tied round her head, whilst a folding looking-glass, much the worse for
wear, stood open by her side. An iron rod like a spit, with a cup on
the top, charged with magic powder, and other magic wands, were placed
before the entrance; and within the room, four Mabandwa sorceresses or
devil-drivers, fantastically dressed, as before described, and a mass of
other women, formed the company. For a short while we sat at a distance,
exchanging inquiring glances at one another, when the women were
dismissed, and a band of music, with a court full of Wakungu, was
ordered in to change the scene. I also got orders to draw near and sit
fronting her within the hut. Pombe, the best in Uganda, was then drunk
by the queen, and handed to me and to all the high officers about her,
when she smoked her pipe, and bade me smoke mine. The musicians, dressed
in long-haired Usoga goat-skins, were now ordered to strike up, which
they did, with their bodies swaying or dancing like bears in a fair.
Different drums were then beat, and I was asked if I could distinguish
their different tones.

The queen, full of mirth, now suddenly rose, leaving me sitting, whilst
she went to another hut, changed her mbugu for a deole, and came back
again for us to admire her, which was no sooner done to her heart's
content, than a second time, by her order, the court was cleared, and,
when only three or four confidential Wakungu were left, she took up a
small faggot of well-trimmed sticks, and, selecting three, told me she
had three complains. "This stick," she says, "represents my stomach,
which gives me much uneasiness; this second stick my liver, which causes
shooting pains all over my body; and this third one my heart, for I get
constant dreams at night about Sunna, my late husband, and they are not
pleasant." The dreams and sleeplessness I told her was a common widow's
complaint, and could only be cured by her majesty making up her mind
to marry a second time; but before I could advise for the bodily
complaints, it would be necessary for me to see her tongue, feel her
pulse, and perhaps, also, her sides. Hearing this, the Wakungu said,
"Oh, that can never be allowed without the sanction of the king"; but
the queen, rising in her seat, expressed her scorn at the idea to taking
advice from a mere stripling, and submitted herself for examination.

I then took out two pills, the powder of which was tasted by the Wakungu
to prove that there was no devilry in "the do