CHAPTER XVII 



September 21. — I purported to-day sending back 

 four of my own men, six of Myeru^s men, and ten 

 promised by Missambi to bring down the twenty loads 

 I had left at Myeru's. Missambi had faithfully 

 promised to have them here by six o 'clock. Of course 

 they were not on hand, and finally I sent off my ten in 

 advance — it is a long round trip for one day. About 

 eight o'clock the sultan came in, accompanied by a 

 number of friends to whom he wanted to display the 

 wonders. 



"Where are your men?" I demanded. 



He explained in great detail that they were on their 

 way from another village. As it seemed necessary to 

 be politic, I accepted this — although I did not believe it 

 — and went through my gamut of tricks, ending, as 

 before, by cutting out paper dolls. With these they 

 were again immensely pleased. 



Sent Memba Sasa to the river to look for hippo and 

 fords. While he was gone I hobbled up to make a call 

 at the village. 



This, as seems usual with the residences of these 

 Central African potentates, was less a village than a 

 collection of a few huts occupied by the leading spir- 



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