516 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
Here was a ridiculous position for a man to be placed 
in ! I was indeed so taken aback that I had not a word 
to say for myself. Of course, a ready reply might have 
been found, but it was just the one that I had no 
intention to give. There sat the two girls upon my 
leopard-skins, and there stood I. The large fire which 
separated us cast over the interior of the hut a ruddy 
light, somewhat subdued and softened by the green 
foliage which- lined the cabin walls. The bright flame 
displayed to great advantage the undraped figure of the 
young girl, whose languishing eyes were occasionally 
fixed upon me with an expression half-pouting, half- 
beseeching. My own looks wandered away, but in¬ 
voluntarily turned again and again to the statuesque 
and graceful figure. Without, the noisy sounds of the 
barbarous music had ceased ; the voices were more 
subdued, and silence was gradually taking the place of 
the previous uproar. My braves were evidently 
selecting their companions for the night; and there 
was I, still shut up with those irrepressible girls. “We 
intend to remain here,” repeated the haughty Ambuella 
princess. “ I don’t mean to expose my sister to the 
scorn of all the old women of the villages ; and let me 
tell you, white man, that if you are a chief of the White 
King, 1 am the daughter of a Sova.” 
The ridicule of my position increased ; I was com¬ 
pelled to put the firmest restraint upon myself, and, 
conscious that if I looked or spoke softly I was lost, I 
had to assume a severity of aspect and hardness of 
behaviour that were quite foreign to my character. 
Still, things could not remain in the state in which 
they were, and I did not know how to alter them. I 
would have preferred, a thousand times over, risking 
a conflict with the warrior father to continuing this 
colloquy with the amorous little daughter. Suddenly 
the skin which formed the door of my hut was raised, 
and some one entered. It was little Mariana, who had 
overheard our limited conversation and came to the 
rescue. She approached the fire, which she mended 
and replenished. Then, turning to the Ambuellas and 
