A Visit to Banza Chisalla. 113 
was en grande tenue , the State costume of Tuckey’s, 
not of Merolla’s day. The crown was the usual 
“ berretta ” (night-cap) of open work; the sceptre, 
a drum-majors staff; the robes, a “ parochial ” 
beadle’s coat of scarlet cloth, edged with tinsel 
gold lace. His neck was adorned with hair circlets 
of elephants’ tails, strung with coral and beads; 
the effect, to compare black with white, was that of 
Beau Brummell’s far-famed waterfall tie, and the 
head seemed supported as if on a narrow-rimmed 
“ charger.” The only other ornament was a broad 
silver ring welded round the ankle, and drawing 
attention to a foot which, all things considered, was 
small and well shaped. 
Some of the chiefs had copper rings of home 
manufacture, with neatly cut raised figures. The 
king held in his right hand an article which at 
first puzzled us—a foot’s length of split reed, with 
the bulbous root attached. He may not, like his 
vassals, point with the finger, and without pointing 
an African can hardly give an order. Moreover, 
the Sangalavu or Malaguetta pepper (Amomum 
granum Paradisi), fresh or old, is not only a tooth- 
stick, but a fetish of superior power when carried 
on journeys. Professor Smith writes “Sangala 
woo,” and tells us that it was always kept fresh in 
the house, to be rolled in the hands when invoking 
the Fetish during war-time ; moreover, it was 
chewed to be spat at the enemy. Possibly he 
11 . 
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