his headmen came forward, shaded by a huge, ill-made umbrella,
and followed by his dependants, made obeisance to Casembe, and
sat down on his right and left: various bands of musicians did
the same. When called upon I rose and bowed, and an old
counsellor, with his ears cropped, gave the chief as full an
account as he had been able to gather during our stay of the
English in general, and my antecedents in particular. My having
passed through Lunda to the west of Casembe, and visited chiefs
of whom he scarcely knew anything, excited most attention. He
then assured me that I was welcome to his country, to go where I
liked, and do what I chose. We then went (two boys carrying his
train behind him) to an inner apartment, where the articles of
my present were exhibited in detail. He had examined them
privately before, and we knew that he was satisfied. They
consisted of eight yards of orange-coloured serge, a large
striped tablecloth; another large cloth made at Manchester in
imitation of West Coast native manufacture, which never fails to
excite the admiration of Arabs and natives, and a large richly
gilded comb for the back hair, such as ladies wore fifty years
ago: this was given to me by a friend at Liverpool, and as
Casembe and Nsama's people cultivate the hair into large knobs
behind, I was sure that this article would tickle the fancy.
Casembe expressed himself pleased, and again bade me welcome.

I had another interview, and tried to dissuade him from selling
his people as slaves. He listened awhile, then broke off into a
tirade on the greatness of his country, his power and dominion,
which Mohamad bin Saleh, who has been here for ten years,
turned into ridicule, and made the audience laugh by telling how
other Lunda chiefs had given me oxen and sheep, while Casembe