There Were
Several Large Huts In The Inclosure, Belonging To His Wives; He Received
Us Very Politely, And Begged Us To Enter His Principal Residence; It Was
Simply Arranged, Being The Usual Circular Hut, But About Twenty-Five
Feet In Diameter.
"Creeping on all fours through the narrow doorway, we found ourselves in
the presence of one of his wives, who was preparing merissa.
The
furniture of the apartment was practical, and quite in accordance with
the taste of the old chief, as the whole establishment appeared to be
devoted to brewing merissa. There were several immense jars capable of
holding about thirty gallons: some of these were devoted to beer, while
one was reserved to contain little presents that he had received from
ourselves and the Turks, including a much-esteemed red flannel shirt:
these recherche objects were packed in the jar, and covered by a smaller
vessel inverted on the mouth to protect them from rats and white ants.
Two or three well-prepared ox-hides were spread upon the ground; and he
requested Mrs. Baker to sit on his right hand, while I sat upon the
left. Thus satisfactorily arranged, he called for some merissa, which
his wife immediately brought in an immense gourd-shell, and both my wife
and I having drunk, he took a long draught, and finished the gourd.
"The delightful old sorcerer, determined to entertain us, called for his
rababa: a species of harp was handed to him; this was formed of a hollow
base and an upright piece of wood, from which descended eight strings.
Some time was expended in carefully tuning his instrument, which, being
completed, he asked, 'if he should sing?' Fully prepared for something
comic, we begged him to begin.
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