Seeing this done in such a quiet mild way before all my men, who dared not lift their heads to see it, made me burst into a roar of laughter, and the king, catching the infection from me, laughed as well: but the laughing did not end there--for the pages, for once giving way to nature, kept bursting--my men chuckled in sudden gusts--while even the women, holding their mouths for fear of detection, responded--and we all laughed together.

Then a sedate old dame rose from the squatting mass, ordered the virgins to right-about, and marched them off, showing their still more naked reverses.

I now obtained permission for the Wakungu to call upon me, and fancied I only required my interpreters to speak out like men when I had anything to say, to make my residence in Uganda both amusing and instructive; but though the king, carried off by the prevailing good-humour of the scene we had both witnessed, supported me, I found that he had counter-ordered what he had said as soon as I had gone, and, in fact, no Mkungu ever dared come near me.
25th .-- To-day I visited Usungu again, and found him better.

He gave pombe and plantains for my people, but would not talk to me, though I told him he had permission to call on me.
I have now been for some time within the court precincts, and have consequently had an opportunity of witnessing court customs.

Among these, nearly every day since I have changed my residence, incredible as it may appear to be, I have seen one, two, or three of the wretched palace women led away to execution, tied by the hand, and dragged along by one of the body-guard, crying out, as she went to premature death, "Hai Minange!" (O my lord!) "Kbakka!" (My king!) "Hai N'yawo!" (My mother!) at the top of her voice, in the utmost despair and lamentation; and yet there was not a soul who dared lift hand to save any of them, though many might be heard privately commenting on their beauty.
26th .-- To-day, to amuse the king, I drew a picture of himself holding a levee, and proceeded to visit him.