The Inner Room Contained Nothing Save A Hard
Plank, Raised On Four Short Pegs From The Earth Floor.
I shook hands with and thanked the chief, and directed that all the
loads should be placed inside the huts.
I must admit my good friend
was a villainous-looking savage, but he behaved most hospitably and
kindly. From what I had heard of the Fan, I deemed it advisable not
to make any present to him at once, but to base my claim on him on
the right of an amicable stranger to hospitality. When I had seen
all the baggage stowed I went outside and sat at the doorway on a
rather rickety mushroom-shaped stool in the cool evening air,
waiting for my tea which I wanted bitterly. Pagan came up as usual
for tobacco to buy chop with; and after giving it to him, I and the
two chiefs, with Gray Shirt acting as interpreter, had a long chat.
Of course the first question was, Why was I there?
I told them I was on my way to the factory of H. and C. on the
Rembwe. They said they had heard of "Ugumu," i.e., Messrs Hatton
and Cookson, but they did not trade direct with them, passing their
trade into towns nearer to the Rembwe, which were swindling bad
towns, they said; and they got the idea stuck in their heads that I
was a trader, a sort of bagman for the firm, and Gray Shirt could
not get this idea out, so off one of their majesties went and
returned with twenty-five balls of rubber, which I bought to promote
good feeling, subsequently dashing them to Wiki, who passed them in
at Ndorko when we got there.
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