Mohamed bin Saif! I received him courteously, and
asked him to what I was indebted for this unexpected visit ?
He said he had come to look at a rice shamba of his close
by, but I think it much more probable that his visit was
prompted solely by a strong desire to know what I was up to !
Mixing so much with these crafty Watiku had begun to
make me quite an expert in dissimulation too, so turning to
Mohamed bin Saif and pointing to the Wa-Boni, I remarked
smilingly that he could not have arrived more opportunely,
as I wanted to get a guide from these people, and he could
bear witness that my intentions were quite peaceful, and
honest, my sole wish being to visit and explore the country.
Mohamed bin Saif was caught in his own net; he could
not in the presence of my interpreter and porters, who were
amused onlookers, speak against me before my very face, so,
very unwillingly, as I could plainly see, he told the Wa-Boni
that I came as Mze Saif’s and his own friend, and that they
were to give me whatever guides I required to take me where
I wished. This was very satisfactory. Mohamed bin Saif
got up to go shortly afterwards, and in bidding me good-bye
inquired eagerly what I was going to do, and where I proposed
going to from here; to find this out being undoubtedly the
purport of his visit.
As soon as he had left I resumed my conference with the
Wa-Boni, who had now become much more friendly and at
ease. They said the Watiku were stronger than they were,
and often proved hard masters, but that Mohamed himself
was good to them, one of the younger men adding that
Mohamed had given him a gun to shoot elephants. I
asked who the ivory belonged to when they killed an
elephant. “ To the Watiku,” they answered.
I then renewed my request for a guide, but they still
appeared afraid; at last, after a good deal of palavering, the
old head-man, who was called Gomo, exclaimed : “ Show me
the presents you are going to give me, and I wilL then go
back to my village and bring a guide.” I called privately to
Nasur, my Arab guide, to know whether I could trust them,
as after receiving my presents I might never see them again ;
Nasur, however, said they might be trusted, so I accordingly
presented them with the following, which I spread out before
them—
10 rupees in money,
1 large tin full of sugar,
1 load of rice,
1 table-knife,
1 tumbler,
1 looking-glass,
and some empty medicine-bottles.
MY PRESENTS TO THE WA-BONI.
The Wa-Boni were delighted, and the old man shook me
vigorously by the hand, saying— “ Let me go back to my
village; you stop here to-day, and I will bring my own son
to guide you to-morrow.” So this was settled, and the
Wa-Boni departed in high good-humour. Late in the
afternoon Mohamed bin Saif returned. He asked no
questions as to what I - had settled with the Wa-Boni,
probably having already found out all about it, and for all I
knew, had very likely been at their village. In any case I