160 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTEAL AFRICA 



receiving it as His earthly representative from thous- 

 ands of men who had gathered together from all parts 

 of the country. 



Our chairs were taken out into the road, and there 

 we sat waiting for the procession to return. A hand- 

 ful of black soldiers came first carrying the French 

 flag, and behind them over 1000 horsemen, flanked 

 with infantry — some of the Sultan's regulars. Big 

 chiefs of state and war rode by, each with his retinue, 

 which in the case of the war chiefs was very large. 

 Kepresentatives from neighbouring kingdoms were 

 there, the Sultan's married daughter, his two eldest 

 sons, and in front of all, with men walking on either 

 side, rode a figure shrouded in a long black veil. It 

 was the Magira. On him devolves the honour of rep- 

 resenting the Sultan's mother, even though she be 

 dead, and in her name he takes precedence over all, 

 even over the Great Chief himself. As Mastaba 

 eagerly whispered to me, " He live to be Sultan's 

 mother though he be man." As he passed slowly 

 round the bend in the road that now led straight 

 to the Palace, Gauaronga appeared in state upon his 

 war-horse. A huge tent -like umbrella, symbolic of 

 royal power, was held over him. He was magnifi- 

 cently mounted, and jewels flashed from his high 

 native saddle. This was of silver, covered with re- 

 2^ousse work in acanthus pattern on a diamante back- 

 ground. Cabuchon garnets, aquamarines, topaz, pale 

 amethysts, and turquoises were powdered over it, and 

 the bigger stones were all framed in tiny turquoises. 

 It was impossible to judge of the man, for his mouth 

 was shrouded in a turban that came down over his 

 forehead to where large black goggles continued the 



