162 
RECOGNITION OF THE CHIEF. 
[chap. IV. 
my wife.” “ Your wife ! What a lie ! He is a boy.” 
“ Hot a bit of it,” I replied; “ she is my wife, who has 
come with me to see the women of this country.”' 
“ What a lie! ” he again politely rejoined in the one 
expressive Arabic word, “ Katab ” 
After this charmingly frank conversation he addressed 
the crowd, explaining, I suppose, that I was endea¬ 
vouring to pass off a boy for a woman. Mrs. Baker 
was dressed similar to myself in a pair of loose trousers 
and gaiters, with a blouse and belt—the only difference 
being that she wore long sleeves, while my arms were 
* 
bare from a few inches below the shoulder. I always 
kept my arms bare as being cooler than if covered. 
The curiosity of the crowd was becoming imper¬ 
tinent, when at an opportune moment the chief 
appeared. To my astonishment I recognised him as 
a man who had often visited me at Gondokoro, to 
whom I had given many presents without knowing 
his position. 
In a few moments he drove away the crowd, 
screaming and gesticulating at them as though greatly 
insulted; reserving the humpback as interpreter, he 
apologized for the rudeness of his people. Just at this 
instant I perceived, in the distance, the English flag 
leading the caravan of camels and donkeys from the 
hillside into the valley, and my people and baggage 
