88 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



continually whirling round, as they had their nests upon a 

 neighboring tree ; and then the king ordered his pages to carry 

 all the birds, save the vulture which, for some reason, they did 

 not touch and show them to the queen. 



He then gave the order to move on, and they all repaired to 

 the palace. Arrived at the usual throne-room, he took his seat, 

 dismissed the party of wives who had been following him, 

 received pombe a brewed drink from his female evil-eye 

 averters, and ordered Speke and his men to sit in the sun facing 

 him, till the traveler complained of the heat, and was allowed to 

 sit by his side. Kites, crows, and sparrows were flying about in 

 all directions, and as they came within shot, nothing would 

 satisfy the excited boy-king but that Speke must shoot them, and 

 his pages take them to the queen, till the ammunition was totally 

 expended. He then wanted to send for more shot ; but was told 

 to wait until new supplies could be had, whereupon he contented 

 himself with taking two or three sample pellets and ordering his 

 ironsmiths to make some like them. 



THE KING DRESSED LIKE A MONKEY. 



SPEKE had given King Mtesa odd garments from time to time, 

 until at length the royal stripling appeared dressed in European 

 garb, although, on account of the shortness of the pantaloons 

 and the arms of the coat, his black ankles and wrists stuck out 

 so that his appearance was almost identical with that of an organ- 

 grinder's monkey. To add to his inimitably grotesque costume, 

 the king's cockscomb of hair was surmounted by a little red-fez 

 cap, which completed his dressed-monkey appearance, though he 

 felt that no one was ever dressed more becomingly. Thus 

 attired, the king held a levee, at which twenty naked virgins, all 

 smeared and shining with grease, each holding a very small, 

 square piece of cloth to serve for a fig leaf, marched in a line 

 before the king and his white guest. These were fresh additions 

 to the royal harem, and the happy fathers groveled on the 

 ground, giving' thanks in profuse " n'yanziging," for the 

 gracious favor of the king's acceptance. The sight was in keep- 

 ing with the whimsical tastes of Mtesa, so that Speke could noi, 



