274 PRIVATE INTERVIEW WITH SHINTE. 



but. my people remarked that he scarcely ever took his 

 eyes off me for a moment. About a thousand people were 

 present, according to my calculation, and three hiindred 

 soldiers. The sun had now become hot ; and the scene 

 ended by the Mambari discharging their guns. 



1 8 th. — We were awakened during the night by a message 

 from Shinte, requesting a visit at a very unseasonable 

 hour. As I was just in the sweating stage of an inter- 

 mittent, and the path to the town lay through a wet 

 valley, I declined going. Kolimbota, who knows their 

 customs best, urged me to go ; but, independent of 

 sickness, I hated words of the night and deeds of darkness. 

 " I was neither a hysena nor a witch." Kolimbota thought 

 that we ought to conform to their wishes in everything : 

 I thought we ought to have some choice in the matter as 

 well, which put him into high dudgeon. However, at ten 

 next morning, we went, and were led into the courts of 

 Shinte, the walls of which were woven rods, all very neat 

 and high. Many trees stood within the enclosure and 

 afforded a grateful shade. These had been planted, for 

 we saw some recently put in, with grass wound round the 

 trunk to protect them from the sun. The otherwise 

 waste corners of the streets were planted with sugar-cane 

 and bananas, which spread their large light leaves over 

 the walls. 



The Ficus indica tree, under which we now sat, had 

 very large leaves, but showed its relationship to the 

 Indian banian by sending down shoots towards the 

 ground. Shinte soon came, and appeared a man of 

 upwards of fifty-five years of age, of frank and open 

 countenance, and about the middle height. He seemed 

 in good humour, and said he had expected yesterday 

 " that a man who came from the gods, would have 

 approached and talked to him.'' That had been my own 

 intention in going to the reception, but when we came 

 and saw the formidable preparations, and all his own 

 men keeping at least forty yards off from him, I yielded 

 to the solicitations of my men, and remained by the tree 

 opposite to that under which he sat. His remark con- 

 firmed my previous belief that a frank, open, fearless 

 manner is the most winning with all these Africans. I 

 stated the object of my journey and mission, and to all 

 I advanced the old gentleman clapped his hands in appro- 

 bation. He replied through a spokesman ; then all the 



