The natives were entirely naked, and precisely the same as the Bari.
Their chief, Legge, was among them, and received a present from Ibrahim
of a long red cotton shirt, and he assumed an air of great importance.
Ibrahim explained to him who I was, and he immediately came to ask for
the tribute he expected to receive as "blackmail" for the right of
entree into his country. Of all the villainous countenances that I have
ever seen, that of Legge 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 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 five-eighths of an
inch thick and weighing about a pound, smaller ones 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 signified 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 humor, 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.
