child, and deserves a rod for this conduct, and
I myself will see that he suffers for it.”
“ V e r y well, send for Bugomba, and that long-
tongued Sabadu, and bring them to me at once,
and I will see that th ey never use their tongues
against a guest o f mine again.”
“ Now, Kacheche,” said Mtesa, “ what is Stamlee
going to do now? Do yo u suppose that, if I
give him 100,000 men, under Sekebobo and
Mkwenda, that he will be induced to try the
lake Muta Nzige again?”
“ He may, Kabaka, but I do not think he will
believe the Waganda again, for this is twice
th ey have deceived him. Magassa ran away,
and Sambuzi ran aw a y , and he, perhaps, will
sa y Sekebobo will do the same. The Waganda
are v e ry good before y o u , Kabaka, but when
away from yo u th ey forget yo u r commands,
and steal people, cattle, and goats,” said plain-
spoken Kacheche.
Sekebobo and Mkwenda sprang to their feet
before the Emperor, and said loudly, “ Nay, let
us g o , Kabaka, and we will' cut through the
heart o f Kabba Rega o f Unyoro, or through
Mtambuko, king o f Ankori, to the Muta Nzige,
and all the nations round about shall not drive
us b a c k ! ”
“ It is w e ll,” said the Emperor. “ Now you,
Dallington,” said he to the English mission pupil
left at his court, “ write a letter to Stamlee.
C Feb., 1876.] t e m p t e d t o r e t u r n . 271 LCharugawa.J '
Tell him to come to the Katonga once again,
;and Sekebobo and Mkwenda with 60,000, even
100,000, shall take him to Muta Nzige, and stay
jthere until he has finished his work. T e ll him
[that if these fail him he shall execute his own
¡pleasure on every chief that returns to Uganda.”
A t Charugawa, near the Alexandra Nile, I
[received Dallington’s letter, asking me to return
•and attempt the lake once more.* This letter
plunged me into perplexity, but after long and
calm deliberation I decided that it was not safe to
♦ The following is the epistle verbatim:—
«my d ea r Sir, H. m. Stanley ,
«What meant by his news that we see Sabadu coming
|without a letter in time? He came first. I asked him, ‘Where
is the letter that you brought?’ So he answered me, ‘The
letter is my mouth’ ; but I believed not in his words. Then
went I to the Sultan and told him these things. Then the
Sultan called Sabadu and asked him, ‘Where is the letter?’
and he answered, ‘ There is no letter.’ So he send him to
Pokino— the Katekiro; but I who know in my heart that they
been run away from you. So now he send others people instead
?of them, and he go to punish Sambuzi. It is far better for
you to waite for Waganda to take you to Mutanzige, because
they see that Sambuzi been punished, and all the others will
obey the word of the king. I , Dallington, the servant of
wite men, I won’t tell you lie, but I will tell you the truth.
The Sultan (Mtesa) is not bad. This letter I write it in a
hurry, - and send me two or three papers to write the last
to you.
“ Seyyid Mtesa,
«Son of Sultan Suna of Uganda,
«January 30th, 1876.”