He Replied That It Was A Very
Feverish Country, And That He And His People Had Used All The Medicine.
Thus My Last Hope Of Quinine Was Cut Off.
I had always trusted to obtain
a supply from the king, as Speke had told me that he had left a bottle
with him.
It was quite impossible to obtain any information from him,
and I was carried back to my hut, where I found Mrs. Baker lying down
with fever, and neither could render assistance to the other.
On the following morning the king again appeared. I was better, and I
had a long interview. He did not appear to heed my questions, but he at
once requested that I would ally myself with him, and attack his enemy,
Rionga. I told him that I could not embroil myself in such quarrels, but
that I had only one object, which was the lake. I requested that he
would give Ibrahim a large quantity of ivory, and that on his return
from Gondokoro he would bring him most valuable articles in exchange. He
said that he was not sure whether "my belly was black or white," - by
this he intended to express "evil or good intentions;" but that if it
were white I should of course have no objection to exchange blood with
him, as a proof of friendship and sincerity. This was rather too strong
a dose! I replied that it would be impossible, as in my country the
shedding of blood was considered a proof of hostility; therefore he must
accept Ibrahim as my substitute.
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