The Wahehe may be styled the Romans of Africa.  Resuming our march, after a halt of an hour, in foul hours more we arrived at Mukondoku Proper.  This extremity of Ugogo is most populous, The villages which surround the central tembe, where the Sultan Swaruru lives, amount to thirty-six.  The people who flocked from these to see the wonderful men whose faces were white, who wore the most wonderful things on their persons, and possessed the most wonderful weapons; guns which “bum-bummed” as fast as you could count on your fingers, formed such a mob of howling savages, that I for an instant thought there was something besides mere curiosity which caused such commotion, and attracted such numbers to the roadside.  Halting, I asked what was the matter, and what they wanted, and why they made such noise?  One burly rascal, taking my words for a declaration of hostilities, promptly drew his bow, but as prompt as he had fixed his arrow my faithful Winchester with thirteen shots in the magazine was ready and at the shoulder, and but waited to see the arrow fly to pour the leaden messengers of death into the crowd.  But the crowd vanished as quickly as they had come, leaving the burly Thersites, and two or three irresolute fellows of his tribe, standing within pistol range of my levelled rifle.  Such a sudden dispersion of the mob which, but a moment before, was overwhelming in numbers, caused me to lower my rifle, and to indulge in a hearty laugh at the disgraceful flight of the men-destroyers.  The Arabs, who were as much alarmed at their boisterous obtrusiveness, now came up to patch a truce, in which they succeeded to everybody’s satisfaction.  A few words of explanation, and the mob came back in greater numbers than before; and the Thersites who had been the cause of the momentary disturbance was obliged to retire abashed before the pressure of public opinion.  A chief now came up, whom I afterwards learned was the second man to Swaruru, and lectured the people upon their treatment of the “White Stranger.”

“Know ye not, Wagogo,” shouted he, “that this Musungu is a sultan (mtemi—­a most high title).  He has not come to Ugogo like the Wakonongo (Arabs), to trade in ivory, but to see us, and give presents.  Why do you molest him and his people?  Let them pass in peace.  If you wish to see him, draw near, but do not mock him.  The first of you who creates a disturbance, let him beware; our great mtemi shall know how you treat his friends.”  This little bit of oratorical effort on the part of the chief was translated to me there and then by the old Sheik Thani; which having understood, I bade the Sheikh inform the chief that, after I had rested, I should like him to visit me in my tent.