EBENEZER. 
85 
In the beginning of September we entered on a new 
phase of affairs in our domestic arrangements, and for the 
first time, after eighteen months, we drank tea and read 
by lamp light, instead of retiring to bed at dusk. It was 
also now our frequent privilege to minister to poor captive 
children, as they passed through our village with their 
parents. To one of these covered with scalds we offered 
food, but the little sufferer could not open her mouth to 
eat it. 
One morning, before we had completed our scanty 
toilet, we were desired to hasten to the presence of the 
king, who wished to see us, on his way to a yearly 
festival in honour of his father, as he called the Fetish. 
We manaofed to emer^re in time to see the red umbrella 
enter the villao^e, under which sat the kino- in his sedan 
chair, fully arrayed. The bearers were ordered to halt, 
while he saluted each of us separately, evidently desir- 
ing to make an impression. On his arms were gold and 
silver ornaments in various devices, from his green vel- 
vet cap hung broad lappets, to which were suspended 
gold and silver amulets ; his dress was ot damask, and a 
rich golden-tinted silk covered the' sedan chair. It was 
a marvellous, but most miscellaneous, display of the 
ostentation and gaudy show of an African procession : 
the crown jewels, in baskets, chests, and tin vessels, orna- 
ments of every variety, fans oi peacocks' feathers, coloured 
leather, staves straight and crooked, with gold and silver 
knobs, and even articles ot furniture — with antelopes' feet, 
elephants', cows,' and horses' tails, contributed their 
share to the show. 
By the side of each bearer walked an official in plumed 
hat, while for music there was the continual beating of 
drums ornamented with human skulls, mingled with the 
shouts and screams of the multitude ; the fifers and 
drummers being clothed in Danish and Dutch uniiorms. 
