186 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



days before ; but we were glad enough of the excuse 

 to tell the invalid that it was not on her account 

 that we were forced to stay. 



Mr Talbot spent our leisure in taking measurements 

 of both Arab and Bagirimi citizens ; but there were 

 not enough of the latter to make up the full twenty 

 he always tried to get. Suddenly a well - known 

 figure stood before us. It was Gauaronga's emissary. 

 " I will complete your number," he said. We were 

 surprised — surprised to see him there, and surprised 

 that a man of influence should join with the 

 commoners of a mere village. However, Mr Talbot 

 took him at his word and measured him, and offered 

 him payment as he had to all the rest. It was refused 

 — a circumstance that was still more extraordinary. 

 AVe asked him why he was there ; for when we had 

 said good - bye to him at Tchekna we had little 

 expected to see him again so soon. He smiled 

 queerly, and replied that he had come to act escort 

 to a great stranger at the bidding of the Sultan. 

 We knew that the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg was 

 expected to visit Tchekna, and assumed he was to go 

 there immediately : as a matter of fact, he did not do 

 so till after we had crossed Lake Chad. That night 

 we had an uncomfortable feeling of being watched. 

 Justly, or unjustly, we felt ourselves in the land of 

 enemies, and we longed to get our precious boxes 

 well away to Fort Lamy. 



Mrs Talbot Avas rather better next day, and keen 

 to be gone. We started early ; and when we came to 

 Maiashe, behold a pool full of clear water. Even then 

 Mr Talbot, who was less suspicious than I, could not 

 believe Mohmaduba had told a lie to which such flat 



