The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-06-25


had, and such eyes. Mtesa was ever fond
of good story, and loved to question
those whom he sent to distant countries,
until you might say there was nothing
left in a man worth hearing after he had
done with him. But Saruti did not need
any questioning. He talked on and on
without stopping, until Mtesa could not
sltup longer tor sheer WEAKNESS. These
are among the things he said that he had
witnessed on his journey. You must not
eek me if believe all that he said. All
can say is that they might have happened,
or been seen by many men, but 1 never
could quite understand how Saruti alone
was SO lucky as to see all the things he
talked about. Anyhow, be was very
amusing and Mtesa laughed heartily
many times as be listened to him.
'tKabaka, / think my charms which
my father suspended round my neck
must be very powerful. l am always in
luck. hear good stories on my journey,
i see strange things which no one else
seems 10 have come across. Now, on this
last journey, by the time l reached Singo,
| came to a little village, and was drink
ing banana wine with the chief, he told
me that there are two lions near his
country who have a band of hyenas to
serve as soldiers under them. They send
them them out in pairs, sometimes to one
district and sometimes to another, to pur-
yey food for them. If the peasants show
fight, they go back and report to their
masters, and the lions bring all their SOL
di srs with them, and bother them until
trey are glad to leave fat bullock tied to
8 tree as tribute When the lions see this
they take the bullock and give orders that
the peasant who pays his tribute shall be
left in peace. The chief declares that to
be fact, for he has had proof of it re-
peatedly.
CAT the next place, which the Mbag-
i've, the man Ruveyah, who is in charge.
told me that when he went a short time
before to pay his respects to Muzimu 1.-THE
oracle OF the district), that he met about
thirty Kokorwa on the road, hunting
close together for snakes, and that as
soon as they saw him they charged at
him, and would have killed him had he
not run up a tree. He tells me that
though they are not much bigger than
rabbits they are very savage, AMI make
travelling alone very dangerous. think
they must be some kind of small dogs.
Perhaps the old men of the court NAV be
better able to tell you what they are.
'sAt the next village of Ngondo a smart
little boy called Rutuana was brought to
me, who was said to have been lately
playing with young friend of the same
age at long stick and little stick (tip-cat).
His friend hit the little stick and sent it a
great way, and Rutuana had to fetch it
from the long grass. While searching
for it, one of these big serpents which
swallow goats and calves caught him and
cooled itself around him. Though he
screamed out for help.
Rutuana laid his stick across his
chest and clutching hold of each end
with hand, held fast to it until help
came. His friend ran up tree, and only
helped him by screaming. As the SER
pent could not break the boys hold of
the stick, he was unable to crush his ribs:
but when he was nearly exhausted the
villagers came out with spears and
shields. But these fellows were SO stupid
that they did not know how to kill the
serpent until Rutuana shouted to them:
"QuickI draw your bows and shoot him
through the neck.' man stepped for
ward then, and when close to him pierced
his throat with an arrow, and as the SER
pent uncoiled himself to attack the men,
Rutuana fell down. The serpent was
soon speared and the boy was carried
home. ! think that boy will become a
great warrior.
cat the next village the peasants were
much disturbed by multitude of snakes
WHICH utQ CO1lCCJ6Q Lu6TG lOT some r6a-
son. They had several long black snakes
which had taken lodging in the ant hills.
These had already killed five COWS, and
lately had taken to attacking the travel
ers along the road that leads by the ant
hills, when an Arab, named Massoudi,
hearing of their trouble undertook to kill
them. He had some slaves with him.
and he clothed their legs with buffalo
hide, and placed cooking pots on their
heads, and told them to go among the ant
hills. When the snakes came out of
their holes he shot them one by one.
Among the reptiles he killed were three
kinds OF serpents which possessed horns.
The peasants skinned them and made
bags of them to treasure their charms,
One kind of horned snake. very thick
and short, is said to lay eggs as large as
those Of fowls. The nubarasassa. which
IS of grayish color, is also said to be
able to kill elephants.
81 then went to Kyengi, beyond Suigo,
and the peasants, on coming to gossip
with me, rather upset me with terrible
stories of the mischief done by a big
black leopard. 1t seems he had first killed
q woman and had carried the body into
the bush; and another time had killed
two men while they were setting their
nets fc- some small ground game. Then a
native hunter, under promise of reward
from the chief, set out with two spears to
kin him. He did not succeed, but he sal d
shat be saw strange sight. As he was