SeveraltimesduringthedayLieutenant-ColonelAbd-el-Kader，togetherwithMonsoor，hadbeensenttothedivanofKabbaRega，toimpressuponhischiefsthenecessityofasupplyoffood。Theyexplainedmygreatannoyance，asthiswaspreciselytheresultthatIhadforetoldwhenKabbaRegahadneglectedtoclearthegroundforcultivation。
Atabout3P。M。，thetallchiefMatonseappeared，togetherwithUmbogo，andseveralnatives，whocarriedfivelargejarsofplantaincider。
TheseweresenttomefromKabbaRega，withapolitebutlyingmessage，that”hemuchregrettedthescarcityofcorn；therewaspositivelynoneinMasindi，butalargequantitywouldarriveto-morrowfromAgguse。”InthemeantimehebeggedIwouldacceptforthetroopsapresentoffivejarsofcider。
Ideclinedtoacceptthepresent，asIdidnotrequiredrink，butsolidfoodforthetroops。Thejarswerethereforereturned。
AboutsunsetMatonseagainappeared，accompaniedbyUmbogoandnativeswithSEVENjarsofcider，andtwolargepackagesofflour，whichheassuredmehadbeenborrowedfromRahonka。Hewasexceedinglypolite，andsmiledandbowed，beseechingmetoacceptthecider，asplentyofcornwouldbesentonthefollowingday，whenbetterarrangementswouldbemadeforfuturesupplies。