our hut when my vakeel announced that Kamrasi
had arrived to pay me a visit. In a few minutes he was ushered into
the hut. Far from being abashed, he entered with a loud laugh, totally
different from his former dignified manner. "Well, here you are
at last!" he exclaimed. Apparently highly amused with our wretched
appearance, he continued, "So you have been to the M'wootan N'zige!
Well, you don't look much the better for it; why, I should not have
known you! ha, ha, ha!" I was not in a humor to enjoy his attempts at
facetiousness; I therefore told him that he had behaved disgracefully
and meanly, and that I should publish his character among the adjoining
tribes as below that of the most petty chief that I had ever seen.

"Never mind," he replied, "it's all over now. You really are thin, both
of you. It was your own fault; why did you not agree to fight Fowooka?
You should have been supplied with fat cows and milk and butter, had you
behaved well. I will have my men ready to attack Fowooka to-morrow.
The Turks have ten men, you have thirteen; thirteen and ten make
twenty-three. You shall be carried if you can't walk, and we will give
Fowooka no chance. He must be killed--only kill him, and MY BROTHER will
give you half of his kingdom."

He continued, "You shall have supplies to-morrow; I will go to my
BROTHER, who is the great M'Kamma Kamrasi, and he will send you all
you require. I am a little man; he is a big one. I have nothing; he has
everything, and he longs to see you. You must go to him directly; he
lives close by."

I hardly knew whether he was drunk or sober. "My bother the great
M'Kamma Kamrasi!" I felt bewildered with astonishment. Then, "If you are
not Kamrasi, pray who are you?" I asked. "Who am I?" he replied. "Ha,
ha, ha! that's very good; who am I?--I am M'Gambi, the brother of
Kamrasi; I am the younger brother, but HE IS THE KING."

The deceit of this country was incredible. I had positively never seen
the real Kamrasi up to this moment, and this man M'Gambi now confessed
to having impersonated the king, his brother, as Kamrasi was afraid that
I might be in league with Debono's people to murder him, and therefore
he had ordered his brother M'Gambi to act the king.

I told M'Gambi that I did not wish to see his brother, the king, as I
should perhaps be again deceived and be introduced to some impostor like
himself; and that as I did not choose to be made a fool of, I should
decline the introduction