omising that he would be my commissioner, I gave
him the beads he had begged for himself.

4th to 6th.--Karambule now told us to string our beads on the fibre of
the Mwale tree, which was sold here by the Wasui, as he intended to live
in the palace for a couple of days, arranging with Suwarora what tax we
should have to pay, after which he would come and take it from us; but
we must mind and be ready, for whatever Suwarora said, it must be done
instantly. There was no such thing as haggling with him; you must pay
and be off at once, failing which you might be detained a whole month
before there would be an opportunity to speak on the subject again.
Beads were then served out to all my men to be strung, a certain
quantity to every kambi or mess, and our work was progressing; but next
day we heard that Karambule was sick or feigning to be so, and therefore
had never gone to the palace at all. On the 6th, provoked at last by the
shameful manner in which we were treated, I send word to him to say,
if he did not go at once I would go myself, and force my way in with my
guns, for I could not submit to being treated like a slave, stuck out
here in the jungle with nothing to do but shoot for specimens, or make
collections of rocks, etc. This brought on another row; for he said both
Virembo and Vikora had returned their hongos, and until their tongues
were quieted he could not speak to Suwarora.

To expedite matters (7th), as our daily consumption in camp was a tax
of itself, I gave these tormenting creatures one wire, one pretty cloth,
and five hundred necklaces of white beads, which were no sooner accepted
than Karambule, in the same way as Sirhid had done, said it would be
greatly to my advantage if I gave him something worth having before he
saw the Mkama. Only too glad to being work I gave him a red blanket,
called joho, and five strings of mzizima beads, which were equal to
fifty of the common white.

8th and 9th.--All this time nothing but confusion reigned in camp,
khambi fighting against khambi. Both men and women got drunk, whilst
from outside we were tormented by the Wasui, both men and women
pertinaciously pressing into our hut, watching us eat, and begging in
the most shameless manner. They did not know the word bakhshish, or
present; but, as bad as the Egyptians, they held our their hands, patted
their bellies, and said Kaniwani (my friend) until we were sick of the
sound of that word. Still it was impossible to