ng--that I must go to the
queen immediately, for she was very ill. So far the queen won the day,
but I did not obtain my new residence, which I considered the first step
to accomplishing the greater object; I therefore put the iron farther in
the fire by saying I was no man's slave, and I should not go until I got
a house in the palace--Bombay could teach the boys the way to clean the
pistol. The perk monkeys, however, turned up their noses at such menial
service, and Uledi was instructed in their stead.

10th.--To surprise the queen, and try another dodge, I called on her
with all my dining things and bedding, to make a day of it, and sleep
the night. She admitted me at once, when I gave her quinine, on the
proviso that I should stop there all day and night to repeat the dose,
and tell her the reason why I did not come before. She affected great
anger at Mtesa having interfered with my servants when coming to see
her--sympathised with me on the distance I had to travel--ordered a hut
to be cleared for me ere night--told me to eat my breakfast in the next
court--and, rising abruptly, walked away. At noon we heard the king
approaching with his drums and rattle-traps, but I still waited on till
5 p.m., when, on summons, I repaired to the throne-hut. Here I heard, in
an adjoining court, the boisterous, explosive laughs of both mother and
son--royal shouts loud enough to be heard a mile off, and inform the
community that their sovereigns were pleased to indulge in hilarity.
Immediately afterwards, the gate between us being thrown open, the
king, like a very child, stood before us, dressed for the first time, in
public, in what Europeans would call clothes. For a cap he wore a Muscat
alfia, on his neck a silk Arab turban, fastened with a ring. Then for
a coat he had an Indian kizbow, and for trousers a yellow woollen doti;
whilst in his hand, in imitation of myself, he kept running his ramrod
backwards and forwards through his fingers. As I advanced and doffed my
hat, the king, smiling, entered the court, followed by a budding damsel
dressed in red bindera, who carried the chair I had presented to him,
and two new spears.

He now took his seat for the first time upon the chair, for I had told
him, at my last interview, that all kings were expected to bring out
some new fashion, or else the world would never make progress; and I was
directed to sit before him on my grass throne. Talking, though I longed
to enter into convers