As He Advanced,
My Men, Forming A Guard Of Honour Fired Three Shots Immediately
On His Setting Foot Upon Our Side The River; Whilst Frij, With
His Boatswain's Whistle, Piped The 'Rogue's March,' To Prepare Us
For His Majesty's Approach.
We saluted him, hat in hand, and,
leading the way, showed him in.
He was pleased to be
complimentary, remarking, what Waseja (fine men) we were, and
took his seat. We sat on smaller boxes, to appear humble, whilst
his escort of black "swells" filled the doorway, squatting on the
ground, so as to stop the light and interfere with our
decorations.
After the first salutations, the king remarked the head of a
nsamma buck, and handled it; then noticed my mosquito-curtains
hanging over the bed, and begged for them. He was told they
could not be given until Bombay returned, as the mosquitoes would
eat us up. "But there were two," said the escort, "for we have
seen one in the other hut." That was true; but were there not
two white men? However, if the king wanted gauze, here was a
smart gauze veil - and the veil vanished at once. The iron camp-
bed was next inspected, and admired; then the sextant, which was
coveted and begged for, but without success, much to the
astonishment of the king, as his attendants had led him to expect
he would get anything he asked for. Then the thermometers were
wanted and refused; also table-knives, spoons, forks, and even
cooking-pots, for we had no others, and could not part with them.
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