THE NIGER AND BENUE 9 



where we bought some khaki of a strong military 

 texture, and sent out a demand for tailors to come 

 and make it up. After a long interval an extremely 

 filthy person arrived in a frock - coat ; he declared 

 himself proficient, and, fearful that there was no 

 other, we intrusted him with the stuff, together with 

 a pattern white skirt and shirt, which came back 

 besmirched with grime, and had evidently served no 

 useful purpose, for the new garments were wholly 

 original. Like barbaric handicraft they were devoid 

 of symmetry, and what part to make front, back, or 

 side, was a matter for daily choice. Our shopping 

 was for the most part less personal, and 

 far more amusing, for it was done at the 

 market, where the vendors squat beneath 

 rows of low stalls, their merchandise sus- 

 pended from the low roof or laid out 

 on the ground in front of them. They 

 were very nice to deal with, for selling scent-Bottle. 

 seemed to give them as much enjoyment 

 as buying did to us, and the results of bargaining 

 were as impossible to foresee as a game of chance. 

 The one thing they all thought would appeal to us 

 was English calico, marked with the name of the 

 Niger Company in red ink. 



We visited the Chief, Abbiga, who has his house 

 near by. He had accompanied Barth and Overweg 

 upon their travels, was with Overweg when he died, 

 and buried him "deep-deep," so that he might rest safe 

 from the depredations of wild beasts. He had been 

 to Europe, and told us of his visit to Queen Victoria, 

 who had given him a present of £40, and each lady 

 he shook hands with left 2s, 6d, or 5s, in his palm. 



