e in
consideration of his being a sportsman. We then went into a discourse on
astrology, when the intelligent Rumanika asked me if the same sun we
saw one day appeared again, or whether fresh suns came every day, and
whether or not the moon made different faces, to laugh at us mortals on
earth.

23d and 24th.--This day was spent by the king introducing me to his five
fat wives, to show with what esteem he was held by all the different
kings of the countries surrounding. From Mpororo--which, by the by, is
a republic--he was wedded to Kaogez, the daughter of Kahaya, who is
the greatest chief in the country; from Unyoro he received Kauyangi,
Kamrasi's daughter; from Nkole, Kambiri, the late Kasiyonga's daughter;
from Utumbi, Kirangu, the late Kiteimbua's daughter; and lastly, the
daughter of Chiuarungi, his head cook.

After presenting Rumanika with an india-rubber band--which, as usual,
amused him immensely--for the honour he had done me in showing me his
wives, a party of Waziwa, who had brought some ivory from Kidi, came
to pay their respects to him. On being questioned by me, they said that
they once saw some men like my Wanguana there; they had come from the
north to trade, but, though they carried firearms, they were all killed
by the people of Kidi. This was famous; it corroborated what I knew, but
could not convince others of,--that traders could find their way up to
Kidi by the Nile. It in a manner explained also how it was that Kamrasi,
some years before, had obtained some pink beads, of a variety the
Zanzibar merchants had never thought of bringing into the country.
Bombay was now quite convinced, and we all became transported with joy,
until Rumanika, reflecting on the sad state of Grant's leg, turned that
joy into grief by saying that the rules of Uganda are so strict, that no
one who is sick could enter the country. "To show," he said, "how absurd
they are, your donkey would not be permitted because he has no trousers;
and you even will have to put on a gown, as your unmentionables will be
considered indecorous." I now asked Rumanika if he would assist me in
replenishing my fast-ebbing store of beads, by selling tusks to the
Arabs at Kufro, when for every 35lb. weight I would give him 50 dollars
by orders on Zanzibar, and would insure him from being cheated, by
sending a letter of advice to our Consul residing there. At first
he demurred, on the high-toned principle that he could not have any
commercial dea