A GRAVE OFFENCE. 205 



hid spear told that we could not hope to enjoy any larger 

 game. We saw no evidence of any animals besides; and, 

 on coming to the villages beyond this, we often saw boys 

 and girls engaged in digging up these tiny quadrupeds. 



Katende sent for me on the day following our arrival, 

 and, being quite willing to visit him, I walked, for this 

 purpose, about three miles from our encampment. When we 

 approached the village we were desired to enter a hut, and, as 

 it was raining at the time, we did so. After a long time spent 

 in giving and receiving messages from the great man, we were 

 told that he wanted either a man, a tusk, beads, copper rings, 

 or a shell, as payment for leave to pass through his country. 

 No one, we were assured, was allowed that liberty, or even 

 to behold him, without something of the sort being pre- 

 sented. Having humbly explained our circumstances, and 

 that he could not expect to "catch an humble cow by the 

 horns," — a proverb similar to ours that "you can't draw 

 milk out of a stone,"— -we were told to go home, and he 

 would speak again to us next day. 1 could not avoid a 

 hearty laugh at the cool impudence of the savage, and 

 made the best of my way home in the still pouring rain. 

 My men were rather nettled at this want of hospitality; 

 but, after talking over the matter with one of Katende' s 

 servants, he proposed that some small article should be 

 given, and an attempt made to please Katende. I turned 

 out my shirts, and selected the worst one as a sop for him, 

 and invited Katende to come and choose any thing else I 

 had, but added that, when I should reach my own chief 

 naked, and was asked what I had done with my clothes, I 

 should be obliged to confess that I had left them with 

 Katende. The shirt was despatched to him, and some of 

 my people went along with the servant : they soon returned, 

 saying that the shirt had been accepted, and guides and 

 food too would be sent to us next day. The chief had, 

 moreover, expressed a hope to see me on my return. He 

 is reported to be very corpulent. The traders who have 

 come here seem to have beer ^ery timid, yielding to every 



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