d then said he would ask
Suwarora to grant us an interview as soon as possible; then, whilst
leaving, he begged for the iron chair he had sat upon; but hearing we
did not know how to sit on the ground, and therefore could not spare it,
he withdrew without any more words about it.

Virembo then said (3d) he must have some more wire and beads, as his
proxy Kariwami had been satisfied with too little. I drove him off in
a huff, but he soon came back again with half the hongo I had paid
to Kariwami, and said he must have some cloths or he would not have
anything. As fortune decreed it, just then Sirhid dropped in, and
stopped him importunity for the time by saying that if we had possessed
cloths his men must have known it, for they had been travelling with
us. No sooner, however, did Virembo turn tail than the Sirhid gave us
a broad hint that he usually received a trifle from the Arabs before he
made an attempt at arranging the hongo with Suwarora. Any trifle would
do but he preferred cloth.

This was rather perplexing. Sirhid knew very well that I had a small
reserve of pretty cloths, though all the common ones had been expended;
so, to keep in good terms with him who was to be our intercessor, I said
I would give him the last I had got if he would not tell Suwarora or any
one else what I had done. Of course he was quite ready to undertake the
condition, so I gave him two pretty cloths, and he in return gave me two
goats. But when this little business had been transacted, to my surprise
he said: "I have orders from Suwarora to be absent five days to doctor
a sick relation of his, for there is no man in the country so skilled
in medicines as myself; but whilst I am gone I will leave Karambule, my
brother, to officiate in my stead about taking your hongo; but the
work will not commence until to-morrow, for I must see Suwarora on the
subject myself first."

Irungu, a very fine-looking man of Uganda, now called on me and begged
for beads. He said his king had heard of our approach, and was most
anxious to see us. Hearing this I begged him to wait here until my hongo
was paid, that we might travel on to Uganda together. He said, No, he
could not wait, for he had been detained here a whole year already; but,
if I liked, he would leave some of his children behind with me, as
their presence would intimidate Suwarora, and incite him to let us off
quickly.

I then begged him to convey a Colt's six-chamber revolving rifle to his