"Son of a dog, dat fella!" replied John indignantly. "He want to know too much. Talk 'bout sah's father and mother, how many wives, what he come for, too much!" "Did you tell him I want to buy food?" "No, sah; I tell him----" "Then do so at once," Royce interrupted sternly. In a more subdued tone of voice, John gave his message. The man again withdrew. After another interval, the gate was thrown open, and Royce, entering, found himself among a band of stalwart natives, carrying long, broad-bladed spears, and marked on each cheek, near the ear, with five or six narrow cuts, the badge of their tribe. Escorted by them, and watched by a curious crowd of townsfolk, Royce proceeded to the chief's large mud house in the centre of the town. On entering he was greeted with the words: "_Sanu, bature!_" (Hail, white man!) from a stout, pleasant-faced, bearded black man, somewhat past middle age, who motioned to him to be seated, and ordered one of his slaves to bring forward a present of a roasted fowl. The customary salutations passed between host and visitor. Royce had already learnt to endure this lengthy ceremony with patience. It was something like this: _John_: "Hail, chief! Is it well with you?" _Chief_: "It is well." _John_: "Allah be praised! Is it well with your wives?" _Chief_: "It is well." _John_: "Allah be praised! Is it well with your children?" _Chief_: "It is well." _John_: "Allah be praised! And your horses?" _Chief_: "It is well." _John_: "Allah be praised! And your cattle?" _Chief_: "They are well." _John_: "Allah be praised! Your house and all that is yours?" _Chief_: "All is well." _John_: "Allah be praised!" And then they got to business. The chief apologised for the delay in opening the gate. His watchmen had to be careful, because it was reported that Tubus were in the neighbourhood. A few days before a fugitive had come in from the westward, and told how his village had been raided and destroyed. From the chief's description, Royce gathered that this was the village which he had himself seen, and near which Challis was encamped. Royce then explained the object of his visit, instructing John to translate exactly what he said, without adding or subtracting anything. The chief at once agreed to sell a quantity of millet and manioc for the men, and to present Royce with a few dozen eggs--an offer which Royce gracefully accepted, though he knew that most of the eggs would turn out to be bad. The African native can never understand the white man's squeamishness in the matter of addled eggs.