ful shrieks were heard from within, and presently a beautiful
woman, one of the king's sisters, with cockscomb erect, was dragged out
to execution, bewailing and calling on her king, the Kamraviona, and
Mzungu, by turns, to save her life. Would to God I could have done it!
but I did not know her crime, if crime she had committed, and therefore
had to hold my tongue, whilst the Kamraviona, and other Wakungu present,
looked on with utter unconcern, not daring to make the slightest remark.
It happened that Irungu was present in the ante-chamber at this time;
and as Maula came with my party, they had a fight in respect to their
merits for having brought welcome guests to their king. Mtesa, it was
argued, had given N'yamgundu more women and men than he did to Maula,
because he was the first to bring intelligence of our coming, as well as
that of K'yengo, and Suworora's hongo to his king; whilst, finally, he
superseded Maula by taking me out of his charge, and had done a further
good service by sending men on to Karague to fetch both Grant and
K'yengo.

Maula, although he had received the second reward, had literally done
nothing, whilst Irungu had been years absent at Usui, and finally had
brought a valuable hongo, yet he got less than Maula. This, Irungu
said, was an injustice he would not stand; N'yamgundu fairly earned his
reward, but Maula must have been tricking to get more than himself. He
would get a suitable offering of wire, and lay his complaint in court
the first opportunity. "Pooh, pooh! nonsense!" says Maula, laughing; "I
will give him more wires than you, and then let us see who will win the
king's ear." Upon this the two great children began collecting wire and
quarrelling until the sun went down, and I went home. I did not return
to a quiet dinner, as I had hoped, but to meet the summons of the king.
Thinking it policy to obey, I found him waiting my coming in the palace.
He made apologies for not answering my gun, and tasted some spirits
resembling toddy, which I had succeeded in distilling. He imbibed it
with great surprise; it was wonderful tipple; he must have some more;
and, for the purpose of brewing better, would send the barrel of an old
Brown Bess musket, as well as more pombe and wood in the morning.

13th.--As nothing was done all day, I took the usual promenade in the
Seraglio Park, and was accosted by a very pretty little woman, Kariana,
wife of Dumba, who, very neatly dressed, was returning from