282 
RESIDENCE AT LATTAKOO. [1815. 
were present. Mateere observed us taking a little 
Cayenne pepper ; v^'hen the redness of it attracting 
his attention, he asked for a little, which we gave 
him. On feeling its pungency, he shut his eyes, hastily 
put his hand on his mouth, and held down his head. 
He concealed his pain, and slily touched Mr. Read 
with his foot, to intimate that he should say nothing, 
but give the same dose to the others. Munaneets 
partook next, and as soon as he could speak, he asked 
a little for his wife. The others likewise tasted it. 
5th. Two parties, as forerunners of Mateebe, 
arrived in the morning, and at noon he arrived him- 
self, with many attendants carrying spears, and poles 
dressed with black ostrich feathers, which are stuck 
into the ground around places where they halt to 
frighten away lions, who it seems are not fond of their 
appearance. The arrival of Mateebe occasioned no 
more stir in the town than usual. On coming into 
the square, he took no notice of us or our waggons, 
but acted as if ignorant that strangers were there. 
He then with his people crouched down in the form 
of a circle, when Mateere related to him every thing 
that had taken place during his absence. He then 
related the circumstances of his own excursion, both of 
which speeches did not occupy ten minutes ; after 
which, in consequence of orders, we walked up to him, 
when, without looking towards us, he stretched out his 
right hand, which we shook, saying to him, " Mateebe, 
O Iss," which is the salutation given to the king. During 
all this there was not the smallest alteration in his 
