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went around our camp that there was a town regulation forbidding anyone who was not a soldier from wearing khaki.  Even Bill and Si were a little worried, because they have khaki trousers and shorts, but Fine Boy was really upset, because his only garments were a khaki shirt, shorts, and a broad-brimmed, khaki colored hat.  The Sergeant, a big, fine-looking negro called Gibson, came to call on us, and assured us that the regulation would be waived during our stay in the village.  Mr. Dennis, the local representative of the Revenue Department, also called on us, and both of them were friendly and hospitable, albeit a bit bewildered that we should have come to their little mud town looking for wild animals.  We had considerable difficulty in buying enough rice for our boys; so many times when our caravan hits a town we double the population, and getting food for 80 men on the spur of the moment is not easy.  Another time we shall send a messenger ahead to warn the inhabitants to prepare for us.

March 24 -

Easter Sunda y.  We are unable to buy any eggs in the town for breakfast.  After our long walk of yesterday we were glad to sleep late, and loaf in the palaver kitchen all morning.  Our chimpanzee is now ensconced in a discarded chicken basket on our verandah, as is the voracious young hornbill.  We spend half the time chasing small children away from our lone two specimens, and impressing upon all the townsfolk that we do not want them to share any such delicacies as palm nuts or kola with our pets.  Also we continually shoo chickens, cows, goats, [[strikethrough]] hairless [[/strikethrough]] sheep (the unwoolly variety), dogs, cats, [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] guinea fowl and Muscovy ducks out of our way.

Three members of the local Snake Society came to see us, and we tried to put them to work collecting snakes for us.  However, they said it would be impossible for them to sell snakes to anyone who did not belong to the Society.  If we cared to spend eight shillings apiece, we could become members, and we accepted the invitation with alacrity - well, J and I held back a little, rather expecting that we should be asked to handle poisonous snakes during our initiation.

We find living off the country precarious, and are glad we brought a plentiful supply of canned goods.  One day we can buy 15 eggs, another day two; an occasional rather green plantain comes in, but bananas, pineapples, pawpaws and limes are scarce.  Even palm nuts and country pepper are hard to get when we want country chop.

Eventually it gets very tiresome having a crowd of staring blacks crowded against your living quarters all day and all evening.  You forget about them for a time, then realize that you are stifling and look up and see that there is a solid wall of humanity between you and the fresh air.  You disperse them by shouting "Moof!  Don't lock the breeze."  Bill finally drew a magic circle in the ground with a stick, and for a time they stayed respectfully back of it.

There was a dance tonight of the Grigri Bush, similar to the one we saw at Digain - white clay on face and body, string skirts, gourds decorated with cowrie shells, The same big head-dress that the Kpessi women wear, and bunches of dried grass tied on the arms.  The only illumination was the moonlight, and the eerie mono-