第70章

Heonlywentoutdaily，atacertaintime，tocollectsubscriptionsforthepayofhisbelovedrascals，thebonosoora；butthisledhimthroughthetownintheoppositedirectiontoourcamp，thereforeweneversawhim。

Thecollectionofalmswasamostundignifiedproceeding。Atthehourofhisexitfromhishouse，abandoffifesorflageoletsstruckupapeculiarairwhichwaswellknownasthesignalforpreparingtopayfortheking’svisit。Thefewnotestheyplayedwasamonotonousrepetitionof：——

Ashispipesplayedbeforehim，KabbaRegacalledatanyhousesthathethoughtpropertoselect，andreceivedfromtheinmatesofeach，afewcowrieshells，whichareusedasthesmallestcoininUnyoro。Theseshellswereafterwardsdividedamonghisbonosooraastheirdailypay。

Mystationhadnotbeenarrangedfordefence，asIconsideredthathostilitiesinthiscountrycouldnotbepossible。Althoughblackhumannatureisthedarkestshadeofcharacter，InevercouldhavebelievedthatevenKabbaRegacouldhaveharbouredtreacherousdesignsagainstus，afterthebenefitsthatbothheandhispeoplehadreceivedfromme。

Thecountryhadbeenrelievedfromtheslave-hunters，andmypeoplewereactuallyontheroadtoFatikotoliberateandrestoretotheirfamiliesabout1，000womenandchildrenofUnyoro。Iwasabouttoestablishaschool。Notheftshadtakenplaceonthepartofthetroops。Therightsofeverynativehadbeenrespected。Thechiefshadreceivedvaluablepresents，andthepeoplehadalreadyfelttheadvantageoflegitimatetrade。

Atthesametimethathostilityappearedimpossible，Icouldnotblindmyselftothefactofthelatedemonstration；itwouldthereforebeabsolutelynecessarytoconstructasmallfort，forthesecurityoftheammunitionandeffects，whichcouldnolongerbeexposedinsimplestrawhuts，withoutprotection。

Iexplainedthisnecessitytomyofficersandmen，allofwhomwerekeenlyalivetotheevilspiritofKabbaRega，fromwhomtheyexpectedfuturemischief。

Thismiserableyoungfellowwasnearlyalwaysdrunk；histimewaspassedinsuckingplantainciderthroughareed，untilhebecamethoroughlyintoxicated。Wewere，therefore，subjecttoanysuddenorderthathemightgiveinafitofdrunkenness。

Hispeopleobeyedhimimplicitly，withthatfanaticalbeliefthatisheldinUnyororespectingthepersonwhooccupiesthemagicthrone(Bamba)。

Therecouldbenodoubtthathewasoffendedandinsulted：therefore，accordingtotheprincipleinvinoveritas，hemightpluckupcouragetosurpriseuswhenleastexpected。

Ideterminedtobuildafortimmediately。

Idrewaplanofacircularstockade，surroundedbyaditchandearthenparapet。Theditchtenfeetwidebysevendeep。Thediameterfromscarptoscarp，sixtyfeet；diameterofinnercircularcourt，thirty-sixfeet。

WiththeassistanceofLieutenantBakerIdrewtheplanontheground，andmytroopssettoworkwiththatvigourwhichalwaysdistinguishedthem。

Therewerenumerouslargetreesofthefigtribeintheimmediateneighbourhood。Thiswoodwasexactlyadaptedforthepurpose，asitwaseasytocut，andatthesametimeitwasundyingwhenonceplantedintheground。Anylogofthebark-clothtreewilltakerootifwatered。

Theaxeswithwhichthemenwereprovidednowcameintoplay，andtheclickingofsomanytoolsatworkatoncesurprisedthenatives。

Rahonka，Kittakara，andotherchiefscametoinquireconcerningourintention。

Iexplainedthenecessityofstoringthegunpowderinafireproofbuilding。Onlyafewdaysagoseveralnativehutshadbeenburnt；suchanaccidentmightendangerourstation，thereforeIshouldconstructanearthenroofoverabuildingofstrongpalisades。Iexplainedthatshouldthewholeoftheammunitionexplode，itmightigniteanddestroyMasindi。

Mymenthoroughlyunderstoodtheirwork。Immenselogs，ninefeetinlength，an

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