On Their Confirming Sirboki's
Story, And Advising My Stopping, I Acceded To Their
Recommendation, And Immediately Gave Musa's Men Orders To Look
Out For Porters.
Hearing this, all my Wanguana danced with delight; and I, fearing
there was some treachery, called Musa's men again, saying I had
changed my mind, and wished to go on in the afternoon; but when
the time came, not one of our porters could be seen.
There was
now no help for it; so, taking it coolly, I gave Musa's men
presents, begged them to look sharp in getting the men up, and
trusted all would end well in the long-run. Sirboko's attentions
were most warm and affecting. He gave us cows, rice, and milk,
with the best place he had to live in, and looked after us as
constantly and tenderly as if he had been our father. It seemed
quite unjust to harbour any suspicion against him.
He gave the following account of himself: - He used to trade in
ivory, on account of some Arabs at Zanzibar. On crossing Usui,
he once had a fight with one of the chiefs of the country and
killed him; but he got through all right, because the natives,
after two or three of their number had been killed, dispersed,
and feared to come near his musket again. He visited Uganda when
the late king Sunna was living, and even traded Usoga; but as he
was coming down from these northern countries he lost all his
property by a fire breaking out in a village he stopped in, which
drove him down here a ruined man. As it happened, however, he
put up with the chief of this district, Ugali - Mr Paste - at a
time when the Watuta attacked the place and drove all the
inhabitants away. The chief, too, was on the point of bolting,
when Sirboko prevented him by saying, "If you will only have
courage to stand by me, the Watuta shall not come near - at any
rate, if they do, let us both die together." The Watuta at that
time surrounded the district, crowning all the little hills
overlooking it; but fearing the Arabs' guns might be many, they
soon walked away, and left them in peace. In return for this
magnanimity, and feeling a great security in firearms, Ugali then
built the large enclosure, with huts for Sirboko, we were now
living in. Sirboko, afraid to return to the coast lest he should
be apprehended for debt, has resided here ever since, doing odd
jobs for other traders, increasing his family, and planting
extensively. His agricultural operations are confined chiefly to
rice, because the natives do not like it enough to be tempted to
steal it.
25th to 2d. - I now set to work, collecting, stuffing, and
drawing, until the 2d, when Musa's men came in with three hundred
men, whom I sent on to Kaze at once with my specimens and
letters, directing Musa and Bombay to come on and join us
immediately.
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