236 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
scene before my landing at Usavara, and that Tori must 
have been consulted frequently upon the form of cere- 
mony to be adopted. 
What followed upon the arrival of the white man at 
the outer gate had best be told as an interlude by the 
stranger himself 
“At two o’clock, the weather having cleared up, 
Mtesa sent a messenger to inform me that he was ready 
to receive me. Notice is given in the camp ; every one 
puts on his finest clothes ; at last we are ready ; my 
brave Soudanians look quite smart in their red jackets 
and white trousers. I place myself at their head ; 
trumpets flourish and drums sound as we follow an 
avenue from eighty-five to a hundred yards wide, 
running direct north and south, and terminating at 
Mtesa’s palace.” . . . 
“ On entering this court, I am greeted with a fright- 
ful uproar ; a. thousand instruments, each one more 
outlandish than the other, produce the most discordant 
and deafening sounds. Mtesa’s body-guard, carrying 
guns, present arms on my appearance ; the king is 
standing at the entrance of the reception hall. I 
approach and bow to him a la turque. He holds out 
his hand, which I press ; I immediately perceive a sun- 
burnt European to the left of the king, a traveller, whom 
I imagine to be Cameron. We exchange glances with- 
out speaking. 
“ Mtesa enters the reception room, and we follow him. 
It is a narrow hall about sixty feet long by fifteen feet 
wide, the ceiling of which, sloping down at the entrance, 
is supported by a double row of wooden pillars which 
divide the room into two aisles. The principal and 
central room is unoccupied, and leads to the king’s 
throne ; the two aisles are filled with the great digni- 
taries and chief officers. At each pillar stands one of 
the king’s guard, wearing a long red mantle, a white 
turban ornamented with monkey skin, white trousers 
and black blouse with a red band. All are armed with 
guns. 
“ Mtesa takes his place on his throne, which is a 
