same way as Suwarora had done to help us out of Bogtid,
as he knew Musa at one time said he would go with us
to Karague in person. When Bombay was gone, Virembo
then deputed Kariwami to take the hongo for both at
once, mildly requiring 40 wires, 80 cloths, and 400 necklaces
of every kind of bead we possessed. This was,
indeed, too much of a joke. I complained of all the losses
I had suffered, and begged for mercy; but all he said,
after waiting the whole day, was, “ Do not stick at trifles;
for; after settling with us, you will have to give as much
more to Vikora, who lives down below.”
Next morning, as I said L could not by any means pay
such an exorbitant tax as was demanded,
Kariwami begged me to make an offer, which
I did by sending him four wires. These, of course, were
rejected with scorn; so, in addition, I sent an old,box.
That, too, was thrown back on me, as nothing short of
20 wires, 40 cloths, and 200 necklaces of all sorts of
beads, would satisfy him; and this I ought to be contented
to pay, as he had been so moderate because I was
the king’s guest, and had been so reduced by robbery.
I now sent six wires more, and said this was the last I
could give—they were worth so many goats to me-"—and
now, by giving them away, I should have to live on grain
like a poor man, though I was a prince in my own
country, just like Suwarora. Surely Siiwarora could not
permit this if he knew i t ; and if they would not suffice,
I should have to stop here until called again by Suwarora.
The ruffian, on hearing this, allowed the wires to lie in his
hut, and said he was going away, but hoped, when he
returned, I should have, as I had got no cloths, 20 wires,
and 1000 necklaces of extra length, strung and all ready
for him.
Just then Bombay returned flushed with the excitement
of a great success. He had been in Masiidi’s camp, and
had delivered my message to Insangez. Masudi, he said,
had been there a fortnight unable to settle his hongo, for
the great Mkama had not deigned to see him, though the
Arab had been daily to his palace requesting an interview.
“Well,” I said, “ that is all very interesting, but
what next?—will the big king see us ?” “ O no; by the
very best good fortune in the world, on going into the
palace I saw Siiwarora, and spoke to him at once; but he
was so tremendously drunk, he could not understand me.”
“What luck was there in that?” I asked. On which
Bombay said, “ Oh, everybody in the place congratulated
me on my success in having obtained an interview with
that great monarch the very first day, when Arabs had
seldom that privilege under one full month of squatting;
even Masudi had not yet seen him.” To which Nasib
also added, “ Ah, yes—indeed it is so—a monstrous success;
there is great ceremony as well as business at these
courts; you will better see what I mean when you get to
Uganda. These Wahiima kings are not like those you
ever saw in Unyamhezi or anywhere else ; they have
officers and soldiers like Said Majid, the Sultan at Zanzibar.
“Well, said I to Bombay, “what was Siiwarora
like ?” “ Oh, he is a very fine man—just as tall, and in
the face very like Grant; in fact, if Grant were black you
would not know the difference.” “ And were his officers
drunk too ?” “ 0 yes, they were all drunk together; men
were bringing in pombe all day.” “ And did you get
drunk? “ 0 yes,” said Bombay, grinning, and showing
his whole row of sharp-pointed teeth, “they would make me
drink, and then they showed me the place they assigned
for your camp when you come over there. It was not in
the palace, but outside, without a tree near i t ; anything
but a nice-looking residence.” I then sent Bombay to
work at the hongo business; but, after haggling till night
with Kariwami, he was told he must bring fourteen brass
wires, two cloths, and five mukhnai of kanydra, or white
porcelain beads which, reduced, amounted to three hun