Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-12-09
a SPOILED CHIEFTAlN.
GIave's Encounter with Petty Afri-
can Potentate.

him are armed. If any one careens
against them and spills the water, the
offender is killed. Kasembi never
walks: he is carried. If one of his vii
:, layers kills an elephant, the tusks are
brought TO him: he picks out the finer
of the two, and gives the other TO the
slayer. Any dead ivory found is
brought TO him. he takes ALL and gives
The finder little cloth. In CONVERSE
ZION he repeatedly remarks, Mimi
Kasembi c.I am Kasembi'o. My man
+ Frogalah told him that the woman
chief Of the Watshlwa. of his name,
had n larger village than this one here,
which was a fib, bur it made this proud
creature very unhappy. He has been
spoiled by the whites giving him big
presents.
Before arriving yesterday. ! sent on
ahead Il splendid present of cloth with
silk fringe and gilded braid. My two
men had first to show 1t TO one of his
underlings; he, in turn, took 1t to two
other interiors. These three discussed
1t. dilated upon the smallness OF the
gift; eventually, however, they convey
ed it to the royal presence, and after a
while my two messengers were admit
ted. Kasembl Immediately began to
comment upon the gift. Was he boy,
10 receive one present only? Did not
the mzungy (white mani know how big
n chief Kasembi was? My men assured
him did, and that had sent this cloth
| In advance, and the actual present
would be forthcoming later. This salts
fed him to an extent; he sent one of his
favorite satellites to show me camp
ing place a quarter of mile from his
stockades-a clear, sandy place, away
| from dry wood and water, and no pos
sble shade. My tent was hardly pitch
ed before Kasembis head man appear
ed, demanding the present l had prom
ised; the chief was awaiting it. l sent
word that l promised to give the chief
present according to my means;
should suit myself with regard to the
time of giving. They were rather tax
en- aback at this. Kasembis wishes
appear to be attended to without delay.
During the afternoon Kasembi sent
me goat and two baskets of flour,
about twenty-five pounds. In the even
ing | sent him down one Kanzu Arab
+ brown holland shirt, one silk-and-cotton
cloth for a turban, eight yards of wide
handkerchief, four yards of American,
eight yards of Kanicki, about half
pound of beads, and twenty assorted
fish hooks. He was good enough to
accept these things, but impressed upon
my men the necessity of bringing an
other present when | was permitted to
see him. He is too large an insect al
together; has been spoiled. letter
was left in his care for me yesterday;
applied for it, but he refused to give
1t up until we had met, and yesterday
he would not see me- 1t was his sacred
day, he said. l sent several times yes
terday, and demanded the letter, and
emphasized my request by expressions
as strong as it was discreet to employ;
but he was immOvable. II | had had
force of any reliability with me, |
would have had that letter yesterday;
but this is one of the great drawbac ks
of having only a small force.
To-day am to see him when his ma
jesty feels inclined graclously to grant
the interview. At o'clock this morn
ing Kasembi sent two men to wait near
my tent, and when they should hear
drums in his village / was to go down
and see the chief. His three head men
escorted me down to the stockades. Be
fore entering the gate, messenger was
ceiving permission, we passed through
the gate. Upon entering we found n
big clear space, and crowds of people
lining 1t; a dozen drums of different
sorts were being beaten gently, and
several double gongs were sounding. AT
one corner of the square Kasembi was
seated on an immense litter; his body
was wrapped in bright handkerchief
stuff. He wore fine necklace of big
lions claws-immense ones-and had Il
fringe Of long hawks feathers standing
up from his head.
l was not allowed to approach near
him, being told to seat myself about
fifty feet away, so l could not get Il
detailed look at him. Difficulties were
added by his being in the shade, as he
held over his head red-and-white UNI
brella He had the litter lifted high
on the heads of his bearers, so that he
might the better see me. The litter was
made of thin bamboo firmly dashed TO
two parallel big bamboos the ends car
lried out on each side seven or eight
feet This affair was carried by twenty
men, five at each handle. The litter
was covered with handkerchief cloth,
on which Kasembi sat cross-legged. He
sent across messenger to ask me
where l am going. l gave the neces-
sary information, at the same time say
ing | wanted two of his people to act
as guides to the Kalungwizl; also that
was anxious to have my letter. Both
were promised me, but 1t is now late in
the afternoon, and | have not seen the