. “ In the Jungles, near M’yonga’s,
“ 16th Sept. 1861.
“ MY D E A R S P E K E ,—The caravan was attacked, plundered,
and the men driven to the winds, while marching this morning
into M’yonga’s country.
“ Awaking at cock-crow, I roused the camp, all anxious to
rejoin you; and while the loads were being packed, my
attention was drawn to an angry discussion between the head
men and seven or eight armed fellows sent by Sultan
M’yonga to insist on my putting up for the day in his village.
They were summarily told that as you had already made
him a present, he need not expect a visit from me. Adhering,
I doubt not, to their master’s instructions, they officiously
constituted themselves our guides till we chose to strike
off their path, when, quickly heading our party, they stopped
the way, planted their spears, and dared our advance!
“ This menace made us firmer in our determination, and
we swept past the spears.- After we had marched unmolested
for some seven miles, a loud yelping from the woods excited
our attention, and a sudden rush was made upon us by,
say, two hundred men, who came down seemingly in great
glee. In an instant, at the caravan’s centre, they fastened
upon the poor porters. The struggle was short; and with
the threat of an arrow or spear at their hreasts, men were
robbed of their cloths and ornaments, loads were yielded and
run away with before resistance could be organised; only
three men of a hundred stood by me; the others, whose only
thought was their Jives, fled into the woods, where I went
shouting for them. One man, little Rahan—rip as he is—
stood with cocked gun, defending his load against five
savages with uplifted spears. No one else could be seen.
Two or three were reported killed, some were wounded.
Beads, boxes, cloths, &c., lay strewed about the woods. In
fact, I felt wrecked. My attempt to go and demand redress
from the sultan was resisted, and, in utter despair, I seated
myself among a mass of rascals jeering round me, and in*
TA.pri / 6’ l8?6l PETTY KINGS WITH “ BIG HEADS.” 329 L A t Myonga's. J
solent after the success of the day. Several were dressed in
the very cloths, &c., they had stolen from my men.
“ In the afternoon about fifteen men and loads were brought
ihe, with a message from the sultan, that the attack had been
a mistake of his subjects— that one man had had a hand cut
off for it, and that all the property would be restored!
“ Yours sincerely,
“ J. A. Gr a n t .” )
A g e had not lessened the conceit ofMyonga,
increased his modesty, or moderated his cupidity.
He asserted the rights and privileges o f
his ro y alty with a presumptuous voice and a
Stern brow. He demanded tribute! Twenty-five
c lo th s !! A gun and five fundo o f b ead s ! T he
Arabs, my friends, were requested to do the
same!
“ Impossible, M yon g a !” I replied, y e t struck
with admiration at the unparalleled audacity o f
the man.
“ People have been obliged to p a y what I
ask,” the old man said, with a cunning twinkle
in his eyes.
~ “ Perhaps,” , I answered; “ but whether th ey
have or not, I cannot p a y yo u so much, and,
what is more, I will not. A s a sign that we
pass through you r country, I g iv e y o u one cloth,
and the Arabs shall only give y o u one cloth.”
Myonga blustered and stormed, b eg g ed and
threatened, and Some o f his young men appeared
to be getting vicious, when rising I informed
him that to talk loudly was to act like a scold