A LAND OK GIANTS AND PYGMIES 
377 
mit. "He has four arms and six legs," 
which was meant less as a description of 
my personal appearance than the impres- 
sion upon the pastoral mind of my power 
and might. 
Thanks to Captain von Grawert's good 
offices, my camp was now most carefully 
and excellently laid out in a broad space 
not far from the Sultan's huts ; for we 
were awaiting a visit from the "Mami." 
THE SUI^TAN CALLS 
Before "the mighty one" appeared, 
however, we were witnesses of a highly 
diverting scene. Great crowds of Wa- 
hutu had gathered round the camp. 
Their curiosity being aroused, they had 
ilocked around and stared hard at the 
new arrivals. It was evident, however, 
that Msinga considered these masses of 
people would spoil the effect of his ap- 
proach, for suddenly two forms clothed 
in red togas appeared upon the scene, 
staring fiercely at the crowd and swing- 
ing long staffs round their heads with 
very unmistakable intent, and they 
whirled them recklessly, with their full 
strength, into the midst of the people. 
But the latter were apparently familiar 
with this maneuver, for at the same mo- 
ment that the staff-bearers began to 
swing their weapons over their heads the 
whole mass was off in wild flight, and 
only a few laggards were struck. The 
square was empty in a trice. A few of 
the most curious, who ventured to re- 
turn, had stones flung at them to drive 
them away. 
A moment later the rolling of drums 
was heard from the palace, and then we 
were spectators of a unique drama, such 
as could only be enacted far from the 
beaten path of the ordinary traveler. 
The splendid figures of the Ruanda 
princes, with their sons, marching in 
pairs, headed the procession. Msinga's 
palanquin, which then left the gate of the 
residence, followed slowly. Every one 
wore festive apparel, similar to that in 
which Nanturu and Bussissi had ap- 
peared. Their bodies were naked, but 
their hips were wound round by a nar- 
row loin-cloth of tanned cowhide in two 
transverse folds, from which a number 
of strings of otter-skin or cowhide fell 
down to the ankles, which in their turn 
were adorned with various metal rings. 
On their heads were hair-combs reach- 
ing from ear to ear, in which a thin pearl 
chain lay gleaming. Long yellow strings 
of banana hemp hung down in a copious 
mass from their necks to their breasts, 
on which pearl ornaments of varying 
sizes, called mitako, were fastened. 
Their wrists were encircled with brace- 
lets of copper wire and glass beads of 
various color. 
Thus the train approached my tent 
with measured steps and quiet, dignified 
demeanor. Our guard of honor for the 
Sultan — a non-commissioned officer and 
two men — presented arms. The Sul- 
tan's litter, a long, simple basket, the 
bamboo rods of which rested on the 
shoulders of Batwa people, was carefully 
lowered, and with the German words 
''Gut en morgen, Euer Hoheit," Msinga 
stretched out his hand to me. 
The Sultan's figure, a little rounded in 
contour in consequence of his easy man- 
ner of life, exceeds two meters in height 
(6 feet 6% inches). One searches vainly 
at first for an expression of his vaunted 
intelligence, and an eye defect, coupled 
with strongly protruding upper teeth, 
emphasizes the unfavorable impression. 
Yet the questions which he addressed to 
me, and to those standing round, while 
reclining near me in a long chair, touched 
on the most various spheres of interest 
and bore witness to his keen, logical 
power of thought. 
AN ENDLESS SUCCESSION OE GlETS 
After a lengthy conversation, which 
was carried on in the Suaheli tongue, and 
which touched on many topics, Msinga 
begged to be allowed to deliver his pres- 
ents to me. This was a moment of great 
political importance and keen suspense to 
Msinga and his friends, as well as to his 
enemies, as the refusal of any portion of 
such presents would be a sign on my part 
that I was desirous of assisting the pre- 
tender to the crown, a relative of Msin- 
ga's, and that I wished to overthrow the 
reigning "Mami." 
A tremendous gathering of people had 
therefore assembled behind the chairs on 
which we were sitting with the Sultan, 
