y astonishment on reaching the hut to find every
servant gone, along with the pots, pans, meat, everything; and all in
consequence of the king's having taken the drums on board, which, being
unusual, was regarded as one of his delusive tricks, and a sign of
immediate departure. He had told no one he was going to the N'yanza,
and now it was thought he would return in the same way. I fired for my
supper, but fired in vain. Boys came out, by the king's order to inquire
what I wanted, but left again without doing anything further.

At my request the king sent off boats to inquire after the one that
left, or was supposed to have left, for Grant on the 3d of March, and he
then ordered the return home, much to my delight; for, beautiful as the
N'yanza was, the want of consideration for other people's comfort, the
tiring, incessant boating, all day long and every day, in the sun, as
well as the king's hurry-scurry about everything he undertook to do,
without the smallest forethought, preparation, or warning, made me
dream of my children, and look forward with pleasure to rejoining them.
Strange as it may appear to Englishmen, I had a sort of paternal love
for those little blackamoors as if they had been my offspring; and I
enjoyed the simple stories that their sable visitors told me every day
they came over to smoke their pipes, which they did with the utmost
familiarity, helping themselves from my stores just as they liked.

Without any breakfast, we returned by the same route by which we had
come, at four miles an hour, till half the way was cleared, when the
king said, laughing, "Bana, are you hungry?"--a ridiculous question
after twenty-four hours of starvation, which he knew full well--and led
the way into a plantain-grove, where the first hut that was found was
turned inside out for the king's accommodation, and picnic was prepared.
As, however, he ordered my portion to be given outside with the pages',
and allowed neither pombe or water, I gave him the slip, and walked
hurriedly home, where I found Kahala smirking, and apparently glad to
see us, but Meri shamming ill in bed, whilst Manamaka, the governess,
was full of smiles and conversation. She declared Meri had neither
tasted food or slept since my departure, but had been retching all the
time. Dreadfully concerned at the doleful story I immediately thought
of giving relief with medicines, but neither pulse, tongue, nor anything
else indicated the slightest disorder;