speke's influence at court. 
227 
sion of an officer before the barber can use bis razor. 
The women seen about the queen's residence had no 
hair, neither had she ; all were shaved, and only a 
few in M'tessa's court were allowed to dress their 
hair in the same aristocratic fashion as the king. 
One of these women, in the bloom of youth, we one 
day saw led to execution. She was the fourth female 
victim that had passed that day. Her back was 
covered with scars, and blood appeared on her neck. 
She wept bitterly. Notwithstanding this circum- 
stance, when we went and had an interview with the 
king, we found him as gay and cheerful as ever. His 
detective Maulah lived next hut to ours, and the shrieks 
of poor people, night and day, were quite heartrend- 
ing. Not only were their cries heard, but each lash 
of the stick was distinct ; and being in such close 
proximity to the place of torture was a severe trial. 
When Maulah captures women, they are asked, " Will 
you live with so and so ? " if they object, the rod is 
applied, and consent in this way is forced upon 
them. He and other chief officers were very jealous 
of Speke's influence with the king, for they knew he 
could at times obtain an interview, while they had to 
wait for days. On seeing us return from the palace, 
Maulah would inquire, " Have you seen the king ? " 
and when we wished for an interview, and asked how 
it could be brought about, he would coarsely reply, 
"Are you kings, that you always expect to be re- 
ceived ? " Certainly our influence had a most bene- 
ficial effect. Not only did Speke save the lives of 
many, but men about court got him to intercede 
with the king on several occasions. The executioner 
Konzah had a favourite son, who was under sentence. 
