A SOJOURN AT RE SHI AT AND KERE 



brought me no present, not even food. In the afternoon I 

 sent for him again, and, having got hold of Hamisi to interpret, 

 had a great " shauri," he being now attended by some of his 

 principal retainers. 



It now transpired that there were two grievances, which, 

 trifling as the circumstances may appear, were troubling the 

 minds of Labugo and his people. First, why had I camped 

 here, in the bush, instead of alongside of his town ? I pointed 

 out to him that, as a European, I had my own customs and 

 ideas, which differed from those of Swahili traders, and tried to 

 explain how miserable I should have been, exposed to the 

 fierce sun and the clouds of dust raised by the frequently 

 passing cattle, with crowds of gaping natives continually round 

 my tent, not to mention the din they made night and morning ; 

 at the same time, I declared that this was equally his kraal 

 where we were. The second source of offence was that we 

 had fired no guns on arriving. As to this, I asked him whether 

 there had been any attempt at concealment about our arrival ; 

 any sneaking in at night, or round some back way ? Had we 

 not rather come at mid-day, right past his town ? And did 

 I not send envoys specially to announce my advent ? As to 

 letting off guns, I said that I was not in the habit of wasting 

 cartridges for nothing, after the manner of Swahilis ; I kept 

 mine for elephants or enemies ; and by way of a final clincher, 

 which I knew would tell (and I could see by their looks, did), 

 I promised him that, should any hostile tribe attack him while 

 I was here, he should hear my guns fast enough. I then took 

 him into my tent and gave him a present of assorted treasures, 

 handing him in addition some beads for his followers. His 

 own he left in my charge till the evening, being afraid of having 

 the whole begged from him by his loving subjects, should they 

 catch sight of it. Labugo promised food trade for the morrow, 

 and said he would come himself to arrange about the price. 

 He also said there were elephants in the neighbourhood, and 

 that I should have sfuides to show mc their haunts whenever I 



