THE BABOTSE COUNTRY. 
527 
had on a pair of low well-polished shoes. A large coun¬ 
terpane of smart colours, in lieu of capote, and a soft grey 
hat, adorned with two large and beautiful ostrich feathers, 
completed the costume of the great potentate. He held 
in his hand an instrument formed of a wooden carved 
handle, into which were stuck bunches of horse-hair, that 
served to keep off the flies, and as he sat he waved it to 
and fro with great gravity. On his right, on a lower 
chair, was seated Gambella, and the three Counsellors 
GAMBELLA. 
were on the opposite side. About a thousand persons 
squatted on the ground in a semicircle, displaying their 
hierarchy by the distance at which they were placed from 
the sovereign. 
On my arrival King Lobossi rose, and after him the 
Counsellors and the whole people. I exchanged a pressure 
of the hand with the King and with Gambella, bowed my 
head to Matagja and the other two Counsellors, and then 
sat down near Lobossi and Gambella. After an exchange 
of compliments and polite greetings, which appeared 
rather to belong to a European court than a barbarous 
