Ten years in Equatoria; . to rise, but the king invited me to sit said he was sorry to see me angry, and would speak to hisminister about the letters. Our conversation then turned uponvarious subjects, and I left when the sun was already under thehorizon. In order to reach Juaya, one had to travel for three hoursin the midst of lonely country and marshy valleys, covered withcane plants. The kings persistence in advising me to delay mydeparture, his whispering to some of his guards—the moving toand fro of the latter—appeared to me a series of ominous signsafter the grave offence given b
Ten years in Equatoria; . to rise, but the king invited me to sit said he was sorry to see me angry, and would speak to hisminister about the letters. Our conversation then turned uponvarious subjects, and I left when the sun was already under thehorizon. In order to reach Juaya, one had to travel for three hoursin the midst of lonely country and marshy valleys, covered withcane plants. The kings persistence in advising me to delay mydeparture, his whispering to some of his guards—the moving toand fro of the latter—appeared to me a series of ominous signsafter the grave offence given by the events that had happened onthe Victoria Nile; therefore, after having walked a few steps, Ibegged the two hanassura who were to accompany me to returnand tell the king that I wished two vessels of good beer as a two drunkards leaped for joy, and quickly went to him. Itook advantage of their absence to have my two guns loaded, whichI had close at hand (carried by a faithful lad of mine and a Soudanese. FLIGHT OF THE KING. 281 soldier), giving them summary instructions as to their beliaviouralong the road. Having arrived near a hill where the road, sloping,was hidden by high grass and thick reedy ferns, leading to a diffi-cult and entangled marsh, I heard the well-known voices of myservants; they were alarmed at the unusual lateness of our return,and, being encouraged by one of tht* women, they all, soldiers, boys,and women, came out in search of us, and we were lucky indeed!For, later on, one of the two hanassiira who accompanied us thatnight said to that very woman, Accursed sorceress, if thou hadstnot been alive, thy master would not be here to gire us the troubleof busying ourselves for his sake.
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