“When near to us he hailed me with the words ‘Yambo, bana?’ (How do you do, master?) in quite a cordial tone.
“I replied cordially also, ‘Yambo, mutware?’ (How do you do, chief?)
“We, myself and men, interchanged yambos with his warriors, and there was nothing to indicate that the meeting was of a hostile character.
“The chief seated himself, his haunches resting on his heels, and laying down his bow and arrows by his side, his men did likewise. I seated myself on a bale, and each of my men sat down on their loads, forming quite a semi-circle. The Wahha slightly outnumbered my party, but while they were armed with only bows and arrows, spears and knob-sticks, we were armed with rifles, muskets, revolvers, pistols, and hatchets.
“All were seated, and deep silence was maintained by the assembly. Then the chief spoke: ‘I am Mionvu, the great Mutware of Kimenyi and am next to the king, who lives yonder,’ pointing to a large village near some naked hills, about ten miles to the north. ‘I have come to talk with the white man. It has always been the custom of the Wangwana and the Arabs to make a present to the king when they pass through his country. Does not the white man mean to pay the king’s dues? Why does the white man halt in the road? Why will he not enter the village of Lukomo, where there are food and shade, where we can discuss this thing quietly? Does the white man mean to fight? I know well he is stronger than we are. His men have guns, and the Wahha have but bows and arrows and spears; but Uhha is large and our villages are many. Let him look about him everywhere: all is Uhha, and our country extends much farther than he can see or walk in a day. The King of Uhha is strong, yet he wishes friendship only with the white man. Will the white man have war or peace?’ A deep murmur of assent followed this speech of Mionvu from his people and disapprobation, blended with uneasiness, from my men.”
Stanley replied as follows:—
“‘Mionvu, the great Mutware, asks me if I have come for war. When did Mionvu ever hear of white men warring against black men? Mionvu must understand that white men are very different from the black. White men do not leave their country to fight the black people, neither do they come here to buy ivory or slaves. They come to make friends with the black people; they come to search for rivers and lakes and mountains; they come to discover what countries, what peoples, what rivers, what lakes, what forests, what plains, what mountains and hills are in your country, that when they go back they may tell the white kings and men and children. The white people are different from the Arabs and Wangwana, the white people know everything and are very strong; when they fight the Arabs and Wangwana run away. We have great guns which thunder, and when they shoot the earth trembles; we have guns which carry bullets further than you can see. Even with these little things (pointing to my revolvers) I could kill ten men quicker than you could count. I could kill Mionvu now, yet I talk to him as a friend. I wish to be a friend to Mionvu and to all black people. Will Mionvu say what I can do for him?’
“As these words were translated to him, imperfectly I suppose but still intelligibly, the faces of the Wahha showed how well they appreciated them. Once or twice I thought I detected something like fear, but my assertions that I desired peace and friendship with them soon obliterated all such feelings.”
Mionvu replied,—
“‘The white man tells me he is friendly: why does he not come to our village? Why does he stop on the road? The sun is hot. Mionvu will not speak here any more. If the white man is a friend he will come to the village.’