AN ANXIOUS PERIOD. 
191 
down.’ ” There was some amount of truth in Man- 
dara’s complaints. From his point of view I had not 
been generous. I had paid scrupulously for every¬ 
thing, I had always sent Mandara the equivalent of 
his presents of cattle or sheep in various trade goods, 
or bright, shining, silver rupees. I had supplied him with 
many useful European seeds, and had frittered away 
nearly all my stock of medicines on his soldiers 
and wives, and on arriving I had given him the 
articles mentioned in Chapter V.; but I could not 
lavish cloth and beads on him continually, as I had 
only enough to last me till Kiongwe’s return, and 
must pay for my daily food in these commodities ; and 
I would not supply him with guns and powder, now 
that I knew the use to which he put them, viz. to 
procure the Arabs slaves. However, although he had 
no claim on my generosity, I thought it well spent if 
a little money would secure his friendship, so I offered 
to pay 1/. a month (an immense sum in this part of 
the world, especially when it is represented by twelve 
rupees) in the form of rent, for the land which he 
had given me as a plantation. At first he was beside 
himself with joy when I conveyed this proposal to him 
in person, and patted my back with affection; but no 
sooner had I left him, rejoiced at his change of 
manner, than Mabruki entered on the scene, sneered 
at the chief’s delight, and said the wdiite man had 
bags upon bags of rupees—he had seen them—and 
that it was as easy for him to pay 100 monthly 
as 12. 
Mandara therefore sent word to me that he had 
consulted with his advisers, and that he thought 100 
rupees a month a reasonable rent for the plantation 
(this plantation, be it noted, was a piece of wild, 
