This, however, at the time of our visit, was used as a market and a drilling ground.
We entered the town, that must in all have contained a great number of inhabitants, by the South gate, a strong log structure facing a wooded slope through which ran a road.

Just as the sun was setting we marched to the guest-huts up a central street lined with the population of the place who had gathered to stare at us.

These huts were situated in the Soldiers' Quarter, not far from the king's house and surrounded by an inner fence to keep them private.
None of the people spoke as we passed them, for the Mazitu are polite by nature; also it seemed to me that they regarded us with awe tempered by curiosity.

They only stared, and occasionally those of them who were soldiers saluted us by lifting their spears.

The huts into which we were introduced by Babemba, with whom we had grown very friendly, were good and clean.
Here all our belongings, including the guns which we had collected just before the slaves ran away, were placed in one of the huts over which a Mazitu mounted guard, the donkeys being tied to the fence at a little distance.