486 Wanderings in Eastern Africa. 
My son went on a friendly errand to Rabai, and he 
was cruelly murdered there : they cut his throat in cold 
blood just as they would cut the throat of a kuku (fowl). 
It was a grievous wrong, and I want some tangible ac- 
knowledgment of it on the part of the Warabai, and 
until they give it I cannot accept a peace." 
I admitted that those who had been guilty of such 
a deed deserved to be punished, but I reminded the 
old man that the innocent were being made to suffer 
for the guilty by the way he was seeking revenge, — his 
own tribe's people as well as the Warabai, and that 
the guilt of both was being increased without the 
least advantage being gained by either. I concluded 
by saying : Hunda, you are an old man ; it is bad 
to go down to the grave with hatred in one's heart, 
and to leave one's children the legacy of a war. 
Hear the advice of one who wishes you well, and end 
your days in peace." We talked the matter over 
again and again, the old man for a long time insisting 
upon kora (compensation). At length, moved by his 
obstinacy, I turned my back upon him, saying it was 
clear to me that he was a supremely selfish man, and 
was only anxious to make a profit out of the murder 
of his son ! At last he yielded. He said : It is 
true that all the Wageriama and Warabai want 
peace ; I only am against it. But the Mzungu wishes 
me to give up my opposition. The Mzungu is a 
man of God (mutu wa Mulungu), God hears him, and 
whom God hears we respect (ogoha — fear, respect) ; 
I will do as he wishes me to do. I will consent to 
peace ; if I have not a needle given me in compensa- 
tion, this quarrel shall be settled." 
He was very anxious that I should stay in the 
