DOWN THE LOGONE RIVER 



125 



and were different from anything we saw in the 

 course of our travels. The palace was scented with 

 a delicious perfume, which the Sultan had bought 

 from a trader the previous day to do us honour. 

 Beyond a small vestibule, with a single pillar, was a 

 rough staircase of un- 

 even, sloping mud steps, 

 which led to a broad 

 flat roof, whence we 

 could survey the town. 

 Here we all seated our- 

 selves on deck-chairs pro- 

 vided for the occasion, 

 and conversed through 

 two interpreters and in 

 three tongues. 



The Sultan comes of 

 a great line. He is 

 the ninth chief in direct 

 succession, and is fully 

 aware of his own im- 

 portance. After some 

 discussion of his power 



and the extent of his dominions, he took us to see 

 the women's quarters. His ten principal wives were 

 not confounded with the rest, but received us each 

 in her own apartment. They were of different races, 

 and there was only one Kotoko amongst the whole 

 number, nor was she the principal wife, that honour 

 being temporarily enjoyed by a Shua Arab. He 

 showed them off much as a man in England shows 

 his hunters, nor did he refrain from making personal 

 remarks. In the presence of one poor lady he said 



Mud Pillar. 



