6th. - I Went To The Palace At The King's Command.
He kept us
waiting an hour, and then passing out by a side gate, beckoned us
to follow.
He was dressed in European clothes, with his guns and
tin box of clothes leading the way. His first question was,
"Well, Bana, where are your guns? for I have called you to go
shooting." "The pages never said anything about shooting, and
therefore the guns were left behind." Totally unconcerned, the
king walked on to his brothers, headed by a band and attendants,
who were much lauded for being ready at a moment's notice. A
grand flute concert was then played, one of the younger brothers
keeping time with a long hand-drum; then the band played; and
dancing and duets and singing followed. After the usual
presentations, fines, and n'yanziggings, I asked for leave to go
and meet Grant by water, but was hastily told that two boats had
been sent for him when we returned from the N'yanza, and that two
runners, just returned from Karague, said he was on the way not
far off. The child-king then changed his dress for another suit
of clothes for his brothers to admire, and I retired, much
annoyed, as he would neither give pombe for myself, nor plantains
for my men: and I was further annoyed on my arrival at home, to
find the Wanguana mobbing my hut and clamouring for food, and
calling for an order to plunder if I did not give them beads,
which, as the stock had run short, I could only do by their
returning to Karague for the beads stored there; and, even if
they were obtained, it was questionable if the king would revoke
his order prohibiting the sale of provisions to us.
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