e bundle of
grass, came to me and said, "The king hopes you won't be offended if
required to sit on it before him; for no person in Uganda, however high
in office, is ever allowed to sit upon anything raised above the ground,
nor can anybody but himself sit upon such grass as this; it is all that
his throne is made of. The first day he only allowed you to sit on your
stool to appease your wrath."

On consenting to do in "Rome as the Romans do," when my position was so
handsomely acknowledged, I was called in, and found the court sitting
much as it was on the first day's interview, only that the number of
squatting Wakungu was much diminished; and the king, instead of wearing
his ten brass and copper rings, had my gold one on his third finger.
This day, however, was cut out for business, as, in addition to
the assemblage of officers, there were women, cows, goats, fowls,
confiscations, baskets of fish, baskets of small antelopes, porcupines,
and curious rats caught by his gamekeepers, bundles of mbugu, etc.,
etc., made by his linen-drapers, coloured earths and sticks by his
magician, all ready for presentation; but, as rain fell, the court
broke up, and I had nothing for it but to walk about under my umbrella,
indulging in angry reflections against the haughty king for not inviting
me into his hut.

When the rain had ceased, and we were again called in, he was found
sitting in state as before, but this time with the head of a black bull
placed before him, one horn of which, knocked off, was placed alongside,
whilst four living cows walked about the court.

I was now requested to shoot the four cows as quickly as possible; but
having no bullets for my gun, I borrowed the revolving pistol I had
given him, and shot all four in a second of time; but as the last one,
only wounded, turned sharply upon me, I gave him the fifth and settled
him. Great applause followed this wonderful feat, and the cows were
given to my men. The king now loaded one of the carbines I had given him
with his own hands, and giving it full-cock to a page, told him to go
out and shoot a man in the outer court; which was no sooner accomplished
than the little urchin returned to announce his success, with a look of
glee such as one would see in the face of a boy who had robbed a bird's
nest, caught a trout, or done any other boyish trick. The king said to
him, "And did you do it well?" "Oh, yes, capitally." He spoke the truth,
no doubt, for he dared no