Ensued a chorus of complimentary palaver touching the infinite
superiority of the Aryan over the Semite, but the point was in no
wise yielded. At last Young Prince subsided into a request for a
glass of rum, which being given "cut the palaver" (i.e. ended the
business). I soon resolved to show my hosts, by threatening to
leave them, the difference between traders and travellers. Barbot
relates that the Mpongwe of olden time demanded his "dassy"
before he consented to "liquor up," and boldly asked, "If he was
expected to drink gratis?" The impertinence was humoured,
otherwise not an ivory would have found its way to the factory.
But the traveller is not bound to endure these whimsy-whamsies;
and the sooner he declares his independence the better. Many
monkeys' skins were brought to me for sale, but I refused to buy,
lest the people might think it my object to make money; moreover,
all were spoilt for specimens by the "points" being snipped off.

I happened during the first afternoon to show my hosts a picture
of the bald-headed chimpanzee, Nchigo Mbuwwe (Troglodytes
calvus), here more generally called Nchigo Mpolo, "large
chimpanzee," or Nchigo Njue, "white-haired chimpanzee." They
recognized it at once; but when I turned over to the cottage
("Adventures," &c., p. 423), with its neat parachute-like roof,
all burst out laughing.

"You want to look him Nago (house)?" asked Hotaloya.

"Yes, for sure," I replied.

Forteune set out at once, carrying my gun, Selim followed me, and
the rear was brought up by a couple of little prick-eared curs