the dead ; and as many friends had recently heen
killed, mnsic and dancing would be in fashion for some
weeks.
There was an excellent interpreter belonging to
Ibrahim’s party—a Bari lad of about eighteen. This
boy had been in their service for some years, and had
learnt Arabic, which he spoke fluently, although with
a peculiar accent, owing to the extraction of thé four
front teeth of the lower jaw, according to the general
custom. It was of great importance to obtain the
confidence of Loggo, as my success depended much
upon information that I might obtain from the natives;
therefore, whenever I sent for him to hold any conversation
with the people, I invariably gave him a little
present at parting. Accordingly he obeyed any
summons from me with great alacrity, knowing that
the interview would terminate with a “ backsheesh ”
(present). In this manner I succeeded in establishing
confidence, and he would frequently come uncalled to
my tent and converse upon all manner of subjects.
The Latooka language is different to the Bari, and a
second interpreter was necessary ; this was a sharp lad
about the same age : thus the conversation was somewhat
tedious, the medium being Bari and Latooka. -
The chief Commoro (the “ Lion ” ) was one of the
most clever and common-sense savages that I had seen