1883. very irritating, onr people received warning that the
Dec. 25.
iboko. first who hronght news of a theft would be punished,
and he who first caught a thief would he rewarded.
For the result of this we had not long to wa it: a man
was caught in the act, and a dozen willing, hands laid
hold of him. The Bangala, however, rushed to the
rescue, and seized him also, and would have succeeded
in wresting him from his captors had I not hurried
up to lend assistance.
We-carried our prisoner away in triumph on board
the steamer, and hound him securely on the principle
of “ fast bind, fast find.” Orders were then given to
mate steam.
An hour passed without further alarm. Then a
man was caught in the act of abstracting a boat flag,
with the intention doubtless of wearing it about his
loins. Such an indignity to the golden-starred flag
was not to be permitted, and an impetuous rush was
made on the prisoner, hut he by superhuman exertions
escaped.
Kokoro, hearing of all these disgraceful proceedings
of his father’s subjects, came in a canoe, and was paddled
up and down the river-side, threatening dire vengeance
in a loud, hoarse voice upon the thieves, but no one
paid the slightest heed to him, seeing which he advised
me to be on the alert, and catch every rogue among
them. He advanced alongside of the steamer, to look at
our prisoner, and was horrified to find that he was his
own so n !
His stoicism was that of the slayer of the Tarquins.
He essayed to speak, but the words would not issue.
In a moment of rage he had condemned unwittingly
his own son. Poor Kokoro ! I saw too well what his
emotions were caused by. He thought of his son, the
heir of Iboko, being a slave conveyed to unknown
lands. I t was on the tip of my tongue to order his
release to relieve the poor fellow’s agony, but I desisted,
knowing the African too well. However, I said :
“ Kokoro, if this is your son I shall obtain my property
back, and your boy will be returned safe into
your hands.”
He went away with head bent down and finger on
his lips, and never spoke a word, thinking perhaps of
what he should say to the mother.
With such an important prisoner on board, Iboko
was no place for us, and we steamed across to the
island opposite. Thither Njugu came, prompted by his
cousin Kokoro, to negotiate for his son’s release. He
offered two tusks of ivory and two slaves if we would
free him.
“ Not for twenty slaves, and twenty tusks of ivory.
Look here, you Njugu ! What do you mean by making
blood-brotherhood with me and my people and then
robbing us. To steal is to make war. War is met
with war. Do you forget the Ibanza, who years ago
descended by your town ? Have you quite forgotten
your trouble with Irebu, caused by the thieving of the
Bangala? Gfo back and tell Kokoro I am going down
river to the Bakuti, and I will take his son with me.
On the tenth day I shall return, when I shall expect
Iboko.