od still as posts. The affair ended by my walking
straight away home, giving Bombay orders to leave the present on the
ground, and to follow me.

Although the king is said to be unapproachable, excepting when he
chooses to attend court--a ceremony which rarely happens--intelligence
of my hot wrath and hasty departure reached him in an instant. He first,
it seems, thought of leaving his toilet-room to follow me, but, finding
I was walking fast, and had gone far, changed his mind, and sent Wakungu
running after me. Poor creatures! they caught me up, fell upon their
knees, and implored I would return at once, for the king had not tasted
food, and would not until he saw me. I felt grieved at their touching
appeals; but, as I did not understand all they said, I simply replied
by patting my heart and shaking my head, walking if anything all the
faster.

On my arrival at my hut, Bombay and others came in, wet through with
perspiration, saying the king had heard of all my grievances. Suwarora's
hongo was turned out of court, and, if I desired it, I might bring
my own chair with me, for he was very anxious to show me great
respect--although such a seat was exclusively the attribute of the king,
no one else in Uganda daring to sit on an artificial seat.

My point was gained, so I cooled myself with coffee and a pipe, and
returned rejoicing in my victory, especially over Suwarora. After
returning to the second tier of huts from which I had retired, everybody
appeared to be in a hurried, confused state of excitement, not knowing
what to make out of so unprecedented an exhibition of temper. In the
most polite manner, the officers in waiting begged me to be seated on
my iron stool, which I had brought with me, whilst others hurried in to
announce my arrival. But for a few minutes only I was kept in suspense,
when a band of music, the musicians wearing on their backs long-haired
goat-skins, passed me, dancing as they went along, like bears in a fair,
and playing on reed instruments worked over with pretty beads in various
patters, from which depended leopard-cat skins--the time being regulated
by the beating of long hand-drums.

The mighty king was now reported to be sitting on his throne in the
statehut of the third tier. I advanced, hat in hand, with my guard
of honour following, formed in "open ranks," who in their turn were
followed by the bearers carrying the present. I did not walk straight up
to him as if to shake hands, bu