200 THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 



went on writing. After a while one of the porters, 

 passing, said to him, " What do you want here? " 



" I want to see the white man, mimi sultanV * This 

 infant was potentate of a dozen villages! 



Well, I had him in then, you may be sure, and we 

 exchanged lofty civilities. He had quite an idea of 

 dignity, stood very erect, answered in straightforward 

 fashion, and spoke excellent Swahili. While we were 

 in high converse a row broke out between Ali and the 

 man supposed to carry water. The latter, a Wakamba 

 named Mooli, I have been watching for a week, as he 

 has been getting lazy and above himself. Now he 

 was claiming it was far to water, he was tired, etc., 

 although this was his cazi, and Ali was having diffi- 

 culty in moving him. I yelled for him to shut up and 

 do his work; and as he did not immediately move, got 

 up and went out. He seized the bucket and ran down- 

 hill a short distance, then stopped and began to jaw 

 at me. 



This was rank insubordination, and every head was 

 turned to see what I would do about it. My physical 

 condition prevented the usual procedure, which would 

 have been to knock him down on the spot; so I put 

 into a command to return all the will force I possessed, 

 at the same time looking at him sternly. It was much 

 as one would compel a reluctant dog. He hesitated, 

 then slowly obeyed. 



* I am the sultan. 



