第58章

”IgaveLokaraablueshirt，alongredsash，andacrimsonfez，tohisgreatdelight。ThechiefsweremuchstruckwiththepresentintendedforKabbaRega；thisconsistedofthreerowsofromanpearlsaslargeasmarbles，withagiltshield，andonyx-pendanttiedupwithgreensatinribbon。”March31——IsentallthecattleacrosstheriverinchargeofQuonga；twowerecarriedoffbycrocodileswhileintheactofswimming。”Thegreatsheikspaidmeavisit，togetherwithmanyofinferiorrank。

Lokara，Quonga，Matonse，andPittia，wereamongtheprincipalchiefsofthecountry。Astheyweresittingbeforeme，Lokaralightedahugepipeandimmediatelycommencedsmoking。Thisisagreatbreachofetiquette，assmokingisstrictlyforbiddeninthepresenceofKabbaRega。”MyoldCairodragoman，Mohammed，whowasnowthoroughlyinstalledasoneoftheexpedition，waswellupinthecustomsofthecountry，andhequietlyresentedtheinsultofthepipe。”Hegentlyapproachedwithabottleofwater，whichhepouredpolitelyintothebowl，asthoughhewasconferringafavour；atthesametime，heexplainedthatinmypresenceeveryonesmokedwaterinsteadoftobacco。Thehintwasimmediatelytaken，andthehugepipe，thussummarilyextinguished，washandedtoaslaveinattendance。”Wenowenteredupongeographicaldiscussions。AllthechiefsdeclaredthattheM’wootanN’zigeextendsbeyondKaragwe，andthatitexceedstheVictoriaN’yanzainsize。Thenativename，inUnyoro，fortheVictoriaN’yanzaissimplyN’yanza，andfortheWhiteNile，Masaba。”ThereisacountrycalledBaregaontheAlbertN’yanza，south-westofUganda，governedbyapowerfulkingwhosepeoplearearmedwithbows，andarrowsthatarefeathered。IhaveneveryetseenfeatheredarrowsamongtheWhiteNiletribes。”ThegreatmountainBartoomaisagainmentioned，asonmyformerjourney。IimagineitmustbeidenticalwiththeM’fumbiroofSpeke。”IshallsendanexpeditionfrontMagungotoIbrahimeyahbyrivertoprovethecapabilitiesoftheroute。IshallformastationatMagungototradewithMaleggaontheoppositeshore。IshallthenthoroughlyexploretheAlbertN’yanzainboats，andafterwardsproceedtoKingM’teseofUganda……”Itrainedlasteveningandduringthenight。Sevencowsdied。Ihaveerectedacomfortablestableforthehorses。”April1——ThepeoplebelongingtoSuleimanhesitatetoacceptthegovernmentpay，althoughadayortwoagotheyenlisted。Ifearthatthesepeoplecanneverbetrusted。Ishallgivethemalittletimetoconsider，afterwhich，iftheyrefusetoserve，Ishallturnthemoutofthecountry。Everycamporzareebaiscoursefullofslaves。”ThereisacuriouscustomthroughoutUnyoro：apeculiarcastearecattle-keepers。Thesepeopleonlyattendtotheherds，andtheprofessionisinheritedfrompastgenerations。TheyarecalledBohooma，andtheyarethedirectdescendantsoftheGallaswhooriginallyconqueredthecountry，and，likethereigningfamily，theyareofanextremelylightcolour。Iftheherdsarecarriedoffinbattle，theBohooma，whonevercarryarms，accompany；themtotheirnewmasters，andcontinuetheiremployment。Nothingbutdeathwillseparatethemfromtheircattle。”April2——Thenativesbuiltazareebayesterdayforthecattle；buttheyaredyingasrapidlyasuponthenorthsideoftheriver。”Itriedtodoalittlegeographywiththesheik，Pittia。Hewasthemanwho，someyearsago，firstgavemetheinformationrespectingthedistanceoftheAlbertN’yanzafromM’rooli。Hewouldsaynothingwithoutordersfromtheking，beyondtellingmethatyoumighttravelformonthsuponthelake。”Itisveryannoyinginthiscountrythatnoinformationcanbeobtained，neithercananyworkbecommenced，withoutthedirectorderoftheking。Mypatienceissorelytried。NoreplyhasasyetbeendeliveredtomymessagesenttoKabbaRega，althoughtendayshaveelapsed。”Mydesireistobenefitthecountrybyopeningtheroadforlegitimatecommerce；butthedifficultiesaregreat，asthekingwillendeavourtomonopolizethemarket，andthuspreventfreetrade。”April3——IsentforallthegreatsheikstocomplainofKabbaRega’sconduct。Thisyoungfellowwasevidentlyapingthemannersofhisfather，Kamrasi，andattemptingtoshowhisownimportancebykeepingmewaiting。Thesheiksexplained，thatbeforemyarrival，SuleimanhadagreedtofurnishsoldierstoassisttheforcesofKabbaRegainaunitedattackuponRionga；andthearmywasnowonlyashortdistancefromt

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