109 x 157 mm. A full length portrait of Chief Kai Lundu, dressed in gaily patterned robes and standing in a clearing against a background of trees. Kai Lundu (or Kai London) was born around 1845, and after winning fame as a warrior he joined forces with another chief, Ndawa in the Kpove wars of the 1880's. A subsequent quarrel with Ndawa in which he defeated him formed the basis of the Luawa kingdom which he built up in the north-eastern hinterland, constructing his capital Kailahun on the site of Sexalu in the early 1880's. Kai Lundu was an enthusiastic ally of the English and made a treaty with the Government, through Alldridge, on April 7 1890. Alldridge was immediately impressed with Kai Lundu, remarking after their first meeting: 'He immediately professed great friendship, and I never had any cause to doubt his sincerity. I always found him a true friend.' (Alldridge 1901, page 187). Kai Lundu was at first nervous of being photographed (and indeed looks somewhat suspiciously at the camera in this print), but allowed a photograph of his wife to be taken: 'The next time I visited Kai Lundu's town and showed him a picture of his wife, he consented to have his own portrait taken, which is the one now reproduced. The beautiful gown which he is wearing is entirely of country make. It will be observed in this photograph that he has put on no ornaments. He had a very great objection to any ostentatious display either on himself or on any of his numerous wives...' (Alldridge 1901, page 191).

Although loyal to the colonial government, the dismemberment of Kai Lundu's Kingdom came as a result of the Anglo-French agreement of 1894. Despite Governor Cardew's protestations, this agreement placed half of the Luawa Kingdom in Liberian territory and hastened its disintegration back to its original position as a number of petty chieftainships (see (Abraham 1978, pages 202-12)). Sources differ as to the date of his death which took place in either 1895 or 1896. His place of burial is unknown.