140 DENHAM AND CLAPPERTON. 



stored order, and caused a way to be opened, by which t^iO 

 caravan, though somewhat slowly, at length made its way 

 to the city. 



But, after their arrival at Kouka, symptoms of jealousy 

 appeared, and only twelve of the principal persons, the Eng- 

 lish included, were allowed to enter. They were led 

 through a wide street, lined with spearmen, to the door of 

 the sheik's residence. Here 'the principal courtiers came 

 out in succession, and welcomed the party with cries of 

 *' Barca ! Barca !" but as no one invited them to go in, the 

 wrath of Boo Khalloom, who held himself scarcely inferior 

 to the sheik, was kindled, and he declared that, unless im 

 mediately admitted, he would return to his tent. A chief 

 merely waved his hand as a signal for patience ; but at last 

 Barca Gana appeared, and invited the Arab leader to enter 

 alone. Another half-hour elapsed ere the gates were again 

 opened, and the four Englishmen were called. They found, 

 on the present as well as on other occasions, the etiquette 

 of this barbarian court extremely rigid, and enforced too in 

 a manner the most rough and imceremonious. They were 

 allowed to walk only one by one, and, when thought to be 

 going too fast, the guards grasped them by the leg so ab- 

 ruptly that they could with difficulty avoid falling flat for- 

 ward ; and when it was time to stop, instead of their being 

 told so, spears were crossed before them, and the palm of 

 the hand applied to their breast. At the close of all this 

 ceremony, they found the sheik quietly seated on a carpet, 

 plainly dressed, m a small dark room, ornamented solely with 

 guns and pistols, which he had received in presents from 

 crowned heads, and esteemed the most rare and precious of 

 decorations. He appeared about forty or forty-five years of 

 age, and his countenance was pleasing and expressive. He 

 inquired their object in visiting Bomou ; when, being in- 

 formed that they had come merely to see the country, and 

 to give an account of its appearance, produce, and people, 

 he engaged to forward their views, and even to gratify their 

 wishes to the utmost of his power. Such motives, however, 

 afterward proved entirely incomprehensible to his illiterate 

 inind. 



Major Denham next day waited again on the sheik and 

 delivered his presents. A double-barrelled gun and two pis- 

 tols, with powder-flask, and shot-cases, were examined by the 



