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SHEKIANI VILLAGE. 29 
These Shekianis crowded round to see me, and at every 
move I made they all sent up wild shouts of astonish- 
ment. | 
They were all armed to the teeth, and had the air of 
men continually on the lookout for a fight. 
Night soon came, and I went into the hut that had 
been given to me, but could not sleep, for all the villagers 
were awake, and the drums were beating from one end 
of the village to the other. Songs of war were sung by 
the men, women, and children around their Mbuiti (an 
enormous wooden idol, which was in the midst of the vil- 
lage). Besides, I thought the village might be surprised 
during the night by the warlike and, treacherous Baka- 
lais. So I need not tell you that all my guns were load- 
ed and all the guns of my men likewise. 
I did not like this kind of travelling at all. 
These men were all painted with colored chalk, red 
and yellow being the favorite colors; they were covered 
with fetiches, which they believed would protect them 
from the deadly weapons of their enemies; and by the 
dim light of their fires and torches they appeared to me 
more like devilsthan men. The village was also strong- 
ly fenced with long poles. 
At last the morning twilight made its appearance, and 
after giving a present to the King, we got ready and by 
sunrise were on our way. 
We soon came to a Bakalai village, and there I made 
my head-quarters. The country abounded in birds; 
wild boars were also said to be abundant, and leopards 
were rather common. This was just the country in 
which I expected to discover new species of birds and to 
enjoy some grand hunting. 
