MTESA'S CHILDREN. 13

I think one of the happiest scenes I saw at the

palace was when two of Mtesa's wives returned

from their period of separation, bringing with

them their children, a boy and a girl, sweet little

things, each about two years old. The two little

beings were made to go to their father in order that

he might touch them for the first time. In they

toddled without any fear, and went straight up to

the king, who made them sit down by him, talking

to them and patting their heads. Presently he

pointed to me, and directly they saw my white face

they gave vent to their feelings in a shrill cry, and

ran away in terror, only to be caught and brought

back by their mothers. Mtesa was wild with

delight, and made some of the bystanders come and

touch me, to show the little mites that there was

nothing to be afraid of. But it was to no purpose ; they would not come near me, though at last they

sat quietly by their father until my audience was

over.

Mtesa is said to have about seven thousand wives,

but he himself told me that he did not know how many he possessed ; his great desire now is to have

a white woman as wife. He told me that he had

seventy sons and eighty-eight daughters. His first

and subsequently head wife had died shortly before

our arrival in Uganda. This was a great grief to

Mtesa, as he had been truly attached to her, and

she had taken a prominent part in all his councils ;