CHILDISHNESS OF THE SULTAN. 
95 
old sultana, some goats, and female servants, he passed 
or saw me daily, always saying "Yambo," or, if in 
extra good -humour, calling me "Doogo yango," bro- 
ther, or even "sultan." Constantly, till I was tired 
of him, would he sit by me in my iron chair, greasing 
it all over, and playing the fool in various ways, such 
as opening the medicine -chest, helping himself to 
quinine, which he would put in his beer, or give it to 
a neighbour, to have a laugh over its bitter taste. 
Lucifer-matches he delighted in seeing lit, though 
afraid to light them himself. One day he felt dis- 
satisfied because I would not give him magic medicine, 
and when he left, he with great difficulty put on my 
thick shoes, strutted about the village with them, and 
collected all the little boys as he trailed his feet on the 
ground. If a pigeon was shot, he would be most 
childish in begging it of me, saying, "Go and shoot 
another, as I want two." If this was not done, he 
would not be content with the one, but leave it in 
a pet, saying, tauntingly, " There will be pombe 
to-morrow." My Bible, sketch-book, or the book of 
birds, he would turn over, smiling at each new leaf or 
picture, and asking what it meant. When he saw 
that I never asked a fee for the medicines given to his 
wives or followers, he thought I must have some object 
in it, and redoubled his little kindnesses ; or, as I was 
so friendly, he would suggest that I should give him a 
recipe by which he could distinguish friends from foes ! 
He inquired anxiously why we were going on to 
Karague ; we should get killed. " The people there 
plant their spears in your foot, and demand, ' What do 
you want?' You must return to the coast, and I will 
send my own son in charge of you." 
