294 
THE MALLAMS. 
various hue might have been his under-garments. The 
trowsers were loose, and of the favourite colour, scarlet. 
His feet were inserted in a pair of enormous red leather 
boots, to which a number of bells were fastened ; and 
the royal pastime of jingling these, ever and anon, 
reminded us of the nursery rhyme — 
“ Rings on the fingers, hells on the toes,” &c. 
A large brass or gilt plate, with a raised representation 
of the human face (not unlike ‘the man in the moon’), 
suspended from his neck, and hanging down on the 
breast, seemed to be an important article in the 
regalia. It was worn by the former King when 
Lander and Allen visited him. His cap was conical, 
something like that of Obi’s, but ornamented with 
feathers ; and in his ears were ivory discs, stuck in the 
lower lobe, large enough to cover the whole ear. 
The principal courtiers were seated close round 
the throne, with their backs towards it, excepting a large 
party (probably of ‘ Mallams,’ or ‘ Mahomedans,’ as the 
old man before mentioned was at their head) ; these sat 
facing the King. They were, for the most part, neatly 
dressed in white tubes and small caps, though some 
had them blue or checked, with a sort of embroidery 
round the opening for the neck. Others wore dresses 
which they seemed to have vowed never to take off, they 
Were so filthy and so ragged. 
