Chap, n, QUENGUEZA AND HIS PRESENTS. 21 



send them all away, and not to let any of them come 

 in. Entering my hut alone, he closed the door, and, 

 sitting down, told me that he was ready to see the 

 presents I had brought him. 



The first thing that I displayed before his admiring 

 eyes was the coat of a London beadle, made expressly 

 to fit his tall figure, and, to please his taste, it was of 

 the most glaring colours, blue, with yellow fringe, 

 lined with red. There was also a splendid plush 

 waistcoat. As his Majesty does not wear trowsers 

 those articles did not form part of the suit, any more 

 than did a shirt. 



" Let us try them on," said the king, in a whisper ; 

 but, before doing so, he went to the door to make 

 sure that no one was peeping in. Having put on 

 the robes, and taking in his hand the beadle's staff, 

 which I had not omitted to bring also, he asked for a 

 looking-glass, in which he admired himself vastly ; 

 whilst I completed the costume by placing on his 

 head my opera-hat, which, to his utter astonishment, 

 I had caused to spring up from its flattened state. 

 After surveying himself for some time in the glass, 

 with evident satisfaction, he drew himself up to his 

 full height, and strutted up and down the room, " as 

 happy as a king." Having indulged his vanity for 

 a few minutes, he replaced in the chest the various 

 articles of this imperial costume, and proceeded to 

 inspect the other presents. 



I had myself brought a large amount of presents 

 and goods for the old chief, and besides these I had 

 many valuable articles of European workmanship, 

 some of which were purchased with money given mc 



