THROUGH FRENCH UBANGI 47 



received ; and deputations, including the five cooks of 

 Lere ; followed by a heterogeneous and never-ending 

 collection of men and women, who came singly, in 

 twos, or in threes. 



It was, no doubt, flattering to be the object of 

 so much attention, but before the ten hours of our 

 inspection was over we longed for a few moments of 

 rest. 



The next day we returned the Lamido's visit, and 

 on reaching the palace passed beneath three bells — 

 emblems of chieftainship — that hung over his gate- 

 way. He met us at the threshold, and conducted us 

 to his audience-chamber. The walls were hung with 

 spears and bows, and duiker horns that acted as pegs. 

 Two immense pillars, blackened with the juice of some 

 tree, supported a canopy, though the only seat, a hard 

 divan, was at the other side of the room. A European 

 rug of garish red, stamped with a giant yellow tiger, 

 covered it ; and on it the Lamido seated himself, a 

 copy of ' The Sketch' laid with obtrusive carelessness by 

 his side. His retainers squatted or lay beside him on 

 the sandy floor, and he chatted with them while Mr 

 Talbot made a plan of the building. Meanwhile a 

 beautiful young slave entered, and, with bent head 

 and downcast eyes, sank on to her knees before the 

 Lamido. She raised a calabash of water to his lips, 

 and three times he rinsed his mouth and solemnly spat 

 out the contents. She then presented to him a long 

 wooden pipe, and as he smoked she held the bowl, and 

 tended its contents with a small metal blade attached 

 to the stem by a tiny chain. When he had done she 

 brought more water, and her lord again rinsed his 

 mouth three times. 



