MIRIALl'S MOTHER 



113 



of natives. Very soon, too, we were honoured by a visit from 

 the barefooted mother of the ruler of the land. In default of 

 the purple she was distinguished from other old women by an 

 extra number of strings of bead and copper chains. This, then, 

 was the worthy matron whose piercing glance had nearly 

 blinded Johnston ! Although remembering that scene, we were 



A KILIMANJARO BEAUTY. 



very glad to welcome our visitor. Our politeness was not very 

 long proof against her perpetual begging for hilengele (beads), 

 and when breakfast-time came she was dismissed by our Somal 

 with a short ' Tonga rnlmya ' (' Off with you now, friend ! ') like 

 any other mortal, and bowed out of our tent. 



Miriali came again in the afternoon, and we offered him 

 VOL. I I 



