FROM TALI TO TSEKOU 



of Tsekou, but respected the lives of the Christians and mission- 

 aries. Through the instrumentaHty of the latter the implements 

 and oxen were saved for the villagers, and Father Dubernard 

 redeemed the prisoners from the Lissous with a ransom of salt, 

 gaining thereby such goodwill from the natives of the Mekong 

 that they would hardly consent to his return to his own place 

 at Tsekou. The young juokoua also bound himself by ties of 

 amity with the Fathers, and on the occasion of the latter being 

 expelled from their stations at Tsekou and on the Mekong, 

 before recounted, received them under his protection, saying, 

 "We were friends in prosperity, let us continue so in adversity." 



This recitation of preceding local events will explain the 

 interest we had in visiting the niokoua of Yetche and in eainine 

 his friendship, the value of which we were to hnd in our further 

 travels. 



When with a present of a revolver and a tinder-box, and 

 heralded by Joseph, we presented ourselves at his house, we 

 found a rambling edifice with a wide central court. The walls 

 exhibited a variety of patterns and Mosso hieroglyphs, all, as 

 well as the mouldings, the design of the royal owner himself, 

 whose more ordinary accomplishments and occupations embraced 

 those of a goldsmith, merchant, and cider maker on a large 

 scale. 



At our entrance he came forward himself to greet us. He 

 was a young man of regular features and intelligent expression ; 

 being in mourning he wore a white turban, and a white cord tied 

 his queue. Our interview was short, as we could not accept 

 his hospitality for the night, and he appeared nervous and unable 

 to give us much geographical information. I^le thanked me for 

 my gifts, and regaled us with tea, cakes, and an excellent sweet- 



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