A Large Proportion Of The Balonda, Indeed,
Have Heads Somewhat Elongated Backward And Upward, Thick Lips, Flat Noses,
Elongated `Ossa Calces', Etc., Etc.; But There Are Also Many Good-Looking,
Well-Shaped Heads And Persons Among Them.
17TH, TUESDAY.
We were honored with a grand reception by Shinte
about eleven o'clock. Sambanza claimed the honor of presenting us,
Manenko being slightly indisposed. The native Portuguese and Mambari
went fully armed with guns, in order to give Shinte a salute;
their drummer and trumpeter making all the noise that very old instruments
would produce. The kotla, or place of audience, was about
a hundred yards square, and two graceful specimens of a species of banian
stood near one end; under one of these sat Shinte, on a sort of throne
covered with a leopard's skin. He had on a checked jacket,
and a kilt of scarlet baize edged with green; many strings of large beads
hung from his neck, and his limbs were covered with iron and copper
armlets and bracelets; on his head he wore a helmet made of beads
woven neatly together, and crowned with a great bunch of goose-feathers.
Close to him sat three lads with large sheaves of arrows over their shoulders.
When we entered the kotla, the whole of Manenko's party
saluted Shinte by clapping their hands, and Sambanza did obeisance
by rubbing his chest and arms with ashes. One of the trees being unoccupied,
I retreated to it for the sake of the shade, and my whole party did the same.
We were now about forty yards from the chief, and could see
the whole ceremony.
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