288 AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
is escorted by all the chiefs to his own quarters, waylaid 
by multitudes on the road with profound greeting, has 
the pick of all females captured in war, the choicest of 
all cattle, and his shares of all cloths, beads, wine, and 
other gifts brought to Mtesa ; for the Katekiro, alias 
Pokino, alias Magassa, is now Premier, First Lord, and 
Secretary of State ! But what next ? 
One day, while on a visit to my quarters, I permitted 
him to examine my store of medicines. On explaining 
the various uses of laudanum, he remarked, to my sur- 
surprise, with a sigh, “ Ah ! that is the medicine I wish 
to have. Can you not spare some for me ? ” 
Poor Magassa ! poor Pokino ! poor Katekiro ! He is 
already watching, while yet young, in the prime and 
vigour of manhood, for he knoweth not the hour when 
the Lord of the Cord may beckon to him. 
It is left for some future traveller to tell us of his 
interview with Kasuju, the chief executioner. 
THE KABAKA OR EMPEROR. 
The curtain rolls up, and discloses a hill covered with 
tall conical huts, whose tops peep out above the foliage 
of plantains and bananas, and lofty fences of cane. Up 
the hill’s gradually ascending slopes run broad smooth 
avenues, flanked by cane palisades, behind which clusters 
of huts show grey under a blazing sun, amid the verdure 
of the leafy groves around them. The avenues are 
thronged by natives, clad in picturesque costumes. 
White clothes gleam in the sunshine, in strong contrast 
to red and brown. The people are wending their way 
to the imperial quarters on the summit of the hill. 
While no ingress is permitted, they crowd around the 
gates in social gossip, exchanging morning greetings. 
Suddenly the murmur of voices ceases, and the long 
rumbling roll of a kettle-drum is heard, announcing that 
the monarch is seated on the burzah. The gates are at 
once drawn aside, and a multitude of chiefs, soldiers, 
peasants, strangers rush up tumultuously, through 
eight or ten courts, towards the audience-hall, and 
in their noisy haste we may see the first symptoms ot 
