I state the fact for what it is worth, for the benefit of ethnologists. [Illustration: A PALAVER.] [Illustration: THE SO-CALLED NIGRITIAN, THE OLD PONTOON OF YOLA.] CHAPTER X FROM BUSSA TO THE SEA; CONCLUSION OF OUR VOYAGE The whole of the morning of the 3rd was occupied in receiving visits from people more or less nearly related to the chief, and in the afternoon I was informed that his Majesty himself would receive me. We crossed a marsh between the village and the bank, and duly arrived at Bussa. There is nothing very imposing about the town, and it has been recently much damaged by fire. We stopped at the door of a big round hut, some thirty-five to forty-five feet in diameter, which was really very well built. After a brief delay we were admitted. The chief of Bussa was squatting on a bench of hardened earth, some twenty inches high, and wore a _bubu_ of doubtful cleanliness, and a cap such as that worn by the eunuch in Molière’s play to which I alluded in speaking of Dendi. The bench was covered with just such a red carpet, with a lion rampant as I had seen at Tenda. The chief’s spear was stuck in the ground beside him, and his sceptre consisted of a cane ornamented with copper and silver. A horribly ugly wife, with a face covered with scars, shared the royal bench, whilst the courtiers remained squatted on the sand during the interview. On entering the hut every one was expected to kneel, and on reaching the chief the visitor had again to prostrate himself and cast sand upon his own head. [Illustration: VIEW OF BUSSA.] A wooden bench was assigned to us to sit on, and I spread out the handsomest present I had brought with me. Salutations were now exchanged. Thanks were given in the name of the Sultan of the French for the help given to Captain Toutée the year before by the Bussa canoes. I then slipped in a word about the facilities of transport I hoped for for myself. The reply was evasive, and moreover the expression of the chief’s face was anything but intelligent. We returned on board. The next day our visitors became more and more numerous. Having shown off the phonograph to various persons, the rumour of that wonderful instrument reached the ears of the chief himself, and he sent word to me that he too would like to hear it. [Illustration: NATIVES OF BUSSA.] He was, however, unwilling to put himself to any inconvenience for the sake of it, and wished me to take it to him. Anywhere else but at Bussa I would have said he might go to the devil, for it would be a very delicate operation to take the phonograph to him, especially across the marsh. But I was determined to do all in my power to conciliate the chief, so as to have his aid when I crossed the rapids. Four of my strongest coolies were therefore told off to carry the instrument, which fortunately arrived without sustaining any damage.