Stanley's Adventures in the Wilds of Africa: A Graphic Account of the Several Expeditions of Henry M. Stanley into the Heart of the Dark Continent — John Shaqi
Stanley's Adventures in the Wilds of Africa: A Graphic Account of the Several Expeditions of Henry M. Stanley into the Heart of the Dark ContinentHeadley, Joel Tyler
History
Stanley's Adventures in the Wilds of Africa: A Graphic Account of the Several Expeditions of Henry M. Stanley into the Heart of the Dark Continent
Headley, Joel Tyler
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton), 1841-1904
rich sultan, the chief of Kingaru did not bring him a rich present, that
he might give him a rich one in return. "Ah," replied the blear-eyed old
fox, "Kingaru is poor, there is no matama in the village." "Well," said
Stanley, "if there is no matama in the village, I can give but a yard of
cloth," which would be equivalent to his present. Foiled in his sharp
practice the chief had to be content with this.
At this place he lost one of his horses. The burial of the carcass not
far from the encampment, raised a terrible commotion in the village, and
the inhabitants assembled in consultation as to how much they must
charge him for burying a horse in their village without permission, and
soon the wrinkled old chief was also at the camp, and the following
dialogue took place, which is given as an illustration of the character
of the people with whom he was to have a year's trading intercourse:
White Man--"Are you the great chief of Kingaru?"
Kingaru--"Huh-uh--yes."
W. M.--"The great, great chief?"
Kingaru--"Huh-uh--yes."
W. M.--"How many soldiers have you?"
Kingaru--"Why?"
W. M.--"How many fighting men have you?"
Kingaru--"None."
W. M.--"Oh! I thought you might have a thousand men with you, by your
going to fine a strong white man who has plenty of guns and soldiers two
doti for burying a dead horse."
Kingaru (rather perplexed)--"No; I have no soldiers. I have only a few
young men."
W. M.--"Why do you come and make trouble, then?"
Kingaru--"It was not I; it was my brothers who said to me, 'Come here,
come here, Kingaru, see what the white man has done! Has he not taken
possession of your soil, in that he has put his horse into your ground
without your permission? Come, go to him and see by what right!'
Therefore have I come to ask you who gave you permission to use my soil
for a burying-ground?"
W. M.--"I want no man's permission to do what is right. My horse died;
had I left him to fester and stink in your valley, sickness would visit
your village, your water would become unwholesome, and caravans would
not stop here for trade; for they would say, 'This is an unlucky spot,
let us go away.' But enough said; I understand you to say you do not
want him buried in your ground; the error I have fallen into is easily
put right. This minute my soldiers shall dig him out again and cover up
the soil as it was before, and the horse shall be left where he died."
(Then shouting to Bombay). "Ho, Bombay, take soldiers with jeinbes to
dig my horse out of the ground; drag him to where he died and make
everything ready for a march to-morrow morning."
Kingaru, his voice considerably higher and his head moving to and fro
with emotion, cries out, "Akuna, akuna, Bana"--no, no, master. "Let not
the white man get angry. The horse is dead and now lies buried; let him
remain so, since he is already there, and let us be friends again."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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