298 BARAMISA, PRINCE OF WASSOULO. 
Baramisa seemed very well disposed towards me ; he ap- 
peared very lively^ and addressed many questions to Arafanba, 
who said, in order to please him, that though I did not know 
him, I often asked about him on the way, and wanted to see 
him, with which he seemed flattered. 1 remarked in his 
hut a tin tea-pot, a copper dish, and many other vessels of 
the same metal. From the antique form of these vessels, I 
guessed that they might be Portuguese. The tea-pot was 
oval, and supported upon a circular rim at the foot ; the 
handle, which projected a good deal, rose higher than the 
lid and the lid itself was crowned with a knob, which 
ended in a point at the top. The dishes were round, like 
those of pewter, used in Europe ; a copper bowl, with a 
handle and a round pedestal, served to keep his colat-nuts 
cool. Baramisa had a large gold ear-ring in his right ear, 
and none in his left 5 he takes snuff, and smokes, like his 
subjects, and is not a whit more cleanly ; his hut was hung 
round with bows, arrows, quivers, and lances, two horse 
saddles, and a great straw hat. I did not perceive any gun. 
Our visit was short; we returned to the hut allotted to us, 
and the prince soon afterwards sent a calabash of milk and 
degup, which he begged me to accept : 1 dispatched it with 
my companions. Baramisa sent for me again, and I went 
with my guide; he received me in his stable, where he was 
sitting upon an ox-hide, near a beautiful horse; he made us 
sit down by his side, and gave me some colat-nuts, which he 
had put into a copper vessel, with a little water. In our 
presence he distributed among some of his women a quantity 
of yams, which had just been dug up. This prince of 
Wassoulo is reckoned to be very rich in gold and slaves ; his 
subjects often present him with cattle : his wives are nu- 
merous, and they have their separate huts, which form 
together a little village. Before you reach the residence of 
the prince, you have to pass through several large courts. 
