He was perfectly red from head to toes, having
been freshly smeared with red ochre and grease for the interview. A
well-dressed skin of an antelope was slung across his shoulder, and
descending across his loins it constituted his scanty clothing.
His conversation was merely a repetition of the old story being a series
of complaints against the slave-hunters. He declared that he had never
visited Abou Saood or any of his people, but that when he had heard of
my arrival, he had determined at once to offer his allegiance, and he
and all adjacent countries would serve the government faithfully, in
return for protection and justice.
I assured him that he had nothing to fear from the slave-hunters in
future, as I should leave Major Abdullah and a detachment of troops to
represent the government during my absence. He was to supply them with
corn, and to yield the same obedience to Major Abdullah as he would to
me. I gave him nine yards of red cotton cloth, six pounds of beads, two
razors, one comb, two horn snakes in boxes, one knife, one burning
glass, one zinc mirror, two nickel spoons, three rods of thick brass
wire, two finger rings, two pair of ear-rings, two red and yellow cotton
handkerchiefs.
The total value of this extensive present was about twenty-one
shillings.
