to Kamrasi, living upon goats all tlie way; and wlien lie
left, took back a tusk of ivory.”
This little controversy was amusing, but did not suit
Kamrasi, who had his eye on a certain valuable possession
of mine. He made his approach towards it by degrees,
beginning with a truly royal speech thus: “ I am the king
of all these countries, even including Uganda and Kidi—
though the Kidi people are such savages they obey no
man’s orders—and you are great men also, sitting on
chairs before kings; it therefore ill becomes us to talk of
such trifles as beads, especially as I know if you ever
return this way I shall get more from you.” f Begging
your majesty’s pardon,” I said, “ the mention of beads
only fell in the way of our talk like stones in a walk; our
motive being to get at the truth of what Baraka did and
said here, as his conduct in returning after receiving
strict orders from Btimanika and ourselves to open the
road, is a perfect enigma to us. We could not have
entered Unyoro at all excepting through Uganda, and
we could not have put foot in Uganda without visiting
its king.” Without deigning to answer, Kamrasi, in the
metaphorical language of a black man, said, “ It would
be unbecoming of me to keep secrets from you, and therefore
I will tell you at once; I am sadly afflicted with a
disorder which you alone can cure.” “ What is it, your
majesty ? I can see nothing in your face; it may perhaps
require a private inspection.” “ My heart,” he said, “ is
troubled, because you will not give me your magic horn—
the thing, I mean, in your pocket, which you pulled out
one day when Budja and Vittagflra were discussing the
way; and you no sooner looked at it than you said, ‘ That
is the way to the palace.’ ”
So f the sly fellow has been angling for the chronometer
all this time, and I can get nothing out of him until
he has got it—the road to the lake, the road to Gani,
everything seemed risked on his getting my watch—a
chronometer worth £50, which would be spoilt in his
hands in one day. To undeceive him, and tell him it was
the compass which I looked at and not the watch, I knew
would only end with my losing that instrument as well; so
I told him it was not my guide, but a time-keeper, made
for the purpose of knowing what time to eat my dinner
by. It was the only chronometer I had with me; and I
begged he would have patience until Bombay returned
from Gani with another, when he should have the option
of taking this or the new one. “ No; I must have the
one in your pocket; pulk it out and show it.” This'was
done, and I placed it on the ground, saying, “ The instrument
is yours, but I must keep it until another one comes.”
“No; I must have it now, and will send it you three times
every day to look at.”
The watch went, gold chain and all, without any blessings
following i t ; and the horrid king asked if I could
make up another magic horn, for he hoped he had deprived
us of the power of travelling, and plumed himself
on the notion that the glory of opening the road would
devolve upon himself. When I told him that to purchase
another would cost five hundred cows, the whole party
were more confirmed than ever as to its magical powers;
for who in his senses would give five hundred cows for the
mere gratification of seeing at what time his dinner should
be eaten ? Thus ended the second meeting. Ka.mra.Hi now
said the Gani men would feast on beef to-morrow, and the
next day be ready to start with my men for Petherick’s
camp. He then accompanied us to the boats, spear in
hand, and saw us cross the water. Long tail-hairs of the
giraffe surrounded his neck, on which little balls and other
ornaments of minute beads, after the Uganda fashion,
were worked. In the evening four pots of pombe and a
pack of flour were brought, together with the chronometer,
which was sent to be wound up—damaged of course—the
seconds-hand had been dislodgOed.