Up the Congo to Banza Nokki . 145 
with a tail of fifty-six which had swelled to 150 
ragged followers. 
After a short delay we proceeded to the “ pa¬ 
lace,” which was distinguished from afar by a 
long projecting gable, forming a cool verandah. 
Descending'some three hundred feet, we passed a 
familiar sight in Africa, where “ arboribus suus 
horror inest.” A tree-trunk bore three pegged 
skulls somewhat white with age ; eight years ago 
they were taken off certain wizards who had 
bewitched their enemies. A labyrinthine entrance 
of transparent cane-work served to prevent indecent 
haste, and presently we found ourselves in presence 
of the Mfumo, who of course takes the title of 
“ Le Rei.” Nessudikira was a “ blanc-bec,” aged 
twenty or twenty-one, who till lately had been a 
trading lad at Boma—now he must not look upon 
the sea. He appeared habited in the usual guy 
style : a gaudy fancy helmet, a white shirt with 
limp Byronic collar, a broad-cloth frock coat, a 
purple velvet gold-fringed loin-wrap : a theatrical 
dagger whose handle and sheath bore cut-glass 
emeralds and rubies, stuck in the waist-belt ; 
brass anklets depended over naked feet, and the 
usual beadle’s cloak covered the whole. Truly a 
change for the worse since Tuckey’s day, when a 
“savage magnificence” showed itself in the display 
of lions’ and leopards’ skins ; when no women were 
allowed to be present, and when the boys could 
11. 
L 
