r CHAPTER XV 



PROM KUKAWA TO KADDAI 



But the distraction caused by the unexpected incident 

 of the sacrifice did not make me forget the business in 

 hand, and I managed to secure my picture of the Shehu. 

 I then turned my camera on the sacrificial group, but 

 unfortunately no record has appeared upon the plate. At 

 this point an attendant came in with a message to the Shehu 

 and this gave us a good opportunity to say our farewells. 



In the afternoon he sent his headman to our camp to buy 

 cloth. He had heard of its excellence ; in fact, our fame as 

 clothiers had spread far, and merchants even came from 

 Fort Lamy, which is ten days' journey from Kukawa, to 

 become possessed of our wares. Altogether we did a very 

 brisk trade ; many of the big men of the town were also our 

 patrons and French cambric, costing us originally 5^d., 

 changed hands at Is. 4d. per yard ! I heard afterwards that 

 the Shehu, who was a large buyer, used his purchase for 

 making into jackets as presents to his chiefs at the time of 

 the great Mahomedan festival of Ramadam. 



These people showed very businesslikemethods in their 

 selections and tested the quaUty of the various goods with 

 critical finger and thumb. The way of measuring was to hold 

 the cloth from mouth to finger-tips at arm's length, and they 

 would very quickly object if one employed the service of a 



