To make a stand for it, I turned a drum on its head, when all the courtiers flew at me as if to prevent an outrage, and the king laughed.

I found that, as the instrument was supposed to be a magic charm of very wonderful powers, my meddling with it and treating it as an ordinary movable was considered a kind of sacrilege.
7th .-- I wrote a letter to Petherick, but the promised Wakungu never came for it.

As K'yengo was ordered to attend court with Rumanika's hongo, consisting of a few wires, small beads, and a cloth I gave him, as well as a trifle from Nnanji, I sent Bombay, in place of going myself, to remind the king of his promises for the Wakungu to Gani, as well as for boats to Karague, but a grunt was the only reply which my messenger said he obtained.
8th .-- Calling at the palace, I found the king issuing for a walk, and joined him, when he suddenly turned round in the rudest manner, re-entered his palace, and left me to go home without speaking a word.
The capricious creature then reissued, and, finding me gone, inquired after me, presuming I ought to have waited for him.
9th .-- During the night, when sleeping profoundly, some person stealthily entered my hut and ran off with a box of bullets towards the palace, but on the way dropped his burden.

Maula, on the way home, happening to see it, and knowing it to be mine, brought it back again.

I stayed at home, not feeling well.
10th .-- K'yengo paid his hongo in wire to the king, and received a return of six cows.