INTERVIEW WITH THE MOTHER OF THE KING. 225 
always went about in irons, as his small brothers now 
do. Where could they have got this custom ? Wish- 
ing to know what had become of Speke, I went in 
search of him, and found on the way a flight of pages 
— there is no other name for it, as they always go at 
full speed, their robes flying, when serving the king. 
They were going with torches to light his highness 
home; but they knew not what route he had taken. 
It afterwards appeared that he had entered a house to 
dine upon boiled beef and wine, a share of which he 
offered to Speke ; then, taking a suit of clothes out 
of the tin box he had got from us, and which was 
carried to this picnic, he cast aside his torn and dirty 
suit for another, and went home by torchlight and 
drums. 
My introduction to the king's mother took place 
on the 1st of June. Captain Speke and myself 
went with five or six Seedees carrying pads of grass 
(stools not being permitted), with our gourds of 
pombe, our sucking-reeds, and umbrellas. The dow- 
ager lady had been informed of our intention, but 
took her time as to seeing us. Walking over one hill 
to the top of another, in three-quarters of an hour we 
were at her royal highness s gate. On getting as far 
as the second courtyard, we were told to wait, with 
the other visitors, in the drum or ante-house. Here 
for an hour we were left to smoke, drink, and doze. 
A musical instrument in the place was new to me — a 
harmonicon of twelve blocks of wood, which, on being 
struck, gave out notes as glasses do when played. 
They rested upon the trunks of plantain, and were 
isolated from each other by thin reeds. We took our 
hats off on approaching the old lady, who laughed 
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