NATIVE HOSPITALITIES 
349 
jubilation in the house on this occasion, and considerable 
opening of bags of flour, tins of jams, and a mysterious case 
adorned with modern hieroglyphics closely resembling three 
stars (***), symbolical of the heavenly state the contents would 
soon produce in the consumer, which the cautious Stremboom, 
while apparently ignoring in presence of the savages, to 
whom the knowledge of its contents might be baneful, yet 
secretly, under cover of the friendly night, with much cere¬ 
monious attention, proper to the dignity of the occasion, 
transported to the seclusion of his bed-chamber, whence sounds 
of a secret discussion of much importance regarding the flavour 
and quality of this celestially promulgated elixir soon arose 
from four deeply interested investigators. 
The following day Moremi sent his four wives over to ‘ call ’ 
on me, a gentle hint that such trifles as gaudy shawls, patent 
leather button shoes, and articles of similar decorative value 
would be welcome to them as a friendly return for the corn and 
beer they had liberally supplied us with. Nor were the good 
ladies disappointed, for when we had exercised our retributive 
generosity to the full, Stremboom produced a special box of 
trumpery, sent for the purpose, and displaying the contents 
before the delighted eyes of the fourfold queens^ handed the lot 
over to them to their intense satisfaction. Adorned with beady 
necklaces, armlets of bright metals, and shawls of most wonder¬ 
ful awe-inspiring combinations of colour, the ladies then took 
their departure, leaving us an invitation to pay a social call on 
the morrow. 
Of course we accepted; and arrayed in our best sent a herald 
in advance to announce our approach. This was an occasion 
on which the ladies entertained us personally, so all men of 
the tribe, including his majesty, were precluded from the 
function. Attended by smart-looking damsels, the queens 
dished up boiled beef on a large wooden platter holding 
enough for at least two dozen men, and with their 
delicate fingers handed us choice pieces of the meat 
principally notable for fatty preponderance, which we out 
