Leaving the road and plunging into thickets of tall grass, the band and Wakungu must run for their lives, to maintain the order of march, by heading him at some distant point of exit from the jungle; whilst the Kamraviona, leading the pages and my men, must push head first, like a herd of buffaloes, through the sharp-cutting grass, at a sufficient rate to prevent the royal walk from being impeded; and the poor women, ready to sink with exhaustion, can only be kept in their places by fear of losing their lives.
We had been out the whole day; still he did not tire of these tricks, and played them incessantly till near sundown, when we entered the palace.

Then the women and Wakungu separating from us, we--that is, the king, the Kamraviona, pages, and myself--sat down to a warm feast of sweet potatoes and plantains, ending with pombe and fruit, whilst moist circular napkins, made in the shape of magnificent wafers out of plantain fibre, acted at once both the part of water and towel.

This over, as the guns had to be emptied, and it was thought sinful to waste the bullets, four cows were ordered in and shot by the king.

Thus ended the day, my men receiving one of the cows.
8th .-- As Mtesa was tired with his yesterday's work, and would not see anybody, I took Lugoi and Kahala, with a bundle of beads, to give a return to the Mgemma for his late treat of pombe.

His household men and women were immensely delighted with us, but more so, they said, for the honour of the visit.