SORAIS' SONG After our escape from Agon and his pious crew we returned to our quarters in the palace and had a very good time.

The two Queens, the nobles and the people vied with each other in doing us honour and showering gifts upon us.

As for that painful little incident of the hippopotami it sank into oblivion, where we were quite content to leave it.

Every day deputations and individuals waited on us to examine our guns and clothing, our chain shirts, and our instruments, especially our watches, with which they were much delighted.

In short, we became quite the rage, so much so that some of the fashionable young swells among the Zu-Vendi began to copy the cut of some of our clothes, notably Sir Henry's shooting jacket.