comply with his requests, he whispered to his
chiefs:—
“ He will not give me what I ask, because he
is afraid that he will not g e t the canoes; but
yo u will see when my men return from Uganda,
he will give me all I ask.”
T he custom of greeting the king is a most
curious one, differing from any I have observed
elsewhere. His people, after advancing close to
him, clap their hands and kneel to him. If the
king is pleased, he reveals his pleasure b y blowing
and spitting into their hands, with .which
they affect to anoint their faces and eyes. T h e y
seem to believe that the king’s Saliva is a colfy-
rium for the eyes.
T o each other the Wakerewe kiieel, clap
hands, and c ry , “ Wache'f Wache!” “ Wache
su g ! ” “Mohorof” “ E g Sura?” which, translated,
signifies, “ Morning! morning!” “ Good
morning!” “ A good d a y ! ” “ A r e yo u w e ll? ”
T h e stories current in this country about the
witchcraft practised b y the people o f Ukara Island
prove that those islanders have- been, at
pains to spread abroad a g o o d repute for themselv
es , that th ey are cunning, and, aware that
superstition i& a weakness o f human nature, have
sou gh t to thrive, upon it. Their power— according
to the Wakerewe— over the amphrbiae- is
wonderful. One Khamis, son o f Hamadi, the
carpenter o f Surtgoro, having' been a long time
¡ J u n e 1-6, / S 75--! AN EDUCATED CROCODILE. IK
[ Msossi. J 'J
constructing a dhow, or sailing vessel, for his
employer, shared most thoroughly in these
delusions.
Khamis. averred, with an oath, that there was
a crocodile which lived in the house, o f the
chief o f Ukara, which fed: from his hands, and
was as- docile and obedient to his master as a
dog, and as: intelligent, as a man. Lukongeh had
once a pretty woman in. his harem., who was
coveted b y the Ukara chief, but the latter could
devise no means to possess her for a long time
until, he thought o f his crocodile. He. instantly
communicated, his desire to the reptile, and. bade
him lie in wait in- the rushes near Msossi until
the woman should; approach the lake to bathe,
as was her custom daily,,, and then seize and
convey her without, injury across th e eighumile
channel to Ukara. The; next day, at noon, the
woman was in th e U kara chief’s house.
When I. expressed a. doubt about the veracity
of the marvellous talev Khamis said, indignantly:
— “What, y o u doubt me? A s k Lukongeh, and
he will confirm what I- have told you .”
He. then added:— “ Machunda, Lukongeh’s
father, owned a crocodile that stole an A rab ’s
wife, and carried her across, the country to the
king’s house!” T o Khamis, and, the. Wangwana
who listened to him, this last was- conclusive
evidence that the crocodiles o f Ukara were
most astonishing creatures.