My caravan had been resting in the village of a chief named Kueta, who
had repeatedly urged me to turn back, and, as the righting men of King
Lukenga appeared, the chief's men fled to the forest. I sat quietly,
however, in my seat in front of my tent and my people began to gather
around my chair, the youngest of the caravan nestling on his knees very
close to me. The king's people drew near and the leading man, spear in
hand, called to Chief Kueta in a voice that rang through the village:

"Now hear the words of King Lukenga: Because you have entertained a
foreigner in your village, we have come to take you to the capital for
trial."

I knew things were now serious, so rising from my seat I called to the
head man to meet me half way. He paid no attention. I called a second
time and walked up to him and began to plead for Chief Kueta.

"I understand you are sent by your king to arrest these people."

"It is the word of the king," said he.

I continued, "The chief of this village is not guilty; he gave me
warning and told me to go away, to return the way I had come, and I did
not. It is my fault and not Kueta's."

The leader, leaning on his spear, replied,

"You speak our language?"

"I do," was my quick answer.

"That is strange," said he.

The leader and his men moved off some distance and talked between
themselves. In a little while he came back to me saying, "I will return
to the capital and report these things to the king."

I said to him, "Tell your king I am not a bad man; I do not steal or
kill; I have a message for him. Wait a moment," said I. Taking from one
of my boxes a very large cowrie shell, near the size of one's fist, and
holding it up, I said, "This we call the father of cowries; present it
to the king as a token of friendship."

The men were soon off for the capital and we settled down, hoping and
praying for the best. Kueta told me that the head man was King Lukenga's
son and his name was N'Toinzide.

N'Toinzide stood more than six feet, of bronze color, blind in one eye,
determined set lips, and seemed a man fearless of any foe--man or beast.
The villagers told me many things of the king's son, both good and bad.

After some days the messengers reached the capital and reported to King
Lukenga. "We saw the foreigner; he speaks our language, he knows all the
trails of the country."

The king was astonished and called a council and laid the matter before
them. They deliberated over th