MY JOURNEY CONTINUED TO ASHAKA 213 



quite transported bv the inspiriting band music, and picked 

 out the voices in the part songs with intelhgent appreciation 









MLi.AdK i.\ rill-: si;ai A im Nji;v ni;ai; i;ai a hi 



of the harmonies. He was much impressed by the idea of 

 my importance, when in answer to his question I told him 

 that I was not receiving money from the King. He seemed 

 to know a good deal about the movements of the Expedition, 

 and I fancy he must have had an interview with my guide 

 beforehand and have got up the details of our circumstances, 

 after the approved fashion of royalty about to grant an 

 audience. I daresay too, that not a few embroidered details 

 had trickled through his servants from the " boys," who 

 always constitute themselves one's trumpeters in a town ; 

 well knowing by experience that the bigger their master's 

 reputation, the bigger the " chop " for themselves. 



On the day following, the Emir came to my house in 



