the right of entrée into his country. Of all the
villanous countenances that I have ever seen, that
of Leggé excelled. Ferocity, avarice, and sensuality
were stamped upon his face, and I immediately
requested him to sit for his portrait, and in about
ten minutes I succeeded in placing within my portfolio
an exact likeness of about the greatest rascal
that exists even in Central Africa.
I had now the satisfaction of seeing my caravan
slowly winding down the hillside in good order, having
surmounted all their difficulties.
Upon arrival, my men were perfectly astonished at
seeing us so near the trader’s party, and still more
confounded at - my sending for Ibrahim to summon
him to my tree, where I presented him with some
English sovereigns and a double-barrelled gun. Nothing
escapes the inquisitiveness of these Arabs; and the
men of both parties quickly perceived that I had established
an alliance in some unaccountable manner with
Ibrahim. I saw the gun, lately presented to him, being
handed from one to the other for examination ; and
both my vakeel and men appeared utterly confused at
the sudden change.
The chief of Ellyria now came to inspect my
luggage, and demanded fifteen heavy copper bracelets
and a large quantity of beads. The bracelets most in
demand are- simple rings of copper -fths of an inch
thick, and weighing about a pound; those of smaller
size not being so much valued. I gave him fifteen such
rings, and about ten pounds of beads in varieties, the
red coral porcelain (dimiriaf) being the most acceptable.
Legge was by no means satisfied : he said, “ his
belly was very big and it must be filled,” which signi-?
fled, that his desire was great and must be gratified.
I accordingly gave him a few extra copper rings ; but
suddenly he smelt spirits, one of the few bottles that
I possessed of spirits of wine having broken in the
medicine chest. Ibrahim begged me to give him a
bottle to put him in a good humour, as he enjoyed
nothing so much as araki; I accordingly gave him
a pint bottle of the strongest spirits of wine. To my
amazement he broke off the neck, and holding his
head well back, he deliberately allowed the whole of
the contents to trickle down his throat as innocently
as though it had been simple water. He,
was thoroughly accustomed to it, as the traders were
in the habit of bringing him presents of araki every
season. He declared this to be excellent, and demanded
another bottle. At that moment a violent storm of
thunder and rain burst upon us with' a fury well
known in the tropics ; the rain fell like a waterspout^
and the throng immediately fled for shelter, So
VOL. i . n