THE SHEHU OF KUKAWA 291 



At Kukawa a new one is equal to 3 fr., and one with 

 the brooch obliterated, 2 '50 fr. In Bornu the people are 

 beginning to realise the value of the smaller English money 

 and its greater convenience for buying in the markets. 



But now I think it is about time we returned to our 

 friend Garoba. There is not much more to say of his 

 surroundings, either as regards the place or the persons of his 

 court. The latter consisted of liis brother, Shef Sunda, 

 who became deputy ruler in his absence ; his sheriff, or 

 chamberlain, and some chiefs, and his high priest and several 

 other mallams. These last represented his mind and his 

 will, which with him, as with all other rulers of limited 

 intellect, dwell outside the narrow space of the royal 

 cranium. Then there were close round his person, eight 

 slave boys in attendance. 



These were of handsome appearance and beautifully 

 dressed in loose, spotless white smocks, four with yokes of 

 red, and four with green. They carried guns as the Shehu's 

 bodyguard, and whenever he rose from his seat either to go 

 out, or even only to cross the room, one went to the door 

 and called to the guard without, " The king is on his way ! 

 The king is on his way ! " This was echoed from sentinel 

 to sentinel throughout the palace, and all would stand to 

 attention till he was again seated. 



The Shehu's bernouse, to which I have alluded before, was 

 made up in patchwork of various coloured silks. On his 

 feet he wore the royal shoes of brown Bornu leather, striped 

 six-fold with red, a distinction that none of his subjects are 

 permitted to adopt. The couch he sat on was merely a 

 mud block set with a few cushions, and the walls were quite 



