I 10 
EAST AFRICA AND ITS BIG GAME. 
later than two o’clock, as after that hour he was gene¬ 
rally too drunk to transact any business, so I suppose 
we were especially honoured by his keeping sober 
enough to receive us on this occasion. 
At about two o’clock the great man came down, and 
sent word to say that he was graciously willing to 
grant us an interview, and we at once proceeded to his 
audience-chamber, accompanied by Mr. Fitch, Martin, 
and some of our head-men. In a large shed, furnished 
with a rickety table and two still more rickety chairs, 
we found Mandara seated in front of a bottle of his 
favourite poinbe. He received us in a dignified man¬ 
ner, and was very agreeable, but seemed much exercised 
about Martin having paid his enemy, Sina, a visit on 
the occasion when he came up with General Mathews 
to hoist the Sultan’s flag in order to forestall the 
Germans who were intending to annex territory in the 
neighbourhood of Kilima-njaro. He had been exces¬ 
sively angry about this visit, and had even threatened 
to cut Martin’s throat, as he considered it very wrong 
of him, after having become a blood-brother, to enter 
upon friendly negotiations with a foe. 
This subject formed the whole topic of conversation 
during our long interview, at which Martin explained 
how it was no fault of his, seeing he was bound to go 
wherever his employers chose to take him, and after a 
long argument he appeared to be forgiven. I was sur¬ 
prised that our host displayed so little curiosity about 
us, and made no reference to the all-important question 
of Kongo. 
