OUR JOURNEY UP THE WELLE 283 



the queen and her sister, came out to meet us. Their toilets 

 were striking ; the queen was attired in a loose white bathing- 

 dress, trimmed with red, with wide skirts above the knees, 

 her legs were encased in stockings, and a brand new pair of 

 leather boots which were much too long for her completed 

 her costume. When we arrived in the town the ladies retired 

 to reappear soon after in native dress. Both were big and 

 very black of skin. The queen wore a massive girdle made of 

 large sparklet bullets round her waist and a collarette of 

 rifle bullets. Her hair was done high up on the head like a 

 deep saucer, the usual Mangbettu fashion, out of which 

 stuck on both sides monkey-bones, which I was told play the 

 part of Cupid's darts in their love-affairs and are sent to the 

 happy man whom their owner would smile upon. 



Presently the queen mother, an elderly but well-preserved 

 lady, joined our party ; she was the wife of Niangara, a former 

 chief whose village lay close to the left bank of the Guddu. 

 They all sat down on stools and displayed admirable 

 self-possession and charming natural manners as they 

 helped themselves to the beer which they had brought us, 

 taking between the sips whiffs from a 3-ft. pipe of green palm 

 stick which was handed to them by a girl attendant. We 

 both gave them bracelets of coloured stones, with which they 

 were mightily pleased, and the younger sister at once got up 

 and gave us each a kiss on the forehead. Afterwards we took 

 a walk round the town where we found the inmates of many 

 of the huts grouped outside and busy painting themselves 

 and doing up their hair as if for some special occasion. Then 

 we made our way to the space in the centre where stood a 

 large open shed. Here the natives were wont to indulge 



