the best sort, and a request to leave his country. Much
pleased with the things, Kamrasi ordered the tent to be
pitched before all his court, pointed out to them what clever
people the white people are, making iron pots instead of
earthen ones. Covetous and never satisfied, however, instead
of returning thanks, he said he was sure I must have
more beads than those I sent him; and, instead of granting
the leave asked for, said he would think about it, and send
the Kamraviona in the evening with his answer. This,
when it came, was anything but satisfactory; for we were
required to stop here until the king should have prepared
the people on the road for our coming, so that they might
not be surprised, or try to molest us on the way. Kamrasi,
however, returned the books of birds and animals,
requesting a picture of the king of Uganda to be drawn
for him, and gave us one pot of pombd
J f i I sent the picture required, and an angry message
to Kamrasi for breaking his word, as he promised us we
X im e n y a th e D-waif.
should go without a day’s delay; and go we must, for I
could neither eat nor sleep from thinking of my home.
His only reply to this was, Bana is always in a preposterous
hurry. He answered, that for our gratification he had
directed a dwarf called Kimenya to be sent to us, and the
Kamraviona should follow after. Kimenya, a little old man,
less than a yard high, called on us with a walking-stick
higher than himself, made his salaam, and sat down very
composedly. He then rose and danced, singing without
invitation, and following it up with queer antics. Lastly,
he performed the tambura, or charging-march, in imitation
of Wakungii, repeating the same words they use, and
ending by a demand for simbi, or cowrie-shells, modestly
saying, “ I am a beggar, and want simbi; if you have not
500 to spare, you must at any rate give me 400.”
He then narrated his fortune in life. Bom in Chopi,
he was sent for by Kamrasi, who first gave him two
women, who died; then another, who ran away; and,
finally, a distorted dwarf like himself, whom he rejected,
because he thought the propagation of his pigmy breed
would not be advantageous to society. Bombay then
marched him back to the palace, with 500 simbi strung
in necklaces round his neck. When these two had gone,
the Kamraviona arrived with two spears, one load of flour,
and a pot of pombd, which he requested me to accept,
adding that the spears were given as it was observed I
had accepted some from the king of Uganda; a shield was
still in reserve for me, and spears would be sent for Grant.
Then with regard to my going, Kamrasi must beg us to
have patience until he had sent messengers into Kidi,
requesting the natives there not to. molest me on the way,
for they had threatened they would do so, and, if they
persisted, he would send us with a force by another route
vid Ugungii—another attempt to draw us off to fight
against his brothers.
I stormed at this announcement as a breach of faith;
said I had given the king my only tent, my only digester,
my only saw, my only wire, my only mosquito-curtains,