186 A HEADMAN'S VISIT. Chap. IX. 



beasts, and shot the father of the herd ; who, being very fat, 

 soon floated, and was secured at the village below. The 

 headman of the village visited us while we were at break- 

 fast. He wore a black ife wig and a printed shirt. After 



Group of Hippopotami. 



a short silence he said to Masakasa, "You are with the 

 white people, so why do you not tell them to give me a 

 cloth?" " We are strangers," answered Masakasa, "why do 

 you not bring us some food?" He took the plain hint, and 

 brought us two fowls, in order that we should not report that 

 in passing him we got nothing to eat ; and, as usual, we 

 gave a cloth in return. In reference to the hippopotamus 

 he would make no demand, but said he would take what 

 Ave chose to give him. The men gorged themselves with 

 meat for two days, and cut large quantities into long narrow 

 strips, which they half-dried and half-roasted on wooden 

 frames over the fire. Much game is taken in this neighbour- 



