*THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 455 



announce that everything was ready. Forthwith issued from 

 the court-yard five of the boat's crew on each side of Stanley, 

 armed with Snider rifles. They reached a short broad street, at 

 the end of which was a hurt. Here the Kabaka was seated, while 

 a multitude of chiefs, Wakungu (generals) and Watongoleh 

 (colonels), ranked from the throne in two opposing kneeling or 

 seated lines, the ends being closed in by drummers, guards, 

 executioners, pages, etc. As they approached the nearest group 

 it opened and the drummers beat mighty sounds. The Foremost 

 Man of Equatorial Africa arose and advanced, and all the kneel- 

 ing and seated lines arose generals, colonels, chiefs, cooks, 

 butlers, pages, executioners, etc. 



Mtesa took a deliberate view of Stanley, as if studying him, 

 while the compliment was reciprocated, since the latter was no 

 less interested in the king. After the audience Stanley repaired 

 to his hut and wrote the following: "As I had read Speke's 

 book for the sake of its geographical information, I retained 

 but a dim remembrance of his description of his life in Uganda. 

 If I remember rightly, Speke described a youthful prince, vain 

 and heartless, a wholesale murderer and tyrant, one who delighted 

 in fat women. Doubtless he described what he saw, but it is far 

 from being the state of things now. Mtesa has impressed me 

 as being an intelligent and distinguished prince, who, if aided in 

 time by virtuous philanthropists, will do more for Central Africa 

 than fifty years of Gospel teaching, unaided by such authority, 

 can do. I think I see in him the light that shall lighten the 

 darkness of this benighted region ; a prince well worthy the most 

 hearty sympathies that Europe can give him. In this man I see 

 the possible fruition of Livingstone's hopes, for with his aid the 

 civilization of Equatorial Africa becomes feasible. I remember 

 the ardor and love which animated Livingstone when he spoke of 

 Sekeletu ; had he seen Mtesa, his ardor and love had been for 

 him tenfold, and his pen and tongue would have been employed 

 in calling all good men to assist him." 



Five days later Stanley added to his observations the following : 

 "I see that Mtesa is a powerful Emperor, with great influence 



