TheAlbertN’yanzalaydistantabouttwentymilesonthewest，inthedeepbasinwhichcharacterizesthisextraordinarysheetofwater。
　　Immensevolumesofcloudroseintheearlymorningfromthevalleywhichmarkedthecourseofthelake，astheevaporationfromthegreatsurfaceofwatercondensedintomist，whenitrosetothecooleratmosphereoftheplateau1，500feetabovethelevel。
　　TheproposaloffarmingdidnotappeartopleaseKabbaRega。Itwasexplainedthatthemenwerenotaccustomedtolabourinthefields，asagriculturalworkwasperformedbythewomen，allofwhomwerenowabsentandengagedinpreparingtheirownland。
　　AlthoughMasindiwasalargetown，Iwasstruckbytheabsenceoffemales。TheonlywomenthatIsawweretwo，oneofwhomwastheprettywifeofUmbogothedragoman。Ithasalreadybeenexplained，thattheabsenceofwomengenerallydenoteshostility，butastherainyseasonnecessitatedhardwork，Iacceptedtheexplanation。
　　ThecornforthesupplyofMasindiwasbroughtfromadistanceoftwodays’journey，andnumbersofpeopleweredailyemployedingoingtoandfroforthegeneralprovisionsofthestation。
　　Theslave-huntersbelongingtoSuleiman，whowerenowprisonersunderaguard，numberedtwenty-fivemen：Iemployedthesepeopledailytoclearawaythehighgrass，whichwaspiledandburnt，theasheswerethenspread，andthegroundwashoedupandthoroughlypreparedbythetroops。
　　ItwasinvainthatIurgeduponKabbaRegaandhischiefsthenecessityofcultivationforthesupplyofcornrequisiteforthetroops。Everydaytheypromisedtoclearawaythegrass，providedthesoldierswouldthendigandpreparetheground。ThisIagreedtodo，butthenativesshowednointentionofworking。
　　IbegantosuspectthatKabbaRegahadanobjectiontoalargeopenclearing。Thetacticsofallnativesareconcealment；ifamanisfrightened，hehidesinthegrass；incaseofhostilities，thehighgrassisafortresstothenegro。Itbecameevidentthatweweretoremainsurroundedbythisdenseherbage，whichnotonlyobstructedtheview，butrenderedthestationdampanddreary。
　　IexplainedtothechiefsthefollyofKabbaRegainthusneglectingsuchmagnificentsoil，which，withalittlelabour，wouldproduceallthatwecouldrequire，andwouldsavebothhimandhispeoplethetroubleoffeedingus。AtthesametimeIsetallhandsofmyownpeopletoclearalargespaceandtomakegardens。
　　Unyorohadalwaysbeenacountryofcowardiceandsuspicion，andIcouldplainlyseethatwewerenarrowlywatched。KabbaRegausuallysatinhispublicdivanfromabouttwop。m。till4daily，totransactpublicbusiness。Thislargecircularbuildingwasextremelyneat，andthegroundwascarefullystrewedwiththelongfringesofthepapyrusrush，afterthefashionofourancestorsinEngland，who，beforetheintroductionofcarpets，strewedthefloorwithrushes。
　　Theyoungkinginformedmethat，ashewishedtobeinconstantcommunicationwithmepersonally，heshouldbuildanewdivanwithinafewyardsofmyresidence，sothatwecouldconverseuponalloccasionswithoutbeingwatchedbyhispeople。
　　Thiswasmerelyanexcuseforerectingabuildingwithinfiftyyardsofmyhouse，fromwhichhisguardscouldwatchallthathappened，andreporteverythingtotheirmaster。
　　Thenewbuildingwasconstructedwithwonderfulquickness，andprettilywalledwithcanesinsidetoresemblebasket-work。
　　KabbaRegacametohisnewdivan，attendedbyanumberofhisguards，orbonosoora，armedwithguns。Togivehimconfidence，Iwenttoseehimunattended，exceptbyLieutenantBakerandmyever-faithfulattendant，Monsoor，whodidnotatallapproveofmygoingunarmed。
　　Theconversationquicklyturneduponguns。KabbaRegawasdelightedwiththemechanismofMonsoor’ssniderrifle，whichheatonceunderstoodandexplainedtohisbody-guard。Heappearedtohavequitelosthisshyness；
　　andhebeggedmetoconsiderhimsimplyinthelightofmyownson，andtogivehimallthemerchandiseATONCEthatIhadbroughtwithmetoestablishanewtrade。
　　Itoldhimthatfathersdidnotgivetheirsonsalltheirpropertyatonce；butthatifIsawthatheperformedhisdutytotheKhedive，heneednotfear。Ihadboththepowerandthegood-willtorewardhim。
　　HecontinuedtheconversationpreciselyaccordingtohislatefatherKamrasi’sstyle：”Ihavenoonebutyourselftoregard。Doesnotafatherconsidertheinterestsofhisson?Youweremyfather’sfriend；
　　andIhavealwayslookedforyourreturn。IknewthatAbouSaoodwasaliarwhenhespokeagainstyou；Iknewthathewasanimpostorwhenheannouncedhimselfasthesonofasultan。Wouldthesonofasultanonlygivemeapresentofanoldcarpetandadirtywashing-basin?Ialwayssaid，’WaittillthePachacomes’，Mallegge，Mallegge，ortheManwiththeBeard，wasmynicknameinUnyoroduringmyformerjourney。myfather’sfriend。Heistrulyagreatman，whodoesnottravelempty-handed；andhewillbringmepresentsworthmyacceptance——thingsthattheimpostor，AbouSaood，doesnotunderstandtheuseof。’Bytheby，therewasamagicinstrumentwithwhichyoucouldfindyourwaywithoutaguideinstrangecountries，thatyouPROMISEDtosendtomyfather；youhave，ofcourse，broughtitforme?”
　　Thisdemandamusedmemuch，asIwellrememberedhowKamrasihadbotheredmeformycompass。Ipretendedthathemeantawatch，whichI
　　hadalreadygivenhim。
　　AtlengthIwasobligedtopromisethatifhewouldclearawaythegrassandcultivatetheneighbouringground，Iwouldgivehimacompass。
　　Inowexplainedtheadvantagesoffreetrade，andIbeggedhimtoorderhismentocompletethegovernmenthousewithoutdelay，asIcouldnotunpackmynumerousboxesuntilIhadsomeplacewhereIcouldexhibitthecontents。IdescribedthedifficultiesoftheroutefromKhartoum，andtheexpenseoftransportfromGondokoro，owingtotheunwillingnessoftheBaristocarryloads，andIexplainedmyintentionoferectingsteamersontheNilewhichwouldbringallkindsofmerchandisetoUnyoroviatheAlbertN’yanzainexchangeforivory，thustheZanzibartradewouldturntowardsthenorthandtheelephants’tusksthatwerenowpurchasedbyM’tese，wouldremaininUnyoro，untildeliveredtotheKhedive’sgovernmentinbarterformanufacturedgoods。
　　ThenameofM’teseseemedtomakehimuncomfortable。Hereplied：”Youaremyfather，andyouwillstandbyyoursonagainsthisenemies。ThisM’tesetroublesme。InmyfatherKamrasi’slifetimehefrequentlyattackedus，andcarriedoffourherdstogetherwithourwomenandchildren。Heistoostrongtoresistsingle-handed，butnowthatyouareheroIshallhavenofear。Don’tletustalkaboutmerchandise，thatwillcomeinduetime；nevermindtrade；letustalkaboutgunsandgunpowder。Youmustgivememusketsandammunitioninlargequantities；
　　IwillthenarmallmybonosoorasoldiersandwithyourassistanceI
　　willfightM’tese。IwillthenfillyourlargenewhousewithivoryfortheKhedive。””Thereisnotimetolose；youPROMISEDtofightRionga；mytroopsareallready，yourmenhavenothingtodo。Keepafewhere，andsendthemainforcewithmyarmytoattackhimatonce，beforehehastimetoescapetotheLanggos。”
　　IcouldalmosthaveimaginedthatIhadbeenspeakingwithKamrasi，sothoroughlydidhissonresemblehiminhisdiplomacy。
　　Iansweredhimwithcaution，declaringthatIcouldnotallowanyrecklessactsthatwouldplungethecountryinconfusion。HeKabbaRegahadnothingtofear；buttimewasrequiredtoripenmyplans。I
　　hadpromisedthatIwoulddismissSuleimanandhispeoplefromUnyoro：
　　atthesametimeIshouldliberatealltheslavesthathadbeenstolenbyAbouSaood’scompanies，andrestorethemtotheirhomes。Thiswasmyfirstduty，thatwouldassurethenativesofmysincerity，andestablishgeneralconfidenceinthegovernment。
　　Fatikowas160milesdistant。IshouldthereforesendSuleimanandhispeopleunderanescortdirecttoMajorAbdullah，thecommandant，withorderstorecoverfromAbouSaoodalltheslavesthathadbeencapturedfromUnyoro。
　　MajorAbdullahwouldthenbreakuphiscampatFatiko，andmarchinchargeoftheslaves，withhisdetachmentof100men，togetherwithalleffects，andjoinmeatUnyoro。Hewould，uponarrivalattheVictoriaNile，occupythenowdesertedstationofSuleimanatFoweera；thushewouldbewithinamarchofRionga。
　　TheoldenemyofthefamilyRiongawouldthenhaveanopportunity，eitherofdeclaringhisallegianceandremainingatpeace，or，shouldhebecometurbulent，agovernmentforcewouldbeathandtocontrolhim。
　　IthereforearrangedthatKabbaRegashouldsupplymewith300carriers，whowouldaccompanymyescorttoFatikoandtransportallstores，ammunition，&c。，&c。，soastoconcentratemyforceinUnyoro。
　　ThisplanseemedtodelightKabbaRega；hedeclaredthatthefirststepnecessarywasthebanishmentofSuleimanandhispeoplefromthecountry。ThenextmovewouldbetheattackuponRionga。Iexplainedtohimthatitwouldbequiteuselessforanyenemytoretreatforsecuritytotheriverislands，astherocketswouldsearchthemoutinthemiddleofthedensecanes，andtheywouldbeonlytoogladtoescape；butatthesametime，IshouldhopethatRiongawouldcometotermsandavoidthenecessityofaresorttoforce。
　　Thatevening，afterwehaddined，andIwassmokingmycustomarychibouque，KabbaRegaastonishedmebyanimpromptuvisit；hewasasusualattendedbysomeofhisfollowersarmedwithmuskets。Hesatdownatthetable，andhavingfeltthetable-cloth，hewishedtoknow”whythetablewascovered；”hethenexaminedthetumblers，andeverythingthatwaspresent，allofwhichheseemedtoadmire。Iofferedhimsomeginandwater。Thishesmeltbutwouldnottaste，ashesuspectedpoison；accordinglyhepoureditintowineglasses，anddivideditamongthreeofhispeople，whowereobligedtodrinkit，whiletheirmasterwatchedthemattentively，inexpectationofsomeilleffects。Hispeopleratherapprovedofthepoison，andaskedformore。KabbaRegaseemedtothinkthatalargerdosewasnecessary；butaswecouldnotaffordtowasteGenevabyexperimentsuponnumerousattendants，allofwhomweretobepoisonedwithourgoodliquorfortheamusementoftheking，I
　　sentthebottleawayandturnedthesubject。
　　KabbaReganowminutelyexaminedthelampsandglassshades。Theprinciplewasexplainedtohim，andthecandlewaswithdrawnfromthetubeandspring，andagainreplaced。Heexpressedawishtohaveone，sayingthatheintendedtohaveeverythingpreciselyasIhad。
　　Iassuredhimthatthiswasmyobject；Iwishedtocreatenewwantsamonghispeopleandhimself，whichwouldtendtodevelopcommerce。HemighthaveeverythinginEuropeanstyle，andliveinacivilizedmanner，nowthattheroutewasopenfromthenorth。Ivorywasabundantinthiscountry，andthiswouldprovidehimwiththemeansofpurchasingallthathecoulddesire。
　　IhadorderedMonsoortoarrangeastakeintheground，withalargenaildriveninthetopatrightanglestoformarocket-stand。InowaskedKabbaRegaifhewouldliketoseearocketfired。
　　Theideadelightedhim，andafewrocketshavingbeenbrought，togetherwithport-firesandbluelights，weexhibitedthefireworks。Therewasnowind，thustherocketsdidnodamage，astheywereinclinedtowardsthenorth，inwhichdirectiontherewerenobuildings。
　　KabbaRegahimselfignitedarocketwithaport-fire，andalthoughrathernervousatthegreatrushoffire，heseemedinterestedatthefactthatatowncomposedofstrawhutscouldbedestroyedfromadistance……
　　Onthefollowingmorning，Umbogo，thedragoman，toldmethatthenativeshadbeenverymuchfrightenedattherockets，astheysaid，”thePachawasgoingtosettheskyonfire。”
　　Thestationwasprogressingrapidly。Thesoilwasofsuchextraordinaryrichnessthattheseedsspranguplikemagic。Onthethirddayaftersowing，thecucumbers，melons，pumpkins，andcottonseeds，showedthemselvesaboveground。