GAUARONGA, THE GREAT CHIEF 173 



cows exacted eleven, so the poor son, though he got 

 nominal compensation, lost a cow. 



The other chiefs followed quickly now : the very 

 great ones advanced right on to the carpet to salute 

 their sovereign, but the ordinary man had his obeis- 

 ance acknowledged by a court official. No one might 

 approach or even look at the King with his right 

 arm covered, and it is the custom for every man 

 holding the Sultan's commission to bare his right 

 arm as a bado^e of office. 



Several men are deputed to look after guests of 

 different nationalities. Thus one man entertains 

 Kanuri visitors, another Arabs. One is in charge 

 of the royal farms, another of cattle, another of corn. 

 There is a master-of-the-horse and his grooms. There 

 is an architect, an official in charge of the repairs- 

 to the Palace walls ; another who sees that it is kept 

 clean. A doctor, a librarian, tutors to the royal 

 children. A crier of Muezzin in the Palace. A chief 

 of the market, who sees that animals are killed in 

 accordance with the Koran. 



The levee lasted about three hours, and ended uncere- 

 moniously in a rush for the door, while Gauaronga 

 remained to watch the exit. Not many years ago 

 there was always bloodshed at a court, for the chiefs- 

 would fight each other for precedence, and perhaps 

 that is why each man still brings all the retainers he 

 can muster, from chamberlain to scullion. 



The entertainments that celebrated the feast of Dee 

 lasted a week, and every afternoon the big market- 

 place outside the Palace was filled with men on horse- 

 back, who had come to take part in the fantasia. 

 Each day there was a different president — the Magira 



