1 88 Wanderings in Eastern Africa. 
strode proudly away. Creeping behind some huts 
that were between us and them, we gained some Httle 
ground, so that they were fairly in sight, still far away 
beyond gun-range. On they strode, and were soon 
lost to view. It was now sunset, and we returned to 
our friends. 
The man who had arrived in the district as we 
came up, we were told, was a ^'Toib," an important 
personage, and must " have his heart made glad." 
We were, it was declared, his visitor, and he wished 
to treat us as such. It was his intention to give us a 
cow in the morning, and he was anxious to know 
what we would give him in return. We said that the 
promise of a cow was a kindness we knew how to 
appreciate, and that if fulfilled we were prepared to 
make our host an ample return. This was not enough. 
Cttstom was in the way. It was insisted that we 
ought to give the Toib " first of all a present of 
five articles, and five more to a couple of old sub- 
chiefs who were with him. This done, he would 
give us the cow, and then we were to give him 
another present of five, each five being the full worth 
of the beast ! We objected that this looked too 
much like paying for our meat thrice over, to do 
which was contrary to our custom. We were anxious, 
we said, to do what was right, but with this demand 
we could not comply. After a great deal of talk we 
were addressed as follows : " The Toib hears what 
you say, and is content. He will, as your host, give 
you in the morning a cow, for which you may present 
him in return what you please." That we declared 
was a most sensible conclusion, such as became a 
great man, and we sent him our salaam. 
