174 THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 



True example of an heirloom, a very unusual thing 

 with negroes. 



I was very much amused, too, with a lot of women 

 working with hoes. They plied them vigorously in 

 unison to a song, and every once in a while held them 

 aloft like standards and went running around in a 

 circle, shrieking at the tops of their lungs. Certainly 

 they took their labours lightly! After a time they 

 dropped their hoes and danced down to me, clashing 

 their heavy anklets in time to their chant. One damsel 

 was the leader and did a pas seul, better not described, 

 while the others did a background chorus. She ended 

 the show by kneeling in front of me and sorting out 

 from some fold of her garment a tiny and unsuspected 

 infant. Thank goodness I had my camera on my knee, 

 so she could not put it in my lap, which was apparently 

 her intention. Of course the shauri ceased while this 

 row went on. Then the sultan made a very slight 

 motion of his head, and they vanished. He is boss, 

 all right! 



Ended by presenting him a safety razor and two blades 

 with a promise of magnificent gifts when his part of the 

 contract should be fulfilled. 



Targeted my rifle, and readjusted the sights that 

 had been so badly knocked over. 



Ate before a wonderful prospect out across the sweep 

 of the valley to hills that turned amethystine in the 

 evening light. A woman with a wistful and pathetic 



