322 



ACROSS AFRICA. 



[Chap. 



January, 

 1875. 



Every care was taken that no uninvited person or objectiona- 

 ble intruder should find it possible to be present unobserved. 

 The entrance to the niussumba, or inclosure, was now carefully 

 guarded by sentries ; and a porter, clad in a huge leopard-skin 

 apron, with an enormous crooked stick in his hand, examined 

 every comer with the closest scrutiny before admitting him to 

 the royal presence. 



We were conducted by Kasmigo into his hut, accompanied 

 by his fetich-men and a few of his wives, when we made him a 

 small present and took our departure, this being merely a form- 

 al meeting ; but Kasongo ordered his band to play me home as 

 a mark of honor. 



KASONGO S BAND. 



The band consisted of wooden drums, marimba, and globular 

 gourds played as wind instruments, and producing a sound re- 

 sembling that of a bugle. 



Kasongo's attention in directing so great a mark of respect 

 as being marched home to the strains of his own band was, of 

 course, most flattering, but the tapage infernal was well-nigh 

 unbearable. I sent them a few beads, in the hope that, like the 

 organ-grinder of the civilized world, they would take the hint 

 and move on. But the unsophisticated natives accepted this 



