ed at the usual throne-room, he took his seat, dismissed the party
of wives who had been following him, as well as the Wakungu, received
pombe from his female evil-eye averters, and ordered me, with my men,
to sit in the sun facing him, till I complained of the heat, and was
allowed to sit by his side. Kites, crows, and sparrows were flying about
in all directions, and as they came within shot, nothing would satisfy
the excited boy-king but I must shoot them, and his pages take them to
the queen, till my ammunition was totally expended. He then wanted me
to send for more shot; and as I told him he must wait for more until
my brothers come, he contented himself with taking two or three sample
grains and ordering his iron-smiths to make some like them.

Cows were now driven in for me to kill two with one bullet; but as the
off one jumped away when the gun fired, the bullet passed through the
near one, then through all the courts and fences, and away no one knew
where. The king was delighted, and said he must keep the rifle to look
at for the night. I now asked permission to speak with him on some
important matters, when he sent his women away and listened. I said I
felt anxious about the road on which Mabruki was travelling, to which I
added that I had ordered him to tell Petherick to come here or else to
send property to the value of one thousand dollars; and I felt anxious
because some of the queen's officers felt doubtful about Waganda being
able to penetrate Kidi. He said I need not concern myself on that score;
he was much more anxious for the white men to come here than even I was,
and he would not send my men into any danger; but it was highly improper
for any of his people to speak about such subjects. Then, assembling
the women again, he asked me to load Whitworth for him, when he shot the
remaining cow, holding the rifle in both hands close to his thigh. The
feat, of course, brought forth great and uproarious congratulations from
his women. The day thus ended, and I was dismissed.

13th.--Mabriki and Bilal come into camp: they returned last night; but
the Waganda escort, afraid of my obtaining information of them before
the king received it, kept them concealed. They had been defeated
in Usoga, two marches each of Kira, at the residence of Nagozigombi,
Mtesa's border officer, who gave them two bullocks, but advised their
returning at once to inform the king that the independent Wasoga had
been fighting with his