392 STATE VISIT FROM THE KING. [chap. xiv. 
equal proportion, and, although weak, I had no mortal 
fear of my old enemy. 
The king, Kamrasi, had supplied me with provisions, 
hut I was troubled daily by messengers who requested 
me to appear before him to make arrangements for the 
proposed attack uponKionga and Fowooka. My excuse 
for non-attendance was my weak state; but Kamrasi 
determined not to be evaded, and one day his headman 
Quonga announced that the king would pay me a visit 
on the following morning. Although I had but little 
remaining from my stock of baggage except the guns, 
ammunition, and astronomical instruments, I was 
obliged to hide everything underneath the beds, lest 
the avaricious eyes of Kamrasi should detect a “ want.” 
True to his appointment he appeared with numerous 
attendants, and was ushered into my little hut. I had 
a very rude but serviceable arm-chair that one of my 
men had constructed ; in this the king was invited to 
sit. Hardly was he seated, when he leant back, stretched 
out his legs, and making some remark to his attend¬ 
ants concerning his personal comfort, he asked for the 
chair as a present. I promised to have one made for 
him immediately. This being arranged, he surveyed 
the barren little hut, vainly endeavouring to fix his 
eyes upon something that he could demand; but so 
fruitless was his search, that he laughingly turned to 
his people and said, “ How was it that they wanted so 
many porters, if they have nothing to carry V’ My 
interpreter explained, that many things had been 
spoiled during the storms on the lake, and had been 
left behind ; that our provisions had long since been 
consumed, and that our clothes were worn out—thus 
we had nothing left but a few beads. “ New varieties, 
no doubt,” he replied ; “ give me all that you have of 
the small blue and the large red!” We had carefully 
hidden the main stock, and a few had been arranged 
in bags to be produced as the occasion might require ; 
these were now unpacked by the boy Saat and laid 
before the king. I told him to make his choice, which 
