This Last March Differed But
Little From The Others.
Putting Dr K'yengo's men in front, and
going on despite all entreaties to stop, we passed the last bit
of jungle, sighted the Kidi hills, and, in a sea of swampy grass,
at last we stood in front of and overlooked the great king's
palace, situated N. lat.
1§ 37' 43", and E. long. 32§ 19' 49", on
a low tongue of land between the Kafu and Nile rivers. It was a
dumpy, large hut, surrounded by a host of smaller ones, and the
worst royal residence we had seen since leaving Uzinza. Here
Kajunju, coming from behind, overtook us, and breathless with
running, in the most excited manner, abused Dr K'yengo's men for
leading us on, and ordered us to stop until he saw the king, and
ascertained the place his majesty wished us to reside in.
Recollecting Mtesa's words that Kamrasi placed his guest on the
N'yanza, I declined going to any place but the palace, which I
maintained was my right, and waited for the issue, when Kajunju
returned with pombe, and showed us to a small, dirty set of huts
beyond the Kafu river - the trunk of the Mwerango and N'yanza
branches which we crossed in Uganda - and trusted this would do
for the present, as better quarters in the palace would be looked
for on the morrow. This was a bad beginning, and caused a few of
the usual anathemas in which our countrymen give vent to their
irritation.
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