There was no shot, so bullets must be fired; and the cunning
king, wishing to show off, desired me to fire simultaneously with
himself.
We fired, but my bullet struck the bough the nest was
resting on; we fired again, and the bullet passed through the
nest without touching the bird. I then asked the king to allow
me to try his Whitworth, to which a little bit of stick, as a
charm to secure a correct aim, had been tied below the trigger-
guard. This time I broke the bird's leg, and knocked him half
out of the nest; so, running up to the king, I pointed to the
charm, saying, That has done it - hoping to laugh him out of the
folly; but he took my joke in earnest, and he turned to his men,
commenting on the potency of the charm. Whilst thus engaged, I
took another rifle and brought the bird down altogether. "Woh,
woh, woh!" shouted the king; "Bana, Mzungu, Mzungu!" he repeated,
leaping and clapping his hands, as he ran full speed to the
prostrate bird, whilst the drums beat, and the Wakungu followed
him: "Now, is not this a wonder? but we must go and shoot
another." "Where?" I said; "we may walk a long way without
finding, if we have nothing but our eyes to see with. Just send
for your telescope, and then I will show you how to look for
birds." Surprised at this announcement, the king sent his pages
flying for the instrument, and when it came I instructed him how
to use it; when he could see with it, and understand its powers,
his astonishment knew no bounds; and, turning to his Wakungu, he
said, laughing, "Now I do see the use of this thing I have been
shutting up in the palace.
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