ch I was evidently the subject, since he repeatedly pointed
to me. He must have included in his narrative the incident of the
snake-bite, for at one point he seized my right hand and, turning the
palm upward, pointed out the spot where the two tiny punctures of the
poison fangs were still faintly visible. It appeared as if this part of
his story was received with grave suspicion by both Banda and Mafuta,
for I was led forward in order that each in turn might examine the
marks; and after this had been done, several of the savages who had been
present at the time were invited to give what I took to be corroborative
testimony. When at length the headman had told his story, Banda issued
a brief order to his guards, two of whom at once advanced toward me and
laid their hands upon my shoulders as though to lead me away. But,
whatever the order may have been, Mafuta evidently objected to it, for
no sooner had it been spoken than he sprang to his feet, and with quite
marvellous agility, hurried to me and seized me by the left arm, saying
in an angry voice something to the guards that I interpreted as an order
to release their hold upon me. But Banda promptly intervened,
reiterating his order to his guards; whereupon there ensued between the
two great men a most unseemly altercation, the hubbub of which had the
effect of bringing the entire royal household to the door of the palace,
when, catching sight of me, they unceremoniously swarmed out and crowded
round me with every expression of the most unbounded astonishment,
particularly on the part of the women, who apparently could not persuade
themselves that the colour of my skin and hair were real, for they not
only took my skin between their fingers, but gently pinched it. When
they found that my shoulders and other parts of my body which had been
protected from the sun were quite white, whereas the exposed parts were
by this time quite as dark as their own skins, there was no limit to
their amazement and delight. I thought that the women-folk seemed
rather well disposed toward me, I therefore did the best I could to
strengthen this feeling by smiling at them and speaking to them in a
gentle tone of voice, with the result that before another five minutes
had passed we were all gabbling and laughing together like so many
children, although neither side understood a word of what was said by
the other. In the midst of it all Mafuta sprang from his chair in a
towering rage, a