had Been Sick; But Instead Of Replying, He Shook
His Head, As Much As To Say, I Had Put A Very Uncouth Question To
His Majesty - And Ordered Some Men To Shoot Cows.
Instead of admiring this childish pastime, which in Uganda is
considered royal sport, I rather looked disdainful, until,
apparently disappointed at my indifference, he asked what the box
I had brought contained.
On being told it was the medicine he
desired, he asked me to draw near, and sent his courtiers away.
When only the interpreters and one confidential officer were
left, besides myself, he wished to know if I could apply the
medicine without its touching the afflicted part. To give him
confidence in my surgical skill, I moved my finger, and asked him
if he knew what gave it action; and on his replying in the
negative, I have him an anatomical lecture, which so pleased him,
he at once consented to be operated on, and I applied a blister
accordingly. The whole operation was rather ridiculous; for the
blister, after being applied, had to be rubbed in turn on the
hands and faces of both Bombay and Nasib, to show there was no
evil spirit in the "doctor." Now, thought I to myself, is the
right time for business; for I had the king all to myself, then
considered a most fortunate occurrence in Uganda, where every man
courts the favour of a word with his king, and adores him as a
deity, and he in turn makes himself as distance as he can, to
give greater effect to his exalted position.
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