Cuap. XXII. 
DYEING-PITS. 
31 
mixture of indigo is prepared, and the cloths remain 
for a certain length of time, from one to seven days, 
according to the colour which they are to attain. It 
is principally this dyeing, I think, which gives to 
many parts of Negroland a certain tincture of civi- 
lization, a civilization which it would be highly in- 
teresting to trace, if it were possible, through all 
the stages of its development. 
While rambling about, Overweg and I for a while 
were greatly annoyed by a tall fellow, very respectably 
and most picturesquely dressed, who professed him- 
self to be a messenger from the governor of Katsena, 
sent to offer us his compliments and to invite us to 
go to him. Though the thing was not altogether 
impossible, it looked rather improbable ; and having 
thanked him profusely for his civility, we at length 
succeeded in getting rid of him. In the evening I 
returned to our camping- ground with I'dder the 
Emgedesi man mentioned in a preceding part of my 
narrative, and was very glad to receive reliable in- 
formation that we were to start the following day. 
