Nothing more was heard o f the bridge, for
Mtesa had conceived a new idea, which was, to
be instructed in the sciences o f Europe. I was
to be a scientific encyclopaedia to him. Not wishing
to deny him, I tried, during the afternoon
o f the massacre, to expound the secrets o f nature
and the works o f Providence, the wonders of
the heavens, the air and the earth. W e gossiped
about the nature o f rocks and metals, and their
many appliances, which the cunning o f the
Europeans had invented to manufacture the
innumerable variety o f things for which they
are renowned. T h e dread despot sat with
wide-dilated e yes and an all-devouring attention,
and, in deference to his own excitable feelings,
his chiefs affected to be as interested as himself,
though I have no doubt several ancients, such
as Kangau and Sabaganzi, thought the whole
affair decidedly tedious, and the white man a
“ bore.” T h e more polite and courtly Katekiro,
Chambarango, and Kauta vied with each other
in expressing open-mouthed and large-eyed interest
in this encyclopaedic talk. I drifted from
mechanics to divinity, for my purpose in this
respect was not changed. During my extemporized
lectures, I happened to mention angels.
On hearing the word, Mtesa screamed with jo y,
and to my great astonishment the patricians of
Uganda chorused, “ Ah-ah-ah!” as if th ey had
heard an exceedingly good thing. Having appeared
so learned all the afternoon, I dared not
condescend to inquire what all this wild jo y
meant, but prudently waited until the exciting
cries and slapping o f thighs were ended.
The boisterous period over, Mtesa said, “ Stam-
lee, I have always told my chiefs that the white
men know everything, and are skilful in all
things. A great many Arabs, some Turks, and
four white men have visited me, and I have
examined and heard them all talk, and for wisdom
and goodness the white men excel all the
others. W h y do the Arabs and Turks come
to Uganda? Is it not for ivory and slaves? W h y
do the white men come? T h e y come to see
this lake, our rivers and mountains. The Arabs
bring cloth, beads and wire, to b u y ivo ry and
slaves; th ey also bring powder and guns; but
who made all these things the Arabs bring here
for trade? T h e Arabs themselves say the white
men made them, and I have seen nothing y e t
of all they have brought that the white men
did not make. Therefore, I sa y , give me the
white men, because if y o u want knowledge you
must ta lk .w ith them to g e t it. Now, Standee,
tell me and my chiefs what yo u know o f the
angels.”
V e r ily the question was a difficult one, and
my answer would not have satisfied Europeans.
Remembering, however, St. Paul’s confession
that he was all things to all men, I attempted