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king's brothers in chains. 
girdles of long-haired goatskin (from Usoga) hanging 
from their backs and waists. Daily these wild-looking 
creatures shouted and rushed with all their might 
along the roads, spears and shields being held high in 
the air ; they were M'tessa's men preparing and drill- 
ing for a slave-hunting campaign. The day after my 
first visit to the king, he came to return the call 
without giving us any warning. We heard a noisy 
crowd passing outside our enclosure, and immediately, 
through the fence, came the young king in a tre- 
mendous hurry. He was not the puppet of yesterday, 
but dressed, like a negro sailor, in an open coat of 
bed-curtain chintz, loose white trousers or " pyjamas," 
having a broad stripe of scarlet ; his feet and head 
were naked. He was shown into an iron chair, and 
seeing some books he turned over their pages as a 
monkey would ; asked to see the picture of Eumanika, 
and said he would like to know when his own portrait 
was to be done. His brothers, a mob of little raga- 
muffins, several in handcuffs, sat behind him chat- 
tering very familiarly, and tearing all the while at 
sugar-cane. I was told to show them my hair by 
taking off my hat. We were asked if we did not 
admire the leather wideawake made by one of the 
brothers ? — and the vulture, the dove, and the horn-bill 
his highness had just shot ? This scene over, the king 
rose, ordered Speke to follow him, and, led by the 
mob of brothers, all rushed madly away. On follow- 
ing them, the chained lads, escorted by two servants, 
were very much in the rear, and hobbled along, poor 
little fellows, in perfect good-humour, looking as 
strong, healthy, and contented as any of the others. 
It was said that the king, before coming to the throne, 
