He
Sent Me A Message Today, That The Houses He Had Prepared For Me Had Been
Destroyed By Fire, And To Beg Me To Wait Until He Should Have Completed
Others.
The truth is, he is afraid of our large party, and he delays us
in every manner possible, in order to receive daily reports of our
behaviour on the road.
Latitude by observation at this point, 1 degree
50 minutes 47 seconds N."
"FEB. 7th. - Detained here for a day. I never saw natives so filthy in
their dwellings as the people of Unyoro. Goats and fowls share the but
with the owner, which, being littered down with straw, is a mere
cattle-shed, redolent of man and beast. The natives sleep upon a mass of
straw, upon a raised platform, this at night being covered with a
dressed skin. Yesterday the natives brought coffee in small quantities
to sell. They have no idea of using it as a drink, but simply chew it
raw as a stimulant. It is a small and finely-shaped grain, with a good
flavour. It is brought from the country of Utumbi, about a degree south
of this spot."
"FEB. 8th. - Marched eight miles due south. The river makes a long bend
to E.N.E., and this morning's march formed the chord of the arc. Halted;
again delayed for the day, as we are not far from the capital, and a
messenger must be sent to the king for instructions before we proceed. I
never saw such abject cowardice as the redoubted Kamrasi exhibits.
Debono's vakeel having made a razzia upon his frontier has so cowed him,
that he has now left his residence, and retreated to the other side of a
river, from which point he sends false messages to delay our advance as
much as possible. There is a total absence of dignity in his behaviour;
no great man is sent to parley, but the king receives contradictory
reports from the many-tongued natives that have utterly perplexed him.
He is told by some that we are the same people that came with Ras-Galla
(Debono's captain), and he has neither the courage to repel or to
receive us. Our force of 112 armed men could eat the country in the
event of a fight, provided that a large supply of ammunition were at
hand. The present store is sixty rounds for each man, which would not be
sufficient."
"FEB. 9th. - After endless discussions and repeated messages exchanged
with the king, he at length sent word that I was to come ALONE. To this
I objected; and, upon my starting with my men, the guide refused to
proceed. I at once turned back, and told the chief (our guide) that I no
longer wished to see Kamrasi, who must be a mere fool, and I should
return to my country. This created a great stir, and messengers were at
once despatched to the king, who returned an answer that I might bring
all my men, but that only five of the Turks could be allowed with
Ibrahim.
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