126 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



that though she had once been his favourite, her 

 health had not been good, and she was so no longer. 

 His many lesser wives he summoned out in batches 

 of fourteen or sixteen, so that we might photograph 

 them. They huddled humbly together, walking with 

 bent carriage and downcast eyes, not daring to look 

 at their lord, though they shot many furtive glances 

 at us. The Talbots persuaded me to let down my 

 hair for their benefit, as of course its length and 

 fineness was very wonderful to them. The Sultan 

 was immensely struck by it, and at once volunteered 

 his wish to have an English wife, who should take 

 precedence over all the rest. His remarks were 

 received in scornful silence, but undaunted he asked 

 whether Mr Talbot could procure him one. On being 

 told he wanted the impossible, he accepted the rebuff, 

 and gallantly offered me an enormous and beautiful 

 straw hat, evidently as a reward for having shown 

 my hair. We asked to see his son and heir, and a 

 superb little personage of six years old was carried 

 before us, his mouth muffled in a turban, and his rich 

 brocade dress standing out stiffly round him, like the 

 model of a Van Dyck portrait. He was the first son 

 born after his father's accession to the Sultanate, and 

 therefore took precedence over his elder brothers. 



On leaving the palace we took a walk through the 

 town, and penetrated into some of the houses, through 

 a network of dark halls and entrances that, in case 

 of attack, must have made each one almost impreg- 

 nable. A fair sprinkling of houses had two storeys — 

 the upper room, approached by an outer staircase of 

 mud, being used as a sleeping apartment. Little plots 

 of onions were grown here and there, and sometimes 

 we came upon smooth -surfaced mud basins scooped in 



