[Illustration: AUDIENCE-HALL OF THE PALACE AT RUBAGA.]
"The enthusiasm with which I launched into this work of teaching was soon communicated to Mtesa and some of his principal chiefs, who became so absorbingly interested in the story as I gave it to them that little of other business was done. The political _burzah_ and seat of justice had now become an alcove, where only the moral and religious laws were discussed.
"Before we broke up our meeting Mtesa informed me that I should meet a _white man_ at his palace the next day.
"'A white man like yourself,' repeated Mtesa.
"'Yes, you will see. He comes from Masr (Cairo), from Gordoom (Gordon) Pasha.'
"'Ah, very well, I shall be glad to see him, and if he is really a white man, I may probably stay with you four or five days longer,' said I to Mtesa, as I shook hands with him, and bade him good-night.
"The 'white man,' reported to be coming the next day, arrived at noon with great _éclat_ and flourishes of trumpets, the sounds of which could be heard all over the capital. Mtesa hurried off a page to invite me to his _burzah_. I hastened up by a private entrance. Mtesa and all his chiefs, guards, pages, executioners, claimants, guests, drummers, and fifers were already there, _en grande tenue_.
"Mtesa was in a fever, as I could see by the paling of the color under his eyes and his glowing eyeballs. The chiefs shared their master's excitement.
"'What shall we do,' he asked, 'to welcome him?'
"'Oh, form your troops in line from the entrance to the _burzah_ down to the gate of the outer court, and present arms, and as he comes within the gate let your drums and fifes sound a loud welcome.'
"'Beautiful!' said Mtesa. 'Hurry Tori, Chambarango, Sekebobo; form them in two lines just as Stamlee says. Oh, that is beautiful! And shall we fire guns, Stamlee?'
"'No, not until you shake hands with him; and, as he is a soldier, let the guards fire, then they will not injure any one.'
"Mtesa's flutter of excitement on this occasion made me think that there must have been a somewhat similar scene before my landing at Usavara, and that Tori must have been consulted frequently upon the form of ceremony to be adopted.
"What followed upon the arrival of the white man at the outer gate had best be told as an interlude by the stranger himself.