knew my position in society, else they would not treat me as they
did. My proper sphere was the palace, and unless I got a hut there, I
wished to leave the country. My first desire had always been to see the
king; and if he went to the N'yanza, I trusted he would allow me to go
there also. The boys replied, "How can you go with his women? No one
ever is permitted to see them." "Well," said I, "if I cannot go to
the N'yanza with him" (thinking only of the great lake, whereas they
probably meant a pond in the palace enclosures, where Mtesa constantly
frolics with his women), "I wish to go to Usoga and Amara, as far as
the Masai; for I have no companions here but crows and vultures." They
promised to take the message, but its delivery was quite another thing;
for no one can speak at this court till he is spoken to, and a word put
in out of season is a life lost.

On Maula's return, I was told the king would not believe so generous
a man as Bana could have sent him so few beads; he believed most of my
store must have been stolen on the road, and would ask me about that
to-morrow. He intimated that for the future I must fire a gun at the
waiting-hut whenever I entered the palace, so that he might hear of my
arrival, for he had been up that morning, and would have been glad to
see me, only the boys, from fear of entering his cabinet, had forged a
lie, and deprived him of any interview with me, which he had long wished
to get. This ready cordiality was as perplexing as all the rest. Could
it be possible, I thought, I had been fighting with a phantom all this
while, and yet the king had not been able to perceive it? At all events,
now, as the key to his door had been given, I would make good use of it
and watch the result. Meanwhile Nasib returned from the queen-dowager's
palace without having seen her majesty, though he had waited there
patiently the whole day long, for she was engaged in festivities,
incessantly drumming and playing, in consequence of the birth of twins
(Mabassa), which had just taken place in her palace; but he was advised
to return on the morrow.

8th.--After breakfast I walked to the palace, thinking I had gained all
I wanted; entered, and fired guns, expecting an instant admittance;
but, as usual, I was required to sit and wait; the king was expected
immediately. All the Wagungu talked in whispers, and nothing was heard
but the never-ceasing harps and harmonicons. In a little while I felt
tired of the m