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John Hanning Speke - The Discovery of the Source of the Nile
Luajerri, rising in the lake. The evening of the next day after leaving me at Kira, they obtained an
interview with the king immediately; for the thought flashed across his mind that Bombay had come to
report our death, the Waganda having been too much for the party. He was speedily undeceived by the
announcement that nothing was the matter, excepting the inability to procure boats, because the officers
at Urondogani denied all authority but the Sakibobo's, and no one would show Bana anything, however
trifling, without an express order for it.
Irate at this announcement, the king ordered the Sakibobo, who happened to be present, to be seized and
bound at once, and said warmly, "Pray, who is the king, that the Sakibobo's orders should be preferred to
mine?" and then turning to the Sakibobo himself, asked what he would pay to be released? The
Sakibobo, alive to his danger, replied at once, and without the slightest hesitation, Eighty cows, eighty
goats, eighty slaves, eighty mbugu, eighty butter, eighty coffee, eighty tobacco, eighty jowari, and eighty
of all the produce of Uganda. He was then released. Bombay said Bana wished the Sakibobo to come to
Urondogani, and gave him a start with five boats, five cows, and five goats; to which the king replied,
"Bana shall have all he wants, nothing shall be denied him, not even fish; but it is not necessary to send
the Sakibobo, as boys carry all my orders to kings as well as subjects. Kasoro will return again with you,
fully instructed in everything, and, moreover, both he and Budja will follow Bana to Gani." Four days,
however, my men were kept at the palace ere the king gave them the cattle and leave to join me,
accompanied with one more officer, who had orders to find the boats at once, see us off, and report the
circumstance at court. Just as at the last interview, the king had four women, lately seized and
condemned to execution, squatting in his court. He wished to send them to Bana, and when Bombay
demurred, saying he had no authority to take women in that way, the king gave him one, and asked him
if he would like to see some sport, as he would have the remaining women cut to pieces before him.
Bombay, by his own account, behaved with great propriety, saying Bana never wished to see sport of that
cruel kind, and it would ill become him to see sights which his master had not. Viarungi sent me some
tobacco, with kind regards, and said he and the Wazina had just obtained leave to return to their homes,
K'yengo alone, of all the guests, remaining behind as a hostage until Mtesa's powder-seeking Wakungu
returned. Finally, the little boy Lugoi had been sent to his home. Such was the tenor of Bombay's report.
11th. - The officer sent to procure boats, impudently saying there were none, was put in the stocks by
Kasoro, whilst other men went to Kirindi for sailors, and down the stream for boats. On hearing the
king's order that I was to be supplied with fish, the fishermen ran away, and pombe was no longer
brewed for fear of Kasoro.
12th. - To-day we slaughtered and cooked two cows for the journey- - the remaining three and one goat
having been lost in the Luajerri - and gave the women of the place beads in return for their hospitality.
They are nearly all Wanyoro, having been captured in that country by king Mtesa and given to Mlondo.
They said their teeth were extracted, four to six lower incisors, when they were young, because no Myoro
would allow a person to drink from his cup unless he conformed to that custom. The same law exists in
Usoga.
Chapter XVI. Bahr El Abiad
First Voyage on the Nile - The Starting - Description of the River and the Country - Meet a Hostile
Vessel - A Naval Engagement - Difficulties and Dangers - Judicial Procedure - Messages from the King
of Uganda - His Efforts to get us back - Desertion - The Wanyoro Troops - Kamrasi - Elephant-Stalking -
Diabolical Possessions.
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