Next morning early we unpacked our boxes and made a handsome selection of gifts for the king, Bausi, hoping thus to soften his royal heart. It included a bale of calico, several knives, a musical box, a cheap American revolver, and a bundle of tooth-picks; also several pounds of the best and most fashionable beads for his wives. This truly noble present we sent to the king by our two Mazitu servants, Tom and Jerry, who were marched off in the charge of several sentries, for I hoped that these men would talk to their compatriots and tell them what good fellows we were. Indeed I instructed them to do so.
Imagine our horror, therefore, when about an hour later, just as we were tidying ourselves up after breakfast, there appeared through the gate, not Tom and Jerry, for they had vanished, but a long line of Mazitu soldiers each of whom carried one of the articles that we had sent. Indeed the last of them held the bundle of toothpicks on his fuzzy head as though it were a huge faggot of wood. One by one they set them down upon the lime flooring of the verandah of the largest hut. Then their captain said solemnly:
“Bausi, the Great Black One, has no need of the white men’s gifts.”
“Indeed,” I replied, for my dander was up. “Then he won’t get another chance at them.”
The men turned away without more words, and presently Babemba turned up with a company of about fifty soldiers.
“The king is waiting to see you, white lords,” he said in a voice of very forced jollity, “and I have come to conduct you to him.”
“Why would he not accept our presents?” I asked, pointing to the row of them.
“Oh! that is because of Imbozwi’s story of the magic shield. He said he wanted no gifts to burn his hair off. But, come, come. He will explain for himself. If the Elephant is kept waiting he grows angry and trumpets.”
“Does he?” I said. “And how many of us are to come?”
“All, all, white lord. He wishes to see every one of you.”