Chap. XXIII. AN AFKICAN DANDY. 
33 
which had excited my surprise in so high a degree, 
and the magnificence of which at its first appearance 
was not at all eclipsed by this second specimen in 
the fertile regions of Negroland. Soon afterwards 
we reached the faddama of Gazawa ; and leaving the 
town on our right hidden in the thick forest, we 
encamped a little further on in an open place, which 
was soon crowded with hucksters and retailers. I 
was also pestered with a visit from some half-caste 
Arabs settled in the town; but fortunately, seeing 
that they were likely to wait in vain for a present, 
they went off, and were soon succeeded by a native 
mallem from the town, whose visit was most agreeable 
to me. 
About sunset the " serki-n-turawa," or consul of 
the Arabs, came to pay his regards to Elafji, and intro- 
duced the subject of a present, which, as he conceived, 
I ought to make to the governor of the town as a 
sort of passage-money ; my protector, however, would 
not listen to the proposal, but merely satisfied his 
visitor's curiosity by calling me into his presence and 
introducing him to me. The serki was very showily and 
picturesquely dressed — in a green and white striped 
tobe, wide trowsers of a speckled pattern and colour, 
like the plumage of the Guinea fowl, with an embroi- 
dery of green silk in front of the legs. Over this he 
wore a gaudy red bernds, while round his red cap 
a red and white turban was wound crosswise in a 
very neat and careful manner. His sword was slung 
over his right shoulder by means of thick hangers 
VOL. II. D 
