66 
EAST AFRICA AND ITS BIG GAME. 
feet in length, with both ends stopped up, leaving 
one small hole for the door. 
On reaching the outskirts of the cultivated ground we 
pitched our camp, and although we heard a great deal 
of shouting in the hills, we met with no opposition 
beyond one feeble attempt to detain Martin and the 
tail of the caravan. Almost as soon as the camp was in 
order, some of Mbogoli’s warriors appeared to announce 
a visit which their chief proposed to pay us, and of 
course they inspected us with great curiosity. 
We passed the time, while waiting for Mbogoli, by 
letting off a Pharaoh’s serpent, and by showing them 
a musical mug which played a tune whenever it was 
raised to the lips, and, needless to say, they were much 
impressed by these wonders. Soon the firing of two 
guns and the blowing of an instrument, that sounded 
like a penny trumpet, announced the approach of 
Mbogoli and his headmen. The chief was a cunning¬ 
looking scoundrel, with the face and head partially 
shaved; his chief ornaments were two necklets of 
twisted iron wire, one of beads, a single earring of 
rough design, two bracelets of white metal worn above 
the elbows, two others of copper wire on the wrist, 
a white cotton handkerchief with coloured spots, and 
a dirty piece of cloth round his waist; the dress of his 
four headmen was equally quaint and scanty. 
He extended to each of us a hand, grimy, scaly and 
clammy, and sat upon a chair Martin had placed 
especially for him. We expected the followers to 
squat on the ground, but his prime minister, not to 
