THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 169 



ten years old. In fact the first of these people we saw 

 was a string of a dozen girls, each with a water gourd 

 atop her head, and a string of beads around her neck. 

 They smiled sweetly on us, and passed unabashed. 



We made camp beneath a tree, and soon received a 

 visit from the elders, rather fine and dignified old 

 savages, and a number of the younger men, one of 

 whom spoke good SwahiU. It developed that this 

 village was imder rule of a sultan across the valley, but 

 that he kept a son here to see to things. The Swahili- 

 speaking youth was the son. He said he had learned at 

 Shirati where for three years he served the commissioner 

 there — as cook ! He was a bright-looking boy, with a 

 piece of Mericani as his sole garment. He disappeared, 

 and shortly returned wearing (i) a tarboush on the 

 front of which were sewed two cogwheels from a clock; 

 (2) two white duck coats, the larger underneath so both 

 would show; (3) a yellow and black striped footman's 

 vest; (4) a patched old pair of checked breeches; (5) 

 spiral puttees; (6) wrecked shoes; (7) a red handkerchief 

 around his neck; (8) four other red handkerchiefs hang- 

 ing from his belt. We had then no doubt he was the 

 Prince. We ended by engaging him as guide and in- 

 terpreter for this country, and he is now on our staff. 



Our shauri ran about as follows: 



First — ^how many loads of potio could we buy? 



''Two." 



"Get them.'' 



