then I heard that MkQenda, the queen’s woman-keeper,
was outside waiting for me, but dared not come in, because
Congo Vs women were all out; so I asked leave to go
home to breakfast, much to the surprise of Congow, who
thought I was his guest for the whole day. It is considered
very indecorous in Uganda to call upon two
persons in one day, though even the king or the queen
should be one of them. Then, as there was no help for it
—Congow could not detain me when hungry—he showed
me a little boy, the only child he had, and said, with
much fatherly pride, “Both the king and queen have
called on me to see this fine little fellow; ” and we parted
to meet again some other day. Outside his gate I found
MkGenda, who said the queen had sent him to invite
“ her son ” to bring her some stomach medicine in the
morning, and come to have a chat with her. With
Mkiienda I walked home; but he was so awed by the
splendour of my hut, with its few blankets and bit of
chintz, that he would not even sit upon a cow-skin, but
asked if any Waganda dared venture in there. He was
either too dazzled or too timid to answer any questions,
and in a few minutes walked away again.
After this, I had scarcely swallowed my breakfast before
I received a summons from the king to meet him out
shooting, with all the Wanguana armed, and my grins •
and going towards the palace, found him with a large
staff, pages and officers as well as women, in a plantain
garden, looking eagerly out for birds, whilst his band was
playing. In addition to his English dress, he wore a
turban, and pretended that the glare of the sun was distressing
his eyes—for, in fact, he wanted me to give him
a wideawake like my own. Then, as if a sudden freak
had seized him, though I knew it was on account of
Maula’s having excited his curiosity, he said, “Where
does Bana live ? lead away.” Bounding and scrambling,
the Wakungu, the women and all, went pell-mell through
everything towards my hut. If the Kamraviona or any
of the boys could not move fast enough, on account of the
crops on the fields, they were piked in the back till half
knocked over; but, instead of minding, they trotted on,
n’yanzigging as if honoured by a kingly poke, though
treated like so many dogs.
Arrived at the hut, the king took off his turban as I
took off my hat, and seated himself on my stool; whilst
the Kamraviona, with much difficulty, was induced to sit
upon a cow-skin, and the women at first were ordered to
squat outside. Everything that struck the eye was much
admired and begged for, though nothing so much as my
wideawake and mosquito-curtains; then, as the women
were allowed to have a peep in and see Bana in his den,
I gave them two sacks of beads, to make the visit profitable,
the only alternative left me from being forced
into inhospitality, for no one would drink from my cup.
Moreover, a present was demanded by the laws of the
country.
The king, excitedly impatient, now led the way again,
shooting hurry-scurry through my men’s lines, which were
much commented on as being different from Waganda
hutting, on to the tall tree with the adjutant’s nest. One
young bird was still living in it. There was no shot, so
bullets must be fired; and the cunning king, wishing to
show off, desired me to fire simultaneously with himself.
We fired, but my bullet struck the bough the nest was
resting on; we fired again, and the bullet passed through
the nest without touching the bird. I then asked the
king to allow me to try his Whitworth, to which a little
bit of stick, as a charm to secure a correct aim, had been
tied below the trigger-guard. This time I broke the bird’s
leg, and knocked him half out of the nest; so, running
up to the king, I pointed to the charm, saying, That has
done it—hoping to laugh him out of the folly; but he
took my joke in earnest, and he turned to his men, com