98 A JOURNEY UP THE RIVER OONGO. 
The daily arrivals of natives at the station were always 
an amusement. Sometimes they would come with a 
baaing and protesting goat or sheep for sale. One day 
a party of men arrived with a very stout lady of whom 
they wished to dispose for her value in blue beads. She 
was quite the thing for me, they were convinced, and 
would make an excellent lady-help for my next expedi- — 
tion. There was no end to her catalogue of graces and 
MLONGO-MLAKO, KING OF DANDANGA. 
accomplishments. She wore moreover a handsome nose- 
ring, which would be given in to clench the bargain. 
Unfortunately the price asked was quite beyond my 
means, nor was Nilis able or willing to acquire her 
services, SO, 1n common with some goats and fowls we 
had also declined, she was reluctantly returned to her 
relatives. There is no doubt that if the native porters 
can be induced, as is not infrequently the case, to bring 
their women with them, these latter prove a valuable 
