220 



THE LION OF THE LORD. 



corned to Puga : as the two Wasawaliili secreta- 

 ries had long ago been dismissed, and none could 

 read the Sayyid of Zanzibar's introductory letter, 

 I was compelled to act clerk. The centagenarian 

 had heard that we were accustomed to scrutinize 

 trees and stones as well as stars : he therefore 

 decided that we really were European Waganga, 

 or medicine-men, and he directed us at once to 

 compound a draught which would restore him that 

 evening to health and strength. I objected that 

 all our drugs had been left behind at Panga-ni : 

 by no means satisfied with the excuse, he signi- 

 fied that we might wander about the hills, and 

 seek the plants required. 



After half an hour's conversation, Hamdan 

 being our interpreter, we were dismissed with a 

 renewal of welcome. On our return to the 

 ' Ti'aveller's Bungalow,' the present was for- 

 warded to the Sultan with the usual ceremony, 

 and we found awaiting us a fine bullock, a basket 

 full of Sima — young Indian corn pounded and 

 boiled to a hard, thick paste — and balls of unripe 

 bananas, peeled and mashed up with sour milk, 

 thus converting the fruit to a vegetable. Our Ba- 

 loch at once addressed themselves to the manufac- 

 turing of beef, and they devoured their steaks 



