284 
THE KING OF UNYORO. 
Nine days elapsed before the suspicions of the king 
would permit of our seeing him. Our servants had 
many interviews before his highness would grant us 
an audience. But it was at last brought about by 
informing him that, as he seemed to prefer black to 
white men, we would shave our heads and beards, 
blacken our faces, and present ourselves ! His mes- 
sengers at once brought a reply, that we must not do 
so, for the king was preparing a house and throne 
where the reception would shortly take place. 
His excuses were, that he had heard many bad 
reports of us through Waganda, who said we required 
several men and women for our daily food ; that we 
drank up rivers and ate up mountains ; that he did 
not know exactly what to believe ; but we must have 
patience, and we should be gratified. He had some 
Wanyamuezi guests whom he made swear, by stepping 
over their arms (bows and spears), that we did not do 
these things. They became answerable for us, con- 
senting, as a punishment, to be circumcised if we 
should commit a fault. Although the king, from sus- 
picion and timidity, took these precautions, he would 
daily inquire for our health, sending provisions occa- 
sionally; and on being asked what he would do if the 
Waganda carried out their intention of rescuing us 
from him, he replied, seizing a stick and holding it 
like a spear, that he would not allow them to touch a 
hair of the white men s heads. If they came, he would 
put us in boats, and send us away to our own country. 
He was lost in admiration of our hardihood in coming 
to such a far-away land. We must be devils ; we 
must fight his rebel brother, and also fight the Kidi 
— a race of people who constantly annoyed him. 
