202 MISTAKE RESPECTING THE KING'S IDENTITY. 



some conversation, I asked for the king ; on which 

 he said that he was the king! This was too 

 much for me to believe, until he went through 

 a gateway and returned in a few minutes with 

 his stomacher and his splendid robes on. After 

 laughing heartily at my astonishment, he asked 

 for the carpet on which 1 was seated, and which 

 I refused him, having no other. After some 

 angry words on both sides, he went off in a 

 pet, and I returned to my hut in any but a 

 pleasant state of mind. On inquiry of the 

 owner of my hut, he informed me, and I after- 

 wards found it to be the case, that on all great 

 occasions it is customary for the king and his 

 attendants to puff themselves out to a ridiculous 

 size with cotton wadding; and this fully ex- 

 plained the mistake I was under with regard to 

 the king's identity. On his first visit he appear- 

 to be an immense-sized personage, and could 

 not even rise from his seat without assistance. 

 When he visited me mcog. he w^as a raw-boned, 

 active-looking man. 



Sarsfield, who had been hunting over the town 

 for a desirable house, informed me that he had 

 found an excellent one, belonging to a Houssa 

 woman, and I determined to take possession of 



