124 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



raconteur, and chanted praises of the Sultan almost 

 unceasingly. He spoke of the grandeur of past 

 generations and the splendour of the Mai's forebears, 

 but only in order to contrast them with the still 

 greater magnificence of the reigning Sultan. We too 

 came in for praise, and were described as the " three 

 biggest white men." The flattery seemed excessive, 

 but it was due, as we were told later, to Mr Talbot 

 being the only European who had ever brought his 

 wives with him. After the chief had retired the 

 band returned to play to us, and when Mr Talbot 

 gave them a dash their music became deafening, so 

 that the Sultan and all the people of the town might 

 know, they said, the greatness and the generosity of 

 the white man. 



The Mai sent us an enormous present — two sheep, 

 a calf, fowls, eggs, butter, honey, and so much food 

 for the boys that they left bowls of it behind them, 

 — a remarkable fact, for they consider it a duty to eat 

 all they can possibly contain, and their power in that 

 way is not to be despised. 



A dear little lioness, three months old, was brought 

 for us to see ; and a baby wild pig ran about freely, but, 

 though it amused us at first, it was a nuisance having 

 the creature wandering about our tents at night. 



The next morning we paid a visit of state to the 

 palace, and were met at the threshold by the Mai 

 and his band. A giant umbrella, a symbol of king- 

 ship, stood there, and some large drums, together with 

 other lesser treasures ; but we passed rapidly into an 

 outer hall, where four terracotta-coloured mud pillars 

 of modern structure supported a rafter ceiling. They 

 were ornamented with blue lines painted across them, 



