6 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



collecting curios, and each new market was full of 

 possibilities. Disappointingly many, however, had 

 nothing but food - stuffs for sale: peppers, chillis, 

 ground - nuts, wee tomatoes, &c. ; and there were 

 places where the goods were so unattractive that 

 throughout one whole afternoon we saw no purchase 

 made, nor did the vendors seem to expect it. 



Some of the natives wore brass anklets, to which 

 large round shields were attached that necessitated 

 their standing with feet wide apart, and in walking 

 one leg had always to be raised higher than the 

 other. We wanted to buy some for our collections, 

 but their owners refused to part with them, and we 

 quite understood that it could be no ordinary motive 

 that made them submit to such acutely inconvenient 

 ornaments. 



As we went northward the character of the scen- 

 ery changed, the forests became less dense, and hills 

 were visible on the horizon. The style of archi- 

 tecture altered too, and the huts, instead of being 

 rectangular, were round in shape, which was charac- 

 teristic of the regions through which we passed until 

 once more we neared the coast. 



One evening we had the excitement of a battle, 

 though unluckily it took place when Mrs Talbot 

 and I were in bed, where we prudently remained. 

 Missiles of firewood, ready stacked for the use of 

 steamers, were hurled at our crew, who responded 

 with such success that they captured a prisoner and 

 only lost a stern rope. The captain, however, was 

 obliged to cast off hurriedly, and we drifted rapidly 

 down with the current till such time as steam could 

 be raised ; for the river is too dangerous to navigate 



