106 
THE KILIMANJARO EXPEDITION 
my soldiers to fight like the soldiers of Sayyid Bar¬ 
gil asli of Zanzibar. You know Bwana Mafiu (General 
Matthews 3 )? Well, I want you to be my Bwana 
Mafiu.” I made no reply to these embarrassing pro¬ 
positions, thinking it better to preserve a discreet 
silence and gain my ends patiently. Then Mandara 
continued, in a plaintive voice, “ Bwana Tom sen (Mr. 
Joseph Thomson) came here; X liked him ; he was 
generous, and he spoke well of my country; but he 
would not stop. c Baroni 5 (Baron Yon der Decken), 
and Bwana Yew (the missionary) have both been here, 
but they came and went. Now,” he added, laughing 
grimly, “ the Baloza has sent you here to see me; 
well, I don’t want you ever to go. Do you hear? 
(Usikia ?) Never ! Now, come along to my house and 
show me the presents you have brought.” So the 
meeting was adjourned. Mandara gathered up his 
skirts, not ungracefully, and stalked off to his com¬ 
pound, whilst I hastily unpacked and arranged the 
gifts I had brought him, which were as follows : A 
handsome embroidered “joho” or Arab coat; a 
u kanzu ” (long shirt-like garment); a “ kilemba ” 
(stuff for a turban); several u vikoi ” or waistbands, 
and a scarlet fez ; a musical-box, many coloured pic¬ 
tures, looking-glasses, mouse-traps, knives, bells, two 
small barrels of gunpowder, boxes of caps, and a 
bar of lead. 
Accompanied by Kiongwe, Cephas, and others, I 
went to his reception-shed. Here he was surrounded 
by the Swahili courtiers, and seemed in a good 
humour, apparently appreciating the presents I had 
brought. Whilst he was examining them, occasionally 
slapping his thigh with a delighted gesture, or making 
3 An English officer, the Commander-in-Chief of the Zanzibar army. 
