190 
THE KILIMA-NJAB 0 EXPEDITION. 
you may remain. But if not, tlien I say, pack up all 
your goods and go, for I know you are my enemy.’ ” 
This curious message was written down by Abdallah in 
Swahili, in order that I might confront Mandara with 
his own words, and ask if he acknowledged them. In 
the meantime I dismissed the soldier, saying I would 
reply later on. Then, side by side with the message 
of Mandara’s, I wrote an answer to the effect that the 
“ Sultan” of Mosi was deceived by bad and designing 
men, that time would right me in his opinion, and 
that meanwhile I would neither sell him a gun nor an 
ounce of powder, nor would I leave his country until 
Kiongwe should return. (How, indeed, could I do so, 
when I had ten porters and fifty-eight loads ?) In 
the evening, Virapan, Cephas, and Abdallah repaired 
to Mandara’s court to communicate this reply. As 
usual he had begun to vacillate, and now let himself 
be convinced that I had no sinister intentions affecting 
his rule, but complained that the real fault he found 
with me was my mean disposition. He took Cephas 
to his stronghold, and showed him the clothes, guns, 
pistols, and patent medicines he had received from 
Thomson; even curious relics—the gifts that Baron 
Yon der Decken had made to Mandara’s mother, and 
the articles which had been wrung from poor Charles 
New. “ Now,” he said, “ what has your white man 
given me to compare with these ? Fine words, good 
advice ( sauri ), tales about hens laying golden eggs. I 
don’t want always talk and nothing else; I want him 
to show his friendship by gifts, as a white man should. 
And as he is so fond of fables (hadiSi), remind him of 
the one I told him when he first came here—say to 
him, 4 the tree is now well-rooted and mature, and if 
it does not soon begin to bear fruit, I shall cut it 
