yembd bad advised my donning their habit for the
trip, in order to attract less attention : a vain precaution,
which I believe they suggested more to gratify
their own vanity by seeing an Englishman lower himself
to their position, than for any benefit that I might
receive by doing so. At any rate, I was more comfortable
and better off in my flannel shirt, long togs, and
wide-awake, than I should have been, both mentally
and physically, had I degraded myself, and adopted
their hot, long, and particularly uncomfortable gown.
Sultan Mahaya sent a messenger to say that he was
hurt at the cavalier manner in which I treated him
yesterday; and, to show his wounded feelings, gave an
order to his subjects that no man should supply me
with provisions, or render me any assistance during
my sojourn at Muanza. Luckily my larder was well
supplied with game, or I should have had to go sup-
perless to bed, for no inducement would prevail on the
people to sell anything to me after the mandate had
been proclaimed. This morning, however, we settled
the difference in the most amicable manner, thus:
previous to my departure for Observatory Hill, I
sent the Jemadar, the Kirangozi, and a large deputa- I
tion of the Beluehes and pagazis, to explain away the
reason of my having left his house so rudely, and to
tender apologies, which were accompanied, as an ear- |
nest of good-will, with a large hongo, consisting of one
barsati, one dhoti merikani, and one gora kiniki as
also an intimation that I would pay him a visit the
next day. This pleased him excessively; it was considered
a visit of itself; and he returned the usual
bullock, with a notification that I must remain where
I was, to enable him to return the compliment I had
paid him, for he intended walking out to see me on
the morrow.
5th.—As my time was getting short, I forestalled
Mahaya in his intentions, and changed ground to
the Palace, a rural-looking little place, perched on a
small rocky promontory, shrouded by green trees,
facing the N.W. side of the lake. Mahaya received
me with great courtesy, arranged a hut comfortably,
and presented a number of eggs and fresh milk, as he
had heard that I was partial to such fare. He is a
man of more than ordinary stature, a giant in miniature,
with massive and muscular but well-proportioned
limbs: he must number fifty years or more. His
dress was the ordinary barsati; his arms were set off
by heavy brass and copper ornaments encircling the
wrists, and by numberless sambo, or thin circles made
from the twisted fibres of an aloetic plant, on each of
which a single infi, or white porcelain bead resembling
a little piece of tobacco-pipe, was strung; these ranged
in massive rows down the whole of his upper arm.
Just above his elbow-joints sat a pair of large ivory
rings. On his forehead two small goat or deer horns
were fastened by thin talismanic ornaments of thong
for keeping off the evil eye; and, finally, his neck was
adorned with two strings of very coarse blue beads.
Mahaya has the fame of being the best and most just
sultan in these quarters, and his benign square counte