Page:Two kings of Uganda.djvu/69

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“WRECK OF SAID'S DHOW.”
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elders on both sides sat down to hold a long palaver and to discuss the whole question. At this juncture my canoe arrived and I not unwillingly left them to settle the matter by themselves. What the result was I never heard ; but no doubt the danger of broken heads was averted when the contending parties had once sufficiently controlled themselves to sit down for what an African likes even better than a battle — a long " shauri," i.e. discussion.

I had arranged to take a passage in Said bin Saif's dhow, which arrived from Buganda laden with ivory and slaves a few days after my return from Ukerewe. She came into port hidden in a cloud of smoke from the guns of the Arabs and their retainers on board, who were firing a salute, which is the negroes' highest idea of expressing satisfaction. The dhow was lying at anchor opposite the house where I lived ; but the morning after her arrival, when I looked out on the lake, she had disappeared. She had slipped her cable in the night and been dashed to pieces on the rocks which surround Kageye. The Arab bore his loss with even more equanimity than I did. It was Allah's will, and he would build another. However, it turned out well for me, for in a few more weeks thirty canoes arrived from Mutesa to bring on the new Muzungu (white man) and two Arab traders who were bound for Buganda. From one of these fellow-travellers I received no little kindness. I was very ill during nearly the whole of the twenty days' journey in the canoes, and