were made for the late gallant services of some of the
men in plundering Unyoro.
Tin p. old executioner, Khnza, being present, I asked the
king to pardon his son. Surprised, at first Mtesa said,
“ Can it be possible Bana has asked for this ?” And when
assured, in great glee he ordered the lad’s release, amidst
shouts of laughter from everybody but the agitated father,
who n’yanzigged, cried, and fell at my feet, making a
host of wonderful signs as a token of his gratitude; for
his heart was too full of emotion to give utterance to
his feelings. The king then, in high good-humour, said,
“ You have ealled on me many times without our broaching
the subject of Usoga, and perhaps you may fancy we
are not exerting ourselves in the matter; but my army is
only now returning from war ” (meaning plundering in
Unyoro), “ and I am collecting another one, which will
open Usoga effectually.” Before I could say anything,
the king started up in his usual manner, inviting a select
few to follow him to another court, when my medicine-
chest was inspected, and I was asked to operate for fistula
on one of the royal executioners. I had no opportunity
of incurring this responsibility ; for while professing to
prepare for the operation, the king went off in a fling.
When I got home I found Sangoro, whom we thought
lost or murdered, quietly ensconced in camp. He had
been foraging by himself a long way from camp, in a
neighbourhood where many of the king’s women are kept;
and it being forbidden ground, he was taken up by the
keepers, placed in the stocks, and fed, until to-day, when
he extricated his legs by means of his sword, and ran
away. My ever - grumbling men mobbed me again,
clamouring for food, saying, as they eyed my goats, I
lived at ease and overlooked their wants. In vain I told
them they had fared more abundantly than I had since
we entered Uganda; whilst I spared my goats to have a
little flesh every day, they consumed or squandered away
the flesh of their cows as rapidly as possible, selling the
skins for pomb^, which I seldom tasted; they robbed me
as long as I had cloth or beads, and now they had all
become as fat as hogs by lifting food off the Waganda
lands. As I could not quiet them, I directed that, early
next morning, Maiila should go to the king and Nasib
to the queen, while I proposed going to Kamraviona’s to
work them all three about this affair of food.
23d.—According to the plan of last night, I called
early on the Kamraviona. He promised me assistance,
but with an air which seemed to say, What are the sufferings
of other men to me ? So I went home to breakfast,
doubting if anything ever would be done. As Kaggo,
however, the second officer of importance, had expressed
a wish to see me, I sent Bombay to him for food, and
waited the upshot. Presently the king sent to say he
wished to see me with my compass; for the blackguard
Maiila had told him I possessed a wonderful instrument,
by looking at which I could find my way all over the
world. I went as requested, and found the king sitting
outside the palace on my chair dressed in cloths, with
my silk neckerchief and crest-ring, playing his flute in
concert with his brothers, some thirty-odd young men
and boys, one half of them manacled, the other h a lf free,
with an officer watching over them to see that they committed
no intrigues.
We then both sat side by side in the shade of the
court-walls, conversed and had music by turns; for the
king had invited his brothers here to please me, the first
step towards winning the coveted compass. My h a ir
must now be shown and admired, then my shoes taken
off and inspected, and my trousers tucked up to show
that I am white all over. Just at this time Bombay,
who had been in great request, came before us laden with
plantains. This was most opportune ; for the king asked
what he had been about, and then the true state of the case