MEN OF THE TREES 



Upon being appointed Assistant Conservator of Forests, 

 I proceeded to Kenya in November 1920 and after my 

 first tour of service, with the Governor's permission, 

 spent my leave going over this same territory covered by 

 Samuel Baker. It was a real pleasure to meet Dohaga II, 

 the Omukama wa Bunyoro who was reigning in the 

 place of his father Kabaraga, who for many years had 

 been banished to the Schelles for political reasons. Two 

 years previous to my arrival Dohaga had approached the 

 Government with a request that his old father should 

 be allowed to return and the announcement that his 

 request had been granted was made to synchronize with 

 my visit to his kingdom. That day I preceded Dohaga 

 into the House of Parliament and sat with him on his 

 throne of leopard and lion skins when the resident 

 opened the session and announced that the old king 

 would be allowed to return and be at peace once more 

 in his own land. This was the signal for great rejoicing 

 and Dohaga and his people loaded me with presents and 

 tokens of their affection. I found he guarded in his 

 palace most religiously three souvenirs, the first was a 

 blue Venetian vase and bowl, which was a present from 

 Samuel Baker. The second was a sword which had been 

 sent to King Kabaraga by the Calipha at Khartoom, 

 who had murdered Gordon, with the request that Kaba- 

 raga should cut the white man's throat. Kabaraga sent 

 back a message to the Calipha to the effect that he would 

 keep his sword to remind him of his bloody ways, but 

 he would not raise it against his friend Bwana M'devu, 



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