Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Slave trade -- Africa
At the extreme end of the room was a very good coloured print, nearly
life size, of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. The scarlet
walls were hung with large coloured prints, life size, of very beautiful
women, with very gorgeous dresses, all the jewelry being imitated by
pieces of coloured tinsel. A number of sporting prints, very large, and
also coloured, were arranged in convenient places on the walls. There
were fox-hunting scenes, and German stag-hunts, together with a few
quiet landscapes, that always recalled the dear old country now so far
away.
The furniture was simple enough: two angarebs, or Arab stretchers,
which, during the day, were covered with Persian carpets and served as
sofas, while at night they were arranged as beds. The tables were made
of square metal boxes piled one upon the other and covered with bright
blue cloths. These were arranged with all kinds of odd trinkets of gaudy
appearance, but of little value, which were intended to be asked for,
and given away. Two native stools curiously cut out of a solid block
formed our chairs. The guns and rifles stood in a row against a rack
covered with red Turkey cloth; and a large Geneva musical box lay upon a
table beneath the Princess of Wales.
Altogether the room was exceedingly pretty. It would have been vulgar if
in England; but it was beautifully clean, and it shortly became the
wonder of Central Africa.
I had brought the large gilt mirrors from England specially for M'tese,
the king of Uganda, and for Kamrasi. I knew that if they were arranged
in my own house, the news would be carried to M'tese immediately; and
the fact of so great a curiosity and treasure being on the road to him
would at once open a communication.
On 8th May, the prisoners of Suleiman's company, numbering twenty-five
persons, came to the divan, headed by Ali Genninar, and supplicated
forgiveness. They all declared their desire to be registered on the
government books as irregular troops.
I had already witnessed an example of their duplicity, therefore I had
no confidence in their professions, but at the same time I did not know
what to do with them. The fact of their being in custody required twenty
soldiers to relieve the necessary guards. I therefore determined to be
magnanimous, as I was only too happy to be rid of such bad bargains
should they run away. The only man that I trusted was Ali Genninar; he
was a clever and plucky fellow that I had known in my former African
journey, at which time he belonged to the company of Ibrahim.
After a good lecture I forgave them, and they all received their serkis
(certificates) as members of the irregular corps. Ali Genninar was to
have the rank of lieutenant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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