396 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
Many personal and rather funny remarks were passed 
upon nearly every movement I made. 
“ Why does he wear such a queer hat ? ” was one of 
the curious inquiries. The king was himself the best of 
all, for while looking round upon his apprehensive and 
obsequious circle, the expression of his face seemed to 
say as distinctly as possil >le : 
“ Now I ask you all plainly and fairly, did you ever 
see such a remarkable individual as this in all your 
lives ? ” 
I thought, judging from her ways, that the old mother 
stood up for me, and this I afterwards learned was really 
the case. 
Chikuse was determined that I should speak ; nothing 
less than a conversation with da Costa would satisfy him. 
To satisfy the people, da Costa made a few remarks, to 
which I replied briefly. This performance drew forth a 
deep and long-drawn sigh from the old woman, gradually 
breaking into a gentle and pitying laugh. 
She was satisfied the poor thing could speak. The 
witch-doctors, no doubt, had decreed that “ it ” was 
harmless. However, I could see by the grimaces of his 
majesty that he did not trust his eyes and ears on this 
occasion ; he evidently thought himself the victim of an 
illusion ; and was determined to have further oral testi¬ 
mony of my earthliness. The main questions asked 
were : 
“ What has brought you here ? ” 
“ What are you going to do ? ” 
“ Do you wish to buy people ? ” 
On being informed that I did not wish to buy slaves, 
but desired to have men to take me to Nyanja (as the 
lake is called), Chikuse grunted ; but I was unable to 
get an answer as to whether, or when, I could get carriers 
or guides to go with me. There could be no doubt that 
the fact of my having put in an unlooked-for appearance 
without any men of my own was the real cause of so much 
suspicion. 
The king is much feared by his people, for his power 
is absolute. 
