TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. L. 
noon, that he made his solemn entry. This time, 
however, the " habbabat " did not form part of the 
procession, having entered the town early in the 
morning; but their absence was atoned for by the 
presence of a greater number of horsemen, and behind 
the drummer on camel's back followed an interesting 
warlike train, consisting of fifteen fiery chargers, all 
clad in Hbbedi, and better adapted, it would seem, to 
the serious game of Mars, than the train of lovely 
damsels. 
On this occasion, the banga led in his triumphant 
procession seven pagan chiefs, amongst whom that of 
G6gomi was the most conspicuous person, and the 
greatest ornament of the triumph, being not less re- 
markable for his tall, stately figure than on account 
of his having been the ruler of a considerable pagan 
state, with a capital in an almost inaccessible position. 
He excited the interest of the savage and witty 
Bagfrmi people, by submitting with a great deal of 
good humour to his fate, which was certainly not very 
enviable, as it is the custom in this country either to 
kill or to emasculate these princely prisoners, after 
having conducted them for some time through all the 
court-yards of the palace, while allowing the wives 
and female slaves of the sultan to indulge their 
capricious and wanton dispositions in all sorts of fun 
with them. The horrible custom of castration is 
perhaps in no country of Central Negroland practised 
to such an extent as in Bagirmi. 
The booty in slaves did not seem to have been very 
