24 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



into the depths, like stilts ; and the few lights 

 from the town reflected shiveringly across. Along 

 the water-front all was dark and silent. We 

 caught the loom of buildings ; and behind them 

 a dull glow as from a fire, and guessed tall minar- 

 ets, and heard the rising and falling of chanting. 

 Numerous small boats hovered near, floating in 

 and out of the patches of light we ourselves cast, 

 waiting for permission to swarm at the gang-plank 

 for our patronage. 



We went ashore, passed through a wicket 

 gate, and across the dark buildings to the heart 

 of the town, whence came the dull glow and the 

 sounds of people. 



Here were two streets running across one 

 another, both brilliantly lighted, both thronged, 

 both lined with little shops. In the latter one 

 could buy anything, in any language, with any 

 money. In them we saw cheap straw hats made 

 in Germany hung side by side with gorgeous 

 and beautiful stuffs from the Orient ; shoddy 

 European garments and Eastern jewels ; cheap 

 celluloid combs and curious embroideries. The 

 crowd of passers-by in the streets were com- 

 pounded in the same curiously mixed fashion ; 

 a few Europeans, generally in white, and then a 

 variety of Arabs, Egyptians, Somalis, Berbers, 



