to handle cloth, and they
could not do it.

Chapter XII. Palace, Uganda--Continued

Continued Diplomatic Difficulties--Negro Chaffing--The King in a
New Costume--Adjutant and Heron Shooting at Court--My
Residence Changed--Scenes at Court--The Kamraviona, or
Commander-in-Chief--Quarrels--Confidential Communications with the
King--Court Executions and Executioners--Another Day with the Queen.

7th.--The farce continued, and how to manage these haughty capricious
blacks puzzled my brains considerably; but I felt that if I did not
stand up now, no one would ever be treated better hereafter. I sent
Nasib to the queen, to explain why I had not been to see her. I desired
to do so, because I admired her wisdom; but before I went I must first
see the king, to provide against any insult being offered to me, such
as befell Bombay when I sent him with medicine. Having despatched him,
I repaired again to the palace. In the antechamber I found a number of
Wakungu, as usual, lounging about on the ground, smoking, chatting,
and drinking pombe, whilst Wasoga amused them singing and playing on
lap-harps, and little boys kept time on the harmonicon.

These Wakungu are naturally patient attendants, being well trained to
the duty; but their very lives depend upon their presenting themselves
at court a certain number of months every year, no matter from what
distant part of the country they have to come. If they failed, their
estates would be confiscated, and their lives taken unless they could
escape. I found a messenger who consented to tell the king of my desire
to see him. He returned to say that the king was sleeping--a palpable
falsehood. In a huff, I walked home to breakfast, leaving my attendants,
Maula and Uledi, behind to make explanations. They saw the king, who
simply asked, "Where is Bana?" And on being told that I came, but went
off again, he said, as I was informed, "That is a lie, for had he come
here to see me he would not have returned"; then rising, he walked away
and left the men to follow me.

I continued ruminating on these absurd entanglements, and the best way
of dealing with them, when lo! to perplex me still more, in ran a bevy
of the royal pages to ask for mtende beads--a whole sack of them; for
the king wished to go with his women on a pilgrimage to the N'yanza.
Thinking myself very lucky to buy the king's ear so cheaply, I sent
Maula as before, adding that I considered my luck very bad, as nobody
here