means to prevent
any further occurrence of such scenes, otherwise I would use firearms in
self-defence.

Whilst these men were on this mission, I went on a like errand to the
queen, taking my page Lugoi with the liver medicine. The first object of
remark was Lugoi, as indeed it was everywhere; for, as I walked along,
crowds ran after the little phenomenon. Then came the liver questions;
and, finally what I wanted--her complaint against my men for robbing
on the road, as it gave me the opportunity of telling her the king was
doing what I had been trying to undo with my stick ever since I left
the coast; and I begged she would use influence to correct these
disagreeables. She told me for the future to send my men to her palace
for food, and rob no more; in the meanwhile, here were some plantains
for them. She then rose and walked away, leaving me extremely
disappointed that I could not make some more tangible arrangement with
her--such as, if my men came and found the gate shut, what were they to
do then? there were forty-five of them; how much would she allow; etc.
etc. But this was a true specimen of the method of transacting business
among the royal family of Uganda. They gave orders without knowing how
they are to be carried out, and treat all practical arrangements as
trifling details not worth attending to.

After this unsatisfactory interview, I repaired to the king's, knowing
the power of my gun to obtain an interview, whilst doubting the ability
of the Wakungu to gain an audience for me. Such was the case. These men
had been sitting all day without seeing the king, and three shots opened
his gate immediately to me. He was sitting on the iron chair in the
shade of the court, attended by some eighty women, tweedling the loading
rod in his fingers; but as my rod appeared a better one than his, they
were exchanged. I then gave him a tortoise-shell comb to comb his hair
straight with, as he invariably remarked on the beautiful manner in
which I dressed my hair, making my uncap to show it to his women, and
afterwards asked my men to bring on the affair of last night. They
feared, they said, to speak on such subjects whilst the women were
present. I begged for a private audience; still they would not speak
until encouraged and urged beyond all patience. I said, in Kisuahili,
"Kbakka" (king), "my men are afraid to tell you what I want to say";
when Maula, taking advantage of my having engaged his attention, though
the