“I was staggered when I understood in its full extent the perfect art with which we had been duped. ‘Could this be Central Africa,’ I asked myself, ‘wherein we find such perfect adepts in the art of deception?’ But two days ago the savagery of the land was intense and real, for every man’s hand was raised in ferocity against the stranger. In the land next adjoining we find a people agreeable, and professing the warmest admiration for the stranger, but as inhospitable as any hotel-keeper in London or New York to a penniless guest!”
Stanley it seems, however, had been premature in his judgment, as he subsequently discovered on arriving at a little village in the bay of Buka. Here the Mtongoleh invited them to his village, spread out before them a feast of new as well as clotted milk, mellow and ripe bananas, a kid, sweet potatoes, and eggs, and despatched a messenger instantly to the Kabaka Mtesa to announce the coming of a stranger in the land, declaring at the same time his intention not to abandon them until he had brought them face to face with the great Monarch of Equatorial Africa, in whom, he smilingly assured them, they should meet a friend, and under whose protection they might sleep secure.
Mr. Stanley’s description of this land and its people is very graphic and interesting, and we quote: “My admiration for the land and the people steadily increased, for I experienced with each hour some pleasing civility. The land was in fit accord with the people, and few more interesting prospects could Africa furnish than that which lovingly embraces the bay of Buka. From the margin of the lake, lined by waving water-cane, up to the highest hill-top, all was verdure of varying shades. The light green of the elegant matete contrasted with the deeper tints of the various species of figs; the satin-sheeny fronds of the graceful plantains were overlapped by clouds of the pale foliage of the tamarind, while between and around all the young grass of the pastured hillsides spread its emerald carpet. In free, bold, and yet graceful outline the hills shut in the scene, swelling upward in full, dome-like contour, here sweeping round to enclose within its hollow a gorgeous plantain grove, there projecting boldly into abrupt, steep head-lands, and again receding in a succession of noble terraces into regions as yet unexplored by the white man. One village had a low, pebbly beach, that ran in a sinuous, light-grey line between a darker grey face of the lake and the living perennial green of a banana plantation. I imagine myself fallen into an estate which I had inherited by right divine and human; or at least I felt something akin to that large feeling which heirs of unencumbered broad lands may be supposed to feel, and attributed such an unusual feeling to an attack of perfect digestion, and a free, unclogged, and undisturbed liver.”
On the 2d of April, Stanley proceeded along the beautiful shore separating Buka Bay from Kadzi Bay, and halted about noon at the village of Kirudo, here experiencing hospitalities similar to those of the previous day.
Just as they were about to depart next morning they perceived six beautiful canoes, crowded with men, coming round a point, and these they were informed by their hospitable entertainer of Buka were the Kabaka’s people. In the middle of the bay of Kadzi they encountered, and a most ceremonious greeting took place. The commander, a fine, lusty fellow of twenty or thereabout, sprang into Stanley’s boat, and kneeling before him, declared his errand in these words:
“The Kabaka sends me with many salaams to you. He is in great hopes that you will visit him, and has encamped at Usavara, that he may be near the lake when you come. He does not know from what land you come; but I have a swift messenger with a canoe who will not stop until he gives all the news to the Kabaka. His mother dreamed a dream a few nights ago, and in her dream she saw a white man on this lake in a boat coming this way, and the next morning she told the Kabaka, and, lo! you have come. Give me your answer, that I may send the messenger.”
Receiving his instructions from Stanley, through Magassa, who acted as interpreter, the messenger immediately departed. Persuaded by Magassa to rest for a day that he might be shown the hospitality of the country, Stanley rowed to the village of Kadzi. Here Magassa was in his glory, as shown by his imperious commands given on arrival of the guests and escort:
“Bring out bullocks, sheep and goats, milk, and the mellowest of your choicest bananas, and great jars of maramba, and let the white man and his boatmen eat and taste of the hospitalities of Uganda. Shall a white man enter the Kabaka’s presence with an empty belly? See how sallow and pinched his cheeks are! We want to see whether we cannot show him kindness superior to what the pagans have shown him.”
“A wonderful land!” thought Stanley, “where an entire country can be subjected to such an inordinate bully and vain youth as this Magassa at the mere mention of the Kabaka’s name, and very evidently with Kabaka’s sanction!”
The following day Stanley sallied from Kadzi Bay, with Magassa’s escort leading the way, and at 10 A. M. entered Murchison Bay, camping behind Soweh Island, on the east side of the bay.