It Appeared That Kamrasi's Brothers, When They Heard We
Were Coming Into Unyoro, Murmured, And Said To The King, "Why
Are
you bringing such guests amongst us, who will practise all kinds
of diabolical sorcery, and bring evil on us?
" To which Kamrasi
replied, "I have invited them to come, and they shall come; and
if they bring evil with them, let that all fall on my shoulders,
for you shall not see them." He then built a palaver-house on
the banks of the Kafu to receive us in privately; and when we
were to go to Gani, it was his intention to slip us off privately
down the Kafu. The brothers were so thoroughly frightened, that
when Kamrasi opened his chronometer before them to show them the
works in motion, they turned their heads away. The large block-
tin box I gave Kamrasi, as part of his hongo, was, I heard,
called Mzungu, or the white man, by him.
In the evening the beads recently brought from Gani were sent for
my inspection, with an intimation that Kamrasi highly approved of
them, and would like me to give him a few like them. Some of
Kamrasi's spies, whom he had sent to the refractory allies of
Rionga his brother, returned bringing a spear and some grass from
the thatch of the hut of a Chopi chief. The removal of the grass
was a piece of state policy. It was stolen by Kamrasi's orders,
in order that he might spread a charm on the Chopi people, and
gain such an influence over them that their spears could not
prevail against the Wanyoro; but it was thought we might possess
some still superior magic powder, as we had come from such a long
distance, and Kamrasi would prefer to have ours.
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