amrasi was
coming to see us. Accordingly we made everything as smart as possible,
hanging the room round with maps, horns, and skins of animals, and
places a large box covered with a red blanket, as a throne for the king
to set upon. As he advanced, my men, forming a guard of honour fired
three shots immediately on his setting foot upon our side the river;
whilst Frij, with his boatswain's whistle, piped the 'Rogue's March,' to
prepare us for his majesty's approach. We saluted him, hat in hand,
and, leading the way, showed him in. He was pleased to be complimentary,
remarking, what Waseja (fine men) we were, and took his seat. We sat
on smaller boxes, to appear humble, whilst his escort of black "swells"
filled the doorway, squatting on the ground, so as to stop the light and
interfere with our decorations.

After the first salutations, the king remarked the head of a nsamma
buck, and handled it; then noticed my mosquito-curtains hanging over
the bed, and begged for them. He was told they could not be given until
Bombay returned, as the mosquitoes would eat us up. "But there were
two," said the escort, "for we have seen one in the other hut." That
was true; but were there not two white men? However, if the king wanted
gauze, here was a smart gauze veil--and the veil vanished at once. The
iron camp-bed was next inspected, and admired; then the sextant,
which was coveted and begged for, but without success, much to the
astonishment of the king, as his attendants had led him to expect he
would get anything he asked for. Then the thermometers were wanted and
refused; also table-knives, spoons, forks, and even cooking-pots, for
we had no others, and could not part with them. The books of birds and
animals had next to be seen, and being admired were coveted, the king
offering one of the books I first gave him in exchange for one of these.
In fact, he wanted to fleece us of everything; so, to shut him up, I
said I would not part with one bird for one hundred tusks of ivory; they
were all the collections I had made in Africa, and if I parted with
them my journey would go for nothing; but if he wanted a few drawings
of birds I would do some for him--at present I wished to speak to him.
"Well, what is it? we are all attention." "I wish to know positively if
you would like English traders to come here regularly, as the Arabs do
to trade at Karague? and if so, would you give me a pembe (magic horn)
as a warrant, that everybody may