ht o'clock, being tired and hungry, I reminded the king of his
promises, and he appointed the morning to call on him for the Wakungu,
and took leave.

25th.--Makinga, hearing of the intended march through Usoga, was pleased
to say he would like to join my camp and spend his time in buying slaves
and ivory there. I went to the palace for the promised escort, but
was no sooner announced by the pages than the king walked off into the
interior of his harem, and left me no alternative but to try my luck
with the Kamraviona, who, equally proud with his master, would not
answer my call,--and so another day was lost.

26th.--This morning we had the assuring intelligence from Kaddu that he
had received orders to hold himself in readiness for a voyage to Karague
in twenty boats with Grant, but the date of departure was not fixed.
The passage was expected to be rough, as the water off the mouth of the
Kitangule Kagera (river) always runs high, so that no boats can go there
except at night, when the winds of day subside, and are replaced by the
calms of night. I called at the palace, but saw nothing of the king,
though the court was full of officials; and there were no less than 150
women, besides girls, goats, and various other things, seizures from
refractory state officers, who, it was said, had been too proud to
present themselves at court for a period exceeding propriety.

All these creatures, I was assured, would afterwards be given away as
return-presents for the hongos or presents received from the king's
visitors. No wonder the tribes of Africa are mixed breeds. Amongst the
officers in waiting was my friend Budja, the ambassador that had been
sent to Unyoro with Kidgwiga, Kamrasi's deputy. He had returned three
days before, but had not yet seen the king. As might have been expected,
he said he had been anything but welcomed in Unyoro. Kamrasi, after
keeping him half-starved and in suspense eight days, sent a message--for
he would not see him--that he did not desire any communication with
blackguard Waganda thieves, and therefore advised him, if he valued his
life, to return by the road by which he came as speedily as possible.
Turning to Congow, I playfully told him that, as the road through Unyoro
was closed, he would have to go with me through Usoga and Kidi; but
the gallant colonel merely shuddered, and said that would be a terrible
undertaking.

27th.--The king would not show, for some reason or other, and we
still