A FAREWELL AUDIENCE. C 9 



Kabrega's divan, as well as piles of new bark cloth, and the 

 number of people who had collected together, proved that a 

 great reception was taking place. The king sent some loads 

 of meal for our journey. Several days later I received, in 

 addition to this, six oxen ; they were the usual hornless kind, 

 having small humps. 



On the 2 2d of October I was again called to Kabrega. 

 He was carrying on a lively conversation with a number of 

 people, amongst whom I noticed the Waganda ; but when I 

 arrived, the whole party was dismissed, and I was, in the first 

 place, requested to show him my revolver. After he had 

 examined it, he asked me to send him some like it. A very 

 animated conversation followed upon the most varied subjects, 

 and was prolonged until near evening, when pouring rain 

 commenced, and compelled me to return home. My real 

 business here was at an end. It was almost impossible to 

 collect anything, for all specimens, bird-skins, &c, were spoilt 

 on account of the indescribable humidity. I was therefore 

 ready to march. I had my farewell audience the next day, 

 and can state, with satisfaction, that the wish on both sides 

 to meet again was very cordial. The people who were to go 

 to Khartum were still away setting their houses in order ; 

 the king informed me that they would overtake me at Mruli. 



The porters who had been promised me for the next day, 

 of course, did not appear, although Msige, who was to accom- 

 pany me, was early on the spot. 



To my great surprise, I received letters from Magiingo con- 

 taining very curious reports concerning the doings of Nur Bey, 

 the acting Governor of the equatorial provinces — a worthless, 

 mendacious sneak. In consequence of this I almost decided 

 to go to Magiingo, but soon gave up the idea, for, on account 

 of the constant rain, the distance would have been too great 

 for my people. Having received two big elephant's tusks as 

 a parting gift from Kabrega, we began the return march on 

 the 25th of October, by the same road which had brought us 

 here. * A volley of guns was fired from Kabrega's headquarters 

 in honour of the parting guest. Owing to the persistent rain, 

 all the grasses had shot up higher, the reed thickets had 

 grown more impenetrable, and thorns more troublesome. At 



