THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 425 



A ROYAL RECEPTION. 



STANLEY was royally received at Unyanyembe by the Arab 

 population, which numbered about 500 out of a total of 5,000 

 persons. The governor, Sayd bin Salim, invited him to his 

 house, where a delightful repast awaited him, with accompanying 

 condiments and delicious sherbet. Stanley entertained the 

 governor by relating to him the latest news concerning the per- 

 sonal and political affairs of Arabia and Egypt. When the enter- 

 tainment was finished Sayd bin Salim showed him to the house he 

 was to occupy during his stay in Unyanyembe, and took great 

 pride in calling his attention to its many rooms, as follows : 



"Walk in, master, this is your house, now; here are your 

 men's quarters ; here you will receive the great Arabs ; here is the 

 cook-house ;here is the store-house ; here is the prison for the 

 refractory ; here are your white men's apartments ; and these are 

 your own: see, here is the bedroom, here is the gun-room, 

 bath-room," etc. 



Stanley now turned his attention to storing his goods and pay- 

 ing off his carriers, this being the end of the trade route from 

 Bagamoyo. When they were dismissed his force was reduced to 

 twenty-five men, all the caravans having arrived and reported. 



"Just as I began to feel hungry again," says Stanley, "came 

 several slaves in succession, bearing trays full of good things 

 from the Arabs ; first an enormous dish of rice, with a bowlful 

 of curried chicken ; another with a dozen huge wheaten cakes, 

 another with a plateful of smoking hot crullers ; another with 

 papaws, another with pomegranates and lemons ; after these 

 came men driving five fat hump-backed oxen, eight sheep and 

 ten goats, and another man came with a dozen chickens and a 

 dozen fresh eggs. This was real, practical, noble courtesy, 

 munificent hospitality, which quite took my gratitude by storm. 

 My people were as delighted at the prodigal plentitude visble on 

 my tables and in my yards as I was myself. And, as I saw 

 their 'eyes light up at the unctuous anticipations presented to 

 them by their riotous fancies, I ordered a bullock to be slaugh- 

 tered and distributed." 



