A White King in East Africa: The Remarkable Adventures of John Boyes, Trader and Soldier of Fortune, Who Became King of the Savage Wa-KikuyuBoyes, John
History
A White King in East Africa: The Remarkable Adventures of John Boyes, Trader and Soldier of Fortune, Who Became King of the Savage Wa-Kikuyu
Boyes, John
Africa, East; Kikuyu (African people)
immediately called all the rest of the natives savages. It was very
laughable in some instances. I have had one of my own men come to tell
me that some _washenzi_ (savages) wanted to see me, and on going out to
see who they were I would perhaps find that the so-called savages were
the man’s own father and other relatives.
I saw that what I had said about being friendly had impressed them, and
in the meantime my followers had got hold of them and were explaining
what my policy had done in their own country, so that they could see
that I was to be trusted, and consequently made friends with me. After
dusk they went home, and it was evident that they had given a good
report of me, as the next day the two principal chiefs of the district,
Bartier and Henga, came to see me, with about fifty followers. They were
both young men and very intelligent for savages, dressed in skins, but
wearing no special finery. I gave them a red blanket and a fez
each—which was my usual present to chiefs—and they immediately put them
on, wearing the blanket over one shoulder like a cloak, the ends being
tied on the other shoulder, so that only one side of the body was
covered. The effect, however, was rather picturesque, something like the
old Roman toga. They were very pleased with their new garb, but it had
the result of getting them into trouble at times with the other natives,
who looked upon it as a badge of their friendship with the white man.
They stayed in the camp nearly all day, and were very friendly,
explaining the features of the country we were going through, and
warning me against the people of the district of Tato, and their chief
Karkerrie, of whom they gave a very bad account. I asked them if any
white men had been there before, and they said no, though they had heard
of white men going through the country a very long time ago, but not
that part of it.
They brought me some food and told me that they had some ivory, and they
brought me the measurements of several tusks, which they promised to
bring in the next day; but although we waited, expecting the ivory, it
did not come. They were all still very friendly, however, and so I
suggested holding a Pigasangi, but as this was more of a national than a
local affair, they said that it could not be done unless they first
talked it over with their other people, so I told them that we might be
able to arrange for the ceremony on my homeward journey, and also asked
them to have the ivory ready so that I could buy it then.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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