EAST AFRICA AND ITS BIG GAME. 
16 
some Egyptian melodies, or perhaps more correctly, 
discords. 
The Audience Chamber is a long and narrow room, 
so long indeed that it might be considered as another 
corridor, the sides lined with heavy gilt chairs, and the 
walls decorated by large gilt mirrors. The Sultan 
took his seat at the further end, and motioned us to 
the nearest chairs on his right, while the Arab nobles, 
numbering about forty, seated themselves on either 
side below us. An interpreter then took his place in 
front of his Majesty, a strange-looking old gentleman, 
of a bright yellow complexion with ears stuffed with 
cotton wool, who wore a pair of blue spectacles, a 
turban, a long black robe, and a sash. After a 
moment’s pause a fat and stately swell in light brown 
robes, whom we understood was the master of 
ceremonies, waddled up the room, followed by servants 
bearing coffee and the inevitable pink sherbet; of 
these we had to partake, though fortunately we only 
had to taste the sherbet, for it is bad manners to take 
a long drink at a royal reception. 
I then stood up and presented the letter of H.R.H. 
the Prince of Wales, and B- presented another 
letter from Sir John Kirk. I accompanied my letter 
by a short complimentary speech which was transmitted 
to his Majesty by the interpreter. To this the Sultan 
replied by wishing us every success, adding that, as 
the Prince of Wales had been so kind to him when he 
visited England, he would do everything he could in 
return for any one bearing his recommendation. 
