It was now ten o'clock, and the women were still sitting in groups

round the several wood fires. The travellers themselves only occupied

a small verandah, which was simply the projection of the roof of a

thatched hut. Their horses were fastened to wooden stakes in the

centre of the yard; their men were lying round them, warming

themselves at their own fires. Sheep, beautiful sheep with tinkling

bells hung round their necks, were chewing the cud in peace and

happiness. But notwithstanding it was the hour of repose, the tongues

of the female travellers were making a clatter which all the women of

Billingsgate could not rival, and together with the squalling of

brats innumerable, completely spoiled the emotions, which the wild

and pleasing scene around them would otherwise have awakened in their

breasts. The sheep here are regarded with as much partiality, and

treated much in the same manner as ladies lap dogs are in England.

Great care is taken to keep them clean and in good condition; they

are washed every morning in soap and water; and so greatly are they

attached to their masters or mistresses, that they are constantly at

their meals, following them in doors and out, from town to town, and

in all their peregrinations. Goats, sheep, swine and poultry are in

great plenty here, and in the possession of every one,

notwithstanding which they are always excessively dear, because the

people take a pride in displaying the number and quality of their

domesticated animals.

The inhabitants of Jeado are in general very decently dressed in

cotton dresses of their own manufacture. In their persons, they are

much more agreeable, than those who reside near the sea. European

goods are brought hither from Dahomey and Badagry, but more

especially from Lagos, and are daily exposed for sale in the markets

of Jadoo and Egga. Several chiefs on the road, questioned the

travellers to account to them for the Portuguese not purchasing so

many slaves as formerly, and they made very sad complaints of the

stagnation of that branch of traffic. It would perhaps have been as

much as their heads were worth, to have told them the true reason.

Hippopotami abound in the rivers in the vicinity of the town, when

young, the flesh and skin of these animals are sold as food, and

whips and other articles are made of the skins of the old ones. At

the usual hour of the following day, April 17th, they quitted Jadoo,

and in the middle of the day arrived at a clean, pretty little

village, called Pooya. The appearance of the country between these

places is extremely fine, resembling a magnificent orchard. On their

way they met several hundreds of people of both sexes and all ages,

with a great number of bullocks, sheep, and goats, together with

fowls and pigeons, which were carried on the head in neat wicker

baskets. Several of the travellers were loaded with country cloth,

and indigo in large round balls. They were all slaves, and were

proceeding to the coast from the interior, to sell the goods and

animals under their charge. One old woman had the misfortune to let a

large calabash of palm oil fall from her head: on arriving at the

spot, they found a party of females, her companions in slavery,

wringing their hands and crying. The affliction of the old woman was

bitter indeed, as she dreaded the punishment which awaited her on her

return to the house of her master. John Lander compassionated her

distress, and gave her a large clasp knife, which would more than

recompense her for the loss of the oil, on which the women wiped away

their tears, and fell down on the dust before them, exhibiting

countenances more gladsome and animated than could be conceived.

The mortality of children must be immense indeed here, for almost

every woman they met with on the road, had one or more of those

little wooden images, already mentioned. Wherever the mothers stopped

to take refreshment, a small part of their food was invariably

presented to the lips of these inanimate memorials. The daughters of

civilization may boast of the refinement of their feelings, but under

what circumstances did they ever exhibit a stronger instance of

maternal affection than these rude, untutored mothers of interior

Africa evinced to our travellers. The English mother will frequently

deposit her child in the grave, and a few days afterwards will be

seen joining in all the pleasures and vanities of the world. Whirled

about in a vortex of dissipation, the mother of civilization bears no

memorial about her of the infant that is in its grave; but the

uncivilized African carries about with her the image of her child,

and, in the full force of her maternal affection, feeds not herself

until in her imagination she has fed the being who once was dear to

her. There was something beautifully affectionate in the mother

offering the food to the images of her children, and had a whole

volume been written in display of the African female character, a

more forcible illustration could not have been given of it.

Although Pooya is considered by the natives to be a day's journey

from Jadoo, they only halted to pay their respects to the chief, and

then continued their journey over gentle hills, and through valleys

watered by streams and rivulets, so as to reach Engua in the

afternoon. The soil between the two towns is mostly dry and sterile,

and large masses of ironstone, which looked as if they had undergone

the action of fire, presented themselves almost at every step. The

day was oppressively hot, and as they had been exposed to the sun for

a great number of hours, when they reached Engua, their skin was

scorched and highly inflamed, which proved very painful to them.

Richard Lander was comparatively inured to the climate, but his

brother now begun to feel it severely, he was sore, tired, and

feverish, and longed to be down in a hut, but they were obliged to

remain under a tree for three hours, before they could be favoured

with that opportunity, because the chief of that town was engaged in

making a fetish, for the purpose of counteracting any evil intentions

that the white men might entertain towards him. All their people were

fatigued and exhausted on the road, complaining much of the heat, and

one of them was brought to them in the evening in a high fever. Engua

is the town where the lamented Captain Pearce breathed his last, and

here also Captain Clapperton felt quite disheartened, and almost

despaired of penetrating further into the interior of the country.

The chief sent them only a little Indian corn and water, and

obstinately refused to sell them either a goat, sheep, or any other

animal, although there were many thousands in the town.

Their reception at Engua was so truly inhospitable, that they arose

at a much earlier hour than they generally did, and proceeded on

their way by starlight. In place of the ironstone which they had

observed on the preceding day, the country was now partially covered

with large and unshapely masses of granite. Mountains and elevated

hills were observed to the right of them, the sides of which were

thickly wooded, and their summits reaching above the clouds. At nine

o'clock, they passed through a neat and cleanly village named Chakka,

which had lately lost its chief, and an hour afterwards crossed a

small river called Akeeney, which was full of sharp and rugged rocks,

and is reported to fall into the Lagos. They were carried over on

men's shoulders without much difficulty, but the horses were a long

time in getting across. Hence the path winded up a high and steep

hill, which they ascended, and entered the town of Afoora about

mid-day. The governor gave them a hearty welcome, and said it made

him so extremely happy to see them, which was also expressed by the

joy and animation of his countenance. The best hut in the town, which

was the most airy and commodious of any they had seen, was presently

got ready for them, and shortly after they had taken possession of

it, they received a quantity of excellent provisions from the chief.

This was the first day of his government; his father, the late chief,

had been dead some time, but from motives of delicacy he refused to

take upon himself his authority until this morning. In honour of the

event, a large company of women were dancing, rejoicing, and making

merry all the evening, outside their hut. It appeared as rather a

strange circumstance to Richard Lander, that the chief or governor of

almost every town through which they had passed since leaving

Badagry, who was alive and well on his return to the coast three

years ago, had been either slain in war or had died from natural

causes. Scarcely one of them was alive on his present expedition.

On April 19th, an easy pleasant ride of three hours brought them to

the first walled town they had seen, which was called Assinara. The

wall was of clay and so diminutive, that a person might easily jump

over it; a dry ditch about eighteen inches deep, and three or four

feet in width also surrounds the town. Over this a single plank is

thrown, which answers the purpose of a draw-bridge, and is the only

means the inhabitants have of getting in and out of the place.

Assinara had also lately lost its chief in some battle, and all

business was transacted by a benevolent elderly man, who volunteered

his services till a successor should be appointed. From him the

Landers received the warmest reception, and the most hospitable

treatment.

The climate now began to have a most debilitating effect upon John

Lander, and from a state of robust health and vigour, he was now

reduced to so great a degree of lassitude and weakness, that he could

scarcely stand a minute at a time. Every former pleasure seemed to

have lost its charm with him. He was on this day attacked with fever,

and his condition would have been hopeless indeed, had his brother

not been near to relieve him. He complained of excessive thirst. Ten

grains of calomel were administered to him, and afterwards a strong

dose of salts. On the following day, April 20th, he was much better

and free from fever, but too weak to travel, their stay, therefore,

at Assinara was unavoidably protracted.

The acting governor visited them with a very long face, and entreated

the Landers to discover a certain wizard, whom he imagined to be

concealed somewhere in the town. By the influence of this sorcerer, a

number of people, it was said, pined away and died, and women with

child were more especially the object of his malevolence. These

victims dropped down suddenly, without the slightest warning, and the

deaths had lately been so numerous, that the old man himself was

grievously alarmed, and begged a charm to preserve him and his

family.

On the 23rd, John Lander finding himself considerably invigorated and

refreshed by a day's rest at Assinara, and sufficiently recovered to

pursue their journey, all hands were in readiness to start at an

early hour. The morning was cool and pleasant, and they travelled

onwards in excellent spirits. Without meeting any thing particular in

the path, or perceiving any object sufficiently interesting or novel

to demand attention, they entered the town of Accadoo in the

forenoon, having had an agreeable ride of a few hours duration only.

At this time John Lander seemed to be free from any kind of complaint

whatever, and enjoyed an unusual cheerfulness and buoyancy of

spirits, which led his brother to form the most flattering

anticipations. In the course of a few minutes, however, his body was

overspread with a burning heat, and he suffered under another attack

of fever, more violent than any of the former. He resorted to the

most powerful remedies, he could think of at the time. His brother

bled him, and applied a strong blister to the region of the stomach,

where the disorder seemed to be seated. It was swollen and oppressed

with pain, and he felt as if some huge substance lay upon his chest.

His mouth being dry and clogged, and his thirst burning and

unquenchable, he drank so much water that his body was greatly

swollen. Towards evening, his ideas became confused and he grew

delirious. He afterwards described to his brother the horrible

phantoms that disturbed him whilst in this state, and the delicious

emotion that ran through his whole frame, when the dreadful vision

had passed away. Tears gushed from his eyes, a profuse perspiration,

which had been so long checked, gave him immediate relief, and from

that moment his health began to improve.

During this illness of John Lander, the natives made a most hideous

noise by singing and drumming on the celebration of their fetish.

Richard went out with the hope of inducing them to be quiet, but they

only laughed at him, and annoyed them the more; having no compassion

whatever for the sufferings of a white man, and if they can mortify

him by any means, they consider it a praiseworthy deed. This day at

noon, the sun stood at 99 degrees of Fahrenheit.

Early on Saturday the 24th, a hammock was prepared for John Lander,

he being too weak to ride on horseback; and shortly wards they

quitted the town of Accadoo, in much better spirits, than

circumstances had led them to expect. The hammock-men found their

burden rather troublesome, nevertheless they travelled at a pretty

quick pace, and between eight and nine o'clock, halted at a pleasant

and comfortable village called Etudy. The chief sent them a fowl and

four hundred kowries; but they stopped only to take a slight

refreshment, and to pay their respects. They then proceeded through

large plantations of cotton, indigo, Indian corn, and yams, and over

stony fields, till between ten and eleven, when they entered the town

of Chouchou. They were almost immediately introduced to the chief,

and from him into a ruinous hut, in a more filthy state than can be

imagined. No pigstye was ever half so bad. Its late occupier had

incurred the displeasure and hatred of the chief, because he happened

to be very rich, and rather than pay a heavy fine, he ran away and

joined his former enemies, and this partly accounted for the

destitution and wretchedness around them.

Since leaving Jenna they met an incredible number of persons visited

with the loss of one eye. They assigned no other reason for their

misfortune, than the heat and glare of the rays of the sun.

During the whole of this night it rained most heavily; but their hut,

although of the very worst description, had a pretty good thatched

roof, and sheltered them better than they could have expected. There

are seasons and periods in our life-time, in which we feel a happy

complacency of temper and an inward satisfaction, cheerfulness, and

joy, for which we cannot very well account, but which constrain us to

be at peace with ourselves and our neighbours, and in love with all

the works of God. In this truly enviable frame of mind, Richard

Lander says he awoke on this morning, to proceed onwards on

horseback. It was a morning, which was fairly entitled to the epithet

of incense breathing; for the variety of sweet-smelling perfumes,

which exhaled after the rain, from forest flowers and flowering

shrubs, was delicious and almost overpowering. The scenery which

gratified their eyes on this day, was more interesting and lovely,

than any they had heretofore beheld. The path circled round a

magnificent, cultivated valley, hemmed in on almost every side with

mountains of granite of the most grotesque and irregular shapes, the

summits of which were covered with stunted trees, and the hollows in

their slopes occupied by clusters of huts, whose inmates had fled

thither as a place of security against the ravages of the _warmen_

who infest the plains. A number of strange birds resorted to this

valley, many of whose notes were rich, full, and melodious, while

others were harsh and disagreeable, but, generally speaking, the

plumage was various, splendid, and beautiful. The modest partridge

appeared in company with the magnificent balearic crane, with his

regal crest, and delicate humming birds hopped from twig to twig,

with others of an unknown species; some of them were of a dark,

shining green; some had red silky wings and purple bodies; some were

variegated with stripes of crimson and gold, and these chirped and

warbled from among the thick foliage of the trees. In the

contemplation of such beautiful objects as these, all so playful and

so happy, or the more sublime ones of dark waving forests, plains of

vast extent, or stupendous mountains, that gave the mind the most

sensible emotions of delight and grandeur, leading it insensibly

"To look from nature up to nature's God."

Speaking on these subjects, Lander very feelingly expresses himself,

"For myself," he says, "I am passionately fond of them, and have

regretted a thousand times, that my ignorance incapacitated me from

giving a proper representation of them, or describing the simplest

flower that adorns the plains, or the smallest insect that sparkles

in the air. This consideration gives me at times many unhappy

reflections, although my defective education arose from circumstances

over which my boyhood had no control."

Having passed through the immense valley already mentioned, they had

not travelled far before they arrived and halted at a large village

called Tudibu; here they rested a while, and then continuing their

journey for two hours over even ground between high hills, they rode

into the town of Gwen-dekki, in which they purposed passing the

night. The chief was either very poor or very ill natured, for the

only thing he sent them was a little boiled yam, with a mess of

unpalatable gravy, which he would not have given, if he had not

expected ten times its value in return. Divine service, it being

Sunday, was performed in the course of the day, and this was a duty,

which to persons in their situation, was found inconceivably

pleasant. It rendered them happy and resigned in the midst or their

afflictions and privations; reposing their confidence in the

all-protecting arm of that beneficent Being, who is the author and

disposer of their destinies, and in whom alone, thus widely separated

as they were from home, and kindred and civilization, the solitary

wanderer can place his trust.

On the morning of Monday the 26th April, a thick mist obscured the

horizon, and hid in deep shade the mountains and the hills; every

object indeed was invisible, with the exception of the pathway and

the trees growing on each side, which they could hardly distinguish

as they passed along. It continued hazy for two hours after leaving

Gwen-dekki, when the mist dispersed and the atmosphere became clear.

Preparatory to ascending a steep granite hill, they halted to refresh

their horses under the branches of a high spreading tree, near a town

called Eco. Here they were visited by several of the inhabitants,

who, as soon as they were informed of their arrival, came flocking to

the spot. They formed themselves into a line to pay their respects,

and entreated them to wait a little for the arrival of their chief,

who was momentarily expected. But after staying as long as they

conveniently could, and no chief appearing, they mounted their beasts

and began the toilsome ascent. On attaining the summit of the hill,

the _coup d'oeil_ was magnificent indeed, and the fog having been

dispersed by the sun, the eye was enabled to range over an extensive

horizon, bounded by hills and mountains of wonderful shapes. Some of

them bore a very striking resemblance to the Table mountain at the

Cape of Good Hope, and another was not unlike the Lion's Head and

Rump of the same place. Their course was north-east, and those two

mountains bore due west from them. There was no continued range of

hills, but numbers of single unconnected ones, with extensive valleys

between them. In some places, several were piled behind each, and

those most distant from them appeared like dark indistinct clouds.

Nothing could surpass the singularity, and it may be added the

sublimity of the whole view from the top of the granite hill which

they had ascended, and they contemplated it silence for a few

seconds, with emotions of astonishment and rapture.

Descending the hill, they continued their journey over a noble plain,

watered with springs and rivulets, and in the afternoon entered Dufo,

a most extensive and populous town. The inhabitants appeared to be

industrious and very opulent, as far as regarded the number and

variety of their domestic animals, having abundance of sheep, goats,

swine, pigeons, and poultry, amongst the latter of which were

observed for the first time, turkeys and guinea-fowl. They had

likewise horses and bullocks. The chief did not make his appearance

for a long time, but as soon as he had introduced himself, he desired

them to follow him into a cleanly swept square, where was the house

which he intended them to occupy. Presently after his departure, he

sent them a quantity of yams, a basket of ripe bananas, and a

calabash of eggs, which they soon discovered to be good for nothing,

although sand had been mixed with them, that they might feel heavier

than they really were.

They were on this evening visited by four Burgoo traders, who

informed them that they had crossed the Niger at Inguazhilligie, not

more than fourteen days ago, and that although the rains had

commenced, the river had as yet received no great addition to its

waters.

The travellers were early on horseback, on the morning of the

27th, and preceded by the carriers of their luggage, they rode out

of the town of Dufo. The country, indeed, appeared inferior, as

to the boldness and beauty of its scenery, to that which they had

traversed on the preceding day but still it possessed features of no

common interest. Another table mountain was observed to the

left of their path in the course of the morning, as well as another

lion's head and rump. Ponderous masses of granite rock overhung

the road way; they were almost black, and seemed to have been

washed by the rains of a thousand years; in many of them were

deep and gloomy caverns, which, were they in Cornwall instead

of in central Africa, they would be selected by some novel-monger,

as the scene of some dark and mysterious murder, or as the

habitation of a gang of banditti, or perhaps of the ghost of some

damsel, who might have deliberately knocked her brains out against

some rocky protuberance, on account of a faithless lover. They were

followed a long while by hundreds of the natives, and who annoyed

them so much by their noises and curiosity, that they were compelled

to resort to violent measures to drive them away; but this was a line

of conduct rarely adopted towards them, and never without extreme

reluctance. They were at length frightened away, and they saw them no

more. About eight miles from Dufo, they arrived at a large straggling

village, called Elokba, where they halted a little, as the path had

been so stony, rugged, and irregular, that a few minutes rest was

absolutely necessary to recruit themselves. From this place the road

became excellent, not at all inferior to a drive round a nobleman's

park in England, and continued to be good till they came in sight of

a capacious walled town, called Chaadoo, which they entered about

mid-day. Outside the walls is a small Fellata village, the huts of

which are constructed in the circular or _coozie_ form. Its

inhabitants employ themselves solely in the breeding of cattle, an

occupation to which they are passionately addicted. They are simple

in their manners, and extremely neat in their dress and appearance.

Not long after their arrival, three or four young Fellata

shepherdesses from the village came to pay their respects to the

travellers, who felt much pleased with their society, for they were

extremely well-behaved and intelligent; they remained, however, a

very short time, their customary avocation not permitting a longer

stay. The hair of these females was braided in a style peculiarly

tasteful and becoming, and the contour of their oval faces was far

from disagreeable. Their manners also were innocent and playful; the

imaginary shepherdesses of our pastorals were not more modest,

artless, and engaging in description, than these were in reality;

they left behind them an impression very favourable, both as regards

their morals, _naiveté_, and rustic simplicity.

On the road from Dufo, Richard Lander unthinkingly shot a crane,

which fell in an adjoining field. The report of his gun brought out a

number of natives from "the bush," who being in continual dread of an

attack from "the war men of the path," imagined it to be a signal of

one of these marauders. They were all armed like their countrymen

with bows and arrows, and with a threatening aspect would have lodged

a few shafts in the person of Richard Lander, had it not been for the

timely interference of one of their Jenna messengers, who fortunately

happened to be with him at the time, and who gave an immediate and

satisfactory explanation. The head of the party then sought for and

picked up the bird, but Richard took it from him, after he had

rewarded him liberally for his trouble. The man, however, was neither

satisfied nor pleased, but roughly demanded the bird as his own,

because it had fallen on his land. As there were no game laws here,

Richard Lander would not admit his claim, and was retiring, when the

fellow begged with much importunity that the head and legs of the

animal, at least, might be given him to make a fetish of. This was

likewise objected to, at which the man was out of all patience, and

went off foaming with passion. In the evening, the crane was dressed

for supper, and a similar request was made by a eunuch from Katunga,

who being a good-natured fellow, his wish was readily complied with.

The chief of Chaadoo, however, presently sent a messenger to request

the said precious head and legs, and to him they were finally

committed by the disappointed eunuch, who could hardly forbear

weeping on the occasion; these relics are considered extremely

valuable as a charm.

The chief sent them a goat, a quantity of bananas, a dish of pounded

or rather mashed yam with gravy, and a large basket of _caffas_.

These are a kind of pudding, made into little round balls from

bruised Indian corn, which is first boiled to the consistence of

thick paste. From being made entirely of coarse flour and water, they

have an insipid taste when new, but when kept for a day or two, they

become sour, and in this state are eaten by the natives. There are

several deep wells in the town, but most of them are dried up, so

that water is exceedingly scarce, and it is sold in the market-place

to the inhabitants. They were daily accosted on the road with such

salutations as these, "I hope you go on well on the path," "success

to the king's work," "God bless you white men," "a blessing on your

return, &c."

They remained the whole of the 28th at Chaadoo, in order to give the

carriers with the luggage, time to come up with them, having been

unavoidably detained by the roughness and unevenness of the road from

Dufo to Elokba. The Katunga eunuch already mentioned, was sent by the

king of that place to receive the customary tribute of the governors

of various towns on the road between Katunga and Jenna. This man was

treated with much respect both by the governor of Chaadoo and his

people, who prostrated themselves to the eunuch, before addressing

him.

Being in want of money, they sent some needles this morning to the

market to sell. It is a custom in Youriba, that after a buyer has

agreed to pay a certain sum for an article, he retracts his

expression, and affirms that he only promised to give about half the

sum demanded. This occasioned violent altercations between the

Landers' people and the natives, but it is an established custom,

from which there is no appeal.

The mother of the governor was buried this afternoon, at a

neighbouring village, and the funeral was attended by all his wives

or women as mourners. They were dressed in their holiday attire and

looked tolerably smart. The mourners exhibited no signs of grief

whatever, on the contrary, they were as lively as a wedding party;

attended by a drummer, they passed through their yard on their return

to the governor's house, which was only a few steps distant, and they

kept up singing and dancing during the whole of the day, to the noise

of the drum.

The inhabitants of the town have immense numbers of sheep, goats,

pigs, and poultry, but bullocks are in the possession of Fellatas

alone. It was believed, that the natives have not a single animal of

that description. Like many other places, the market was not held

here till the heat and toil of the day are over, and buyers seldom

resort to it, till eight o'clock in the evening.

On the morning of the 29th April, it commencing raining at a very

early hour, and continued with uncommon violence, till between ten

and eleven o'clock, when it suddenly ceased, and they quitted

Chaadoo. Before their departure, however, the credulous governor, who

in common with his people, imagine that white men possess an

influence over the elements, paid them a visit with a calabash of

honey as a present, to thank them he said, for the rain that had

fallen, of which the country was greatly in want, and invoked

blessings on them. The kindness of this good old man was remarkable;

he never seemed weary of obliging them, regretted his inability to do

more, and solicited them very pressingly to remain with him another

day.

They traversed a mountainous country intersected with streams of

excellent water, and at noon entered a small, but pleasant

picturesque village, which was ornamented with noble and shady trees.

Here they waited a very short time, and continuing their route,

arrived towards evening at a capacious walled town, called _Row_,

wherein they passed the night. In many places, the wall, if it be

deserving the name, was no more than twelve or fourteen inches from

the ground, and the moat was of similar dimensions. The yard to which

they were conducted, shortly after their arrival, was within three or

four others, and so intricate were the passages leading to it, that

after a stranger gets in, he would be sadly puzzled to find his way

out again without a guide. Nevertheless, this was no security against

interruption, for the yard was speedily invaded by five or six

hundred individuals, who had been induced to visit them from

curiosity. As usual, they annoyed the travellers for a long time to

the best of their ability, till they completely wearied them out by

their importunity and forwardness. They then hung sheets round the

door-way of their dwelling, and laid down on their mats; and then

only, the natives began to disperse, and left them at their ease.

The governor of the town was a morose, surly, and ill-natured man.

He sent them only a few bananas, and a calabash of eggs, which were

all stale and unfit to be eaten, so that some of their people were

obliged to go supperless to bed. The governor ascribed the badness of

his fare to extreme poverty, yet his vanity exacted from their Jenna

messengers the most abject method of salutation, with which they were

acquainted. These men walked backwards from him several yards, to

throw dirt on their heads, and with the dust and filth still clinging

to their hair, they were compelled to address the chief with their

faces to the ground. The apartment of the travellers unfortunately

communicated with his, and the restless tongues of his numerous wives

prevented either of the Landers from dosing their eyes long after

sunset. In the centre of their yard grew a tree, round which several

stakes were driven into the ground. This tree was a fetish tree, and

the stakes also fetish, and therefore a strong injunction was issued

not to tie the horses to either of them. Calabashes, common articles

of earthenware, and even feathers, egg-shells, and the bones of

animals; indeed any kind of inanimate substance is made fetish by the

credulous, stupid natives, and like the horse-shoe, which is still

nailed to the door of the more superstitious of English peasantry,

these fetishes are supposed to preserve them from ghosts and evil

spirits. It is sacrilege to touch them, and to ridicule them, would

be dangerous.

It was between seven and eight o'clock of the 30th April, before

carriers could be procured, and every thing got in readiness for

their departure. The sun was excessively hot, and the sky brilliantly

clear. They crossed two or three rivulets of cool delicious water, as

they had done on the preceding day, and then passed through an

insignificant village, whose chief sent them a calabash of bruised

corn, mixed with water, to drink. At noon, they arrived at the foot

of a very elevated hill, and perceived a town perched on its summit,

and knew it to be the same to which they had been directed. They

dismounted, and after a laborious ascent, which occupied them three

quarters of an hour, at length reached the top. Stones and blocks of

granite interrupted their path, so that it became a very difficult

matter to force the horses along before them; they fell repeatedly,

but without materially injuring themselves.

The name of the town was Chekki; their arrival was rather unexpected,

and therefore the governor was not prepared to receive them, and they

sat down under a tree, until they were tired of waiting. At length, a

man came to conduct them to his residence, which was but a little way

from the tree, under which they were reposing, when a tumultuous rush

was made by the inhabitants to precede them into the yard, and

notwithstanding the presence of their chief, they so surrounded the

travelling party as to prevent a particle of fresh air from reaching

them. The governor received them with bluntness, but not unkindly,

though without much demonstration of good-will. While in his yard, he

regaled them with water, and afterwards sent them a large calabash of

_foorah_ sweetened with honey to their lodgings, which did not taste

unlike thick gruel or _burgoo_, as it is termed in Scotland. It is

made of a corn called goorah, is very palatable, and is in general

use with the natives of these parts. A quantity of bananas from the

chief soon followed the foorah, and something more substantial than

either, was promised them.

It was observed to be a general practice here, as well as in every

other town through which the Landers passed, for children until the

age of seven years to go naked, with perhaps a string of kowries tied

round the loins, and clumsy bracelets, either of brass or tin

enclosing the wrist. Grown-up people, however, dress somewhat neatly,

if not gracefully; the men wear a cap, tobe and trousers, mostly

blue, and the women wear a large loose cotton cloth, which is thrown

over the left shoulder, and comes down mantling below the knee. The

right arm and feet alone are bare. People of both sexes are

infinitely more grave and serious in their manners, than those nearer

the coast, nor was the loud vacant laugh so prevalent, as at the

commencement of their journey.

They quitted Chekki on the 1st of May, and rode on pleasantly until,

at the expiration of four hours, they arrived at Coosoo, a large and

important town. A Fellata hamlet stands near it, the inhabitants of

which, subsist by following pastoral occupations alone. They are much

esteemed by the Youribans, who behave to them without suspicion or

reserve.

Shortly after their arrival, a man stole a sword from one of the

attendants on the travellers; he was pursued to the chief, and

asserted that he had found it; as he laid the weapon at his feet. The

sword was restored to them by the governor, but without the slightest

allusion being made to the means by which he obtained it. A company

or _goffle_ of merchants from Hano, were at this time in the town,

who had travelled thus far on their way to Gonga, which is the Selga

of Cape Coast Castle and Accra. Their merchandise consists chiefly of

elephants' teeth, trona, rock salt, and country cloths. This, the

Landers were told, is a new route, the road formerly taken being

considered unsafe, on account of private broils and disturbances

amongst the natives. The goffle consisted of more than four hundred

men; but a company of merchants that passed through the town ten days

previously, amounted to twice that number. Other merchants were also

in the town, and were to leave on the morrow on their way to Yaoorie,

to which place they were destined.

The palm tree became scarce as they advanced into the country, and,

consequently, the oil obtained hereabouts, is only in very small

quantities. But nature, ever bountiful, supplies its place with the

mi-cadania or butter tree, which yields abundance of a kind of

vegetable marrow, pleasant to the taste, and highly esteemed by the

natives. It is used for lights and other domestic purposes. The tree

from which it is obtained, is not much unlike our oak in appearance,

and the nut it produces is enveloped in an agreeable pulpy substance.

The kernel of this nut is about the size of our chestnut. It is

exposed in the sun to dry, after which it is pounded very fine and

boiled in water. The oily particles which it contains, soon float on

the surface; when cool, they are skimmed off, and then made into

little cakes for use, without any further preparation. Two

individuals appeared before the chief this day, in consequence of an

accusation of theft that had been made against them. The method

adopted of proving the guilt or innocence of the parties, was, by

compelling them to swallow the fetish water.

In the evening, the travellers received a fat goat, a basket of

caffas, a calabash of bananas, a vast quantity of yams, and a bowl of

milk from the governor. He appeared to be a sober, kind, and

benevolent old man, and generally beloved by his people. To the

Landers, he was particularly attentive and obliging. He informed

them, that the common path to Katunga was unsafe, in consequence of a

serious quarrel between the inhabitants of Coosoo, and those of a

neighbouring town. "Therefore," said he, "I entreat you to remain

here until to-morrow, in order that I may make arrangements to send

you by a different road." This intelligence was not very agreeable to

the Landers, but they were convinced of its importance, and therefore

thankfully accepted the chiefs offer.

The market which was held this evening in the town, had a most

imposing and brilliant appearance, from the immense of lamps used by

the trades-people.

Their visitors, who continued with them until late in the evening,

were innumerable, and the noise of the women's tongues was as loud

and disagreeable as ever. For some time nothing could quiet them:

threats and entreaties were disregarded or laughed at, till at last,

they were compelled to resort to the childish expedient of spurting

water in their faces from a large syringe. On seeing and feeling the

effects of this fearful instrument, they became alarmed and ran away.

On the following day, May 2nd, a fetish priest came to see them, and

was about to treat them with the usual harangue of his profession,

but they contrived to put a stop to it, by bribing him with a few

needles. Nothing particular was observed in this fellow's ornaments

or dress, but his person presented a strange and singular appearance.

The colour of his skin was like that of whitish brown paper; his

eyebrows and eyelashes were of a silvery whiteness, and his eyes of a

bright blue, notwithstanding which, the negro features were strongly

and distinctly marked on his countenance. The man's parents were both

natives, and quite black, and it was found impossible to ascertain

the reason of this extraordinary deviation from the common laws of

nature.

They received an abundance of kindness from the good old chief of

this place, and his endeavours to make them comfortable were imitated

by many of the more respectable inhabitants.

The path recommended by the friendly chief of Coosoo, lay due east

from the town, and they pursued their journey on it, on the morning

of the 3rd of May. Robbers were stated to be lurking about, and

therefore they conceived it prudent, if not absolutely necessary, to

take every precaution for the safety of the mission, they, therefore,

loaded their own guns and pistols, and armed all their men with

swords and muskets. Their Jenna messengers being unacquainted with

the new route, the governor of Coosoo had furnished them with two

armed foot guides, whose weapons were bows and arrows, besides a

horseman, armed at all points, to bring up the rear of the party.

With all these warlike preparations and equipments, a few harmless

women, who were terrified at the appearance of the travellers, were

the only individuals whom they met with on the path during a ride of

two hours, which brought them to a town called Acboro. The town

itself was very small, but its dilapidated walls, which enclose an

immense extent of ground, would lead the observer to suppose, that it

was formerly of much greater magnitude. Within the walls, were three

granite hills, two on one side, and the other on the opposite side of

the town. All their bases were of solid stone, but their summits

consisted of loose blocks, from the interstices of which, trees and

stunted vegetation shot forth. Besides these hills, immense masses of

granite rock were seen piled upon each other in different parts. On

the whole, Acboro was one of the wildest and most venerable looking

places that the human mind could conceive; the habitations of the

people alone, lessening that romantic and pleasing effect, which a

first sight of it produces.

Shortly after their arrival, the governor sent them a sucking pig and

some other presents, and seemed highly pleased that circumstances had

thrown them in his way. "White men do nothing but good," said he,

"and I will pray that God may bless you, and send more of your

countrymen to Youriba."

Instead of the people running and scrambling to see them, the

good-natured ruler of this place excluded the mass of them from

visiting their yard, and came very civilly to ask their permission

for a few of his friends to look at them. John Lander was too weak

and indisposed to gratify their curiosity by rising from his couch,

so his brother went out to exhibit his person, and suffered himself

to be examined rather minutely, which must have had a very ludicrous

effect, to see the European undergoing an examination by a posse of

black inquisitors, just as if he had been a horse or a bullock at

Smithfield. They, however, separated tolerably well pleased with each

other.

On May the 4th, three men, inhabitants of Acboro, were captured by a

gang of restless, marauding scoundrels, who are denominated here, as

elsewhere, "War-men of the path," but who are, in reality, nothing

more nor less, than highway robbers. They subsist solely by pillage

and rapine, and waylaying their countrymen. The late governor of

Acboro was deposed and driven from the town by his own people, for

his indifference to their interest, and the wanton cruelty, with

which he treated them and their children. At different times he

seized several individuals of both sexes, and sold them as slaves,

without assigning any cause for the act. This drew on him the

vengeance of the friends and relatives of the sufferers, who

prevailed on the town's people to arise with them and punish the

aggressor. The latter soon found that his party were too weak to

withstand the attacks of the exasperated populace, and he fled to a

remote village, where he was residing at the time of the arrival of

the Landers. The inhabitants of Acboro immediately elected a more

humane and benevolent governor in his stead.

They rose this morning at an early hour, and John Lander finding

himself sufficiently recovered to ride on horseback, they bade

farewell to the governor of Acboro, and quitted the town by sunrise,

taking care to use the same precaution against robbers as on the

preceding day. In an hour and three quarters, they entered an open

and delightful village called Lazipa. An assemblage of Fellata huts

stood near it, by which their beautiful cattle were grazing. Many of

the bullocks were as white as snow, others were spotted like a

leopard's skin, and others again were dotted with red and black on a

white ground. A Fellata girl presented them with a bowl of new milk,

which was very agreeable and refreshing, and after drinking it, they

bade adieu to the Fellatas and their cattle for ever.

They had not travelled a great way from Lazipa, before they had to

cross a large morass, on the borders of which a very large and

handsome species of water-lily flourished in great perfection. They

crossed this morass without difficulty or trouble, and with the same

facility also two small streams, which intersected the road. At nine

A.M., they arrived at Cootoo, which like Lazipa is an open village,

but the former is by far the most extensive of the two. A person, who

may have travelled from Penzance in Cornwall to the Land's End, and

observed the nature of the soil, and the blocks of granite which are

scattered over its surface, will have a very good idea of the country

between Acboro and Cootoo, only that in the latter, it is much more

woody.

After leaving Cootoo, however, the aspect of the surrounding scenery

speedily changed, and became infinitely more pleasing. The soil was

more rich and deeper; patches of verdure and cultivated land were

more frequent, the latter being neatly fenced; fine handsome trees,

with their spreading branches and thick foliage, embellished the

country in every direction, and extended to the eastern horizon. It

might have been supposed that these trees had been carefully planted

by the hand of man, for they grew at equal distances from each other,

and none seemed to interfere with the order, beauty, and regularity

of its neighbour. The soil between them was covered with a soft green

turf, which rendered the whole view remarkably pleasant. It was over

this delightful landscape that they travelled; the morning was cooled

by a refreshing south-east wind, and the travellers, which is not

often the case, were both on good terms with themselves, and

gratified by everything around them. At length, they came in sight of

numerous herds of fine cattle, attended by little boys, and shortly

afterwards, they arrived at a clean and neat Fellata village, the

inhabitants of which were employed in feeding calves, and other

occupations connected with an African farm. They then crossed a

small stream, and entered a town of prodigious extent, called Bòhoo,

which was fortified with a triple wall and moats. Without being

exposed to the customary tiresome formalities, they were immediately

conducted to the residence of the governor. The usual conversation

passed between them, and after they had returned to their hut, a

bullock was sent them, with yams, bananas, and a huge calabash of new

milk, which did not contain less than six gallons, and the travellers

sat down to enjoy themselves in perfect good humour.

In the afternoon, a message was delivered to them, signifying that

the governor's head minister would be very glad to see them, and

would thank them to visit him in the course of the day. John Lander,

however, having experienced a relapse, his sufferings were such as to

prevent him leaving the hut, and his brother was, therefore, obliged

to go alone. After a pleasant walk of about two miles, he arrived at

the habitation of the minister, by whom he was very kindly received.

The compliments of the day only were exchanged between them, and the

numerous wives, and large family of the master of the house, who are

on these occasions generally exhibited to a stranger, having amply

gratified their curiosity by an examination of his person, the

interview terminated and he presently returned to his abode, after

promising to visit the minister again on the following day.

Bòhoo lies north-east of Acboro, and is built on the slope of a very

gentle and fertile hill, at whose base flows a stream of milk-white

water, and behind which is the Fellata hamlet already mentioned. Its

immense triple wall is little short of twenty miles in circuit; but

besides huts and gardens, it encloses a vast number of acres of

excellent meadow land, in which bullocks, sheep, and goats feed

indiscriminately. By the hasty view obtained of it, the town in some

degree resembled Kano, but there is no large swamp like that which

intersects the latter city. Bòhoo was formerly the metropolis of

Youriba, but about half a century ago, the reigning prince preferring

the plain at Katunga, the seat of government was transferred there,

since which Bòhoo has materially declined in wealth, population, and

consequence, although it is still considered a place of great

importance, and the second town in the kingdom. It is bounded on all

sides by hills of gradual ascent, which are prettily wooded, and

commands an extensive horizon. The land in the vicinity of the town

presents a most inviting appearance, by no means inferior to any part

of England in the most favourable season of the year. It appears to

be duly appreciated by the Fellatas, so great a number of whom reside

with their flocks in different parts, that the minister candidly

declared he could not give any information of their amount. These

foreigners sell their milk, butter, and cheese in the market at a

reasonable rate. The latter is made into little cakes about an inch

square, and when fried in butter is very palatable. It is of the

consistence and appearance of the white of an egg, boiled hard.

Agreeably to the promise which Richard Lander made to the chief, he

left his brother to the care of old Pascoe and his wife, and hastened

to pay his respects to the chief's head man or minister. It appears

that this man was placed in his present situation by the king of

Katunga, as a kind of spy on the actions of the governor, who can do

nothing of a public nature, without in the first place consulting

him, and obtaining his consent to the measure. Yet he conducted

himself so well in his disagreeable office, that he won the good

will, not only of the governor of the town, but also its inhabitants.

A kind of rivalry existed between the minister and his master, but

then it was a rivalry in good and not in bad actions. Hearing that

the governor had sent the travellers a bullock, and something

besides, he presented Richard Lander with a similar one, and a large

calabash of _Pitto_ (country beer,) which Lander distributed amongst

those who had accompanied him. A bottle of honey completed the list

of presents, and they were forthwith forwarded to their habitation,

but Richard Lander remained a considerable time afterwards with the

chief. He was filled with amazement at the formation and ticking of

Lander's watch, which he gazed on and listened to with transport. The

spurs which he wore, also excited his eager curiosity, and he

examined them with the greatest attention. He hoped, he said, that

God would bless them both, and that they had his best wishes for

their safety. He remarked further, that white men worshipped the

great God alone, and so did black men also, and that every blessing

of life was derived from that source.

On the return of Richard, he found his brother extremely ill, he had

been so faint and sick during his absence, that his recovery seemed

doubtful, but in a few hours afterwards he became better. In the

afternoon they sent to the governor and the minister, who had behaved

so handsomely to them, three yards of fine red cloth, a common

looking-glass, tobacco pipe, a pair of scissors, snuffbox, and a

large clasp knife. The tobacco pipe was much admired, but the red

cloth was the most valued; with the whole, however, they were both

perfectly well pleased, and were extravagant in their expressions of

gratitude.

One of the bullocks was slaughtered this morning, and about two

thirds of it distributed by the governor and his chief man to the

poor in the town; the remainder of the carcass was divided equally

amongst the attendants of the travellers, who appeared by no means

anxious to leave the place, while their present, unusually good fare,

was to be had.

John Lander was now so far recovered as to excite a hope that they

might be able to proceed on their journey, on the following day. His

recovery was, however, considerably retarded by the continual noises

to which he was subject. Perhaps, of all evils that can afflict a

sick person, noises of any kind are the greatest. In Africa, whether

a person be ill or well, it is exactly the same, nothing like peace

or quiet is any where to be found; independently of the continual

fluttering of pigeons, which roosted close to their ears, the

bleating of sheep and goats, and the barking of numerous half-starved

dogs, they were still more seriously annoyed by the incessant clatter

of women's tongues, which pursued them every where, and which it was

believed nothing less than sickness or death on their part could

eventually silence. The shrillness of their voices drowns the

bleating of the sheep, and the yellings of the canine race; and

notwithstanding all the exertions of Richard Lander, seconded by

those of their attendants, their noise in this town considerably

retarded the recovery of his brother. A person in England might be

inclined to think lightly of this matter, but it is indeed a

grievance, which can ill be borne by an invalid languishing under a

wasting disease, and who has equally as much need of rest and silence

as of medicine. Besides those grievances, the shouts of the people

outside the yard, and the perpetual squalling of children within it,

the buzzing of beetles and drones, the continual attacks of

mosquitoes and innumerable flies, form a host of irritating evils, to

which a sick person is exposed, and to which he is obliged patiently

to submit, until by a relief from his disorder, he is obliged to

stand upon his legs, and once more take his own part. But even then

noises assail his ear, and he does not enjoy the happiness of perfect

silence unless he enters a grove or forest.

They were this morning, visited by a party of Fellatas of both sexes.

They differed but little either in colour or feature from the

original natives of the soil. In dress and ornaments, however, there

was a slight distinction between them. They displayed more taste in

their apparel, and wore a greater number of ornaments round the neck

and wrists; they paid also great attention to their hair, which the

women plait with astonishing ingenuity. Like that of the young woman,

whom they met at Jenna, their heads exactly resembled a dragoon's

helmet. Their hair was much longer of course than that of the negro,

which enables the Fallatas to weave it on both sides of the head

into a kind of _queue_, which passing over each cheek is tied under

the chin.

Another company of Fellatas came to them in the evening, for they had

never beheld a white man, and curiosity had led them to their

habitation. They brought with them a present of a little thick milk,

of which they begged the travellers' acceptance, and then went away

highly gratified with the interview. The behaviour of the whole of

them was extremely reserved and respectful; nothing in the persons of

the travellers excited their merriment, on the contrary, they seemed

silently to admire their dress and complexion, and having examined

them well at a distance, seemed grateful for the treat.

In the mean time, the kindness and generosity of the governor of

Bòhoo continued unabated; instead of diminishing, it seemed to

strengthen; he literally inundated them with milk, and he was equally

lavish with other things. It gave them unmixed pleasure to meet with

so much native politeness and attention from a quarter, where they

the least expected it, and at a time also, when it was the most

required.

After they had retired to rest, a Fellata woman came to their

dwelling, bringing with her a number of eggs of the guinea-hen, and a

large bowl of milk fresh from the cow, as a return for a few needles

they had given her in the afternoon. This circumstance is mentioned

merely to show the difference between the Fellatas and the

Youribeans, in point of gratitude for favours which they may have

received. The latter are very seldom grateful, and never acknowledge

gratitude as a virtue. The indifference, unconcern, and even

contempt, which they often evinced on receiving the presents which

the Landers made them, was a proof of this, and with a very few

exceptions, they never observed a Youribean to be sincerely thankful

for any thing.

On the following morning, John Lander was able to sit on horseback,

and as they were on the point of taking their departure, the governor

came out to bid them farewell, and presented them with two thousand

kowries to assist them on their journey.

Two hours after leaving Bòhoo, they passed through an agreeable,

thinly inhabited village called Mallo, and in somewhat less than an

hour after, arrived at Jaguta, a large and compact town, fortified by

a neater and more substantially built wall than any they had yet

seen.

Jaguta lies E. S. E. of Bòhoo, from which it is distant, as nearly as

the Landers could guess, from twelve to thirteen miles. In the course

of the journey, they met a party of Nouffie traders from Coulfo, with

asses carrying trona for the Gonja market. Among them, were two

women, very neatly clad in their native costume, with clean white

tobes outside their other apparel, resembling as nearly as possible

the _chemise_ of European ladies. These asses were the first beasts

they had observed employed in carrying burdens, for hitherto, people

of both sexes and of all ages, especially women and female children,

had performed those laborious duties.

The governor of Jaguta came to apologize in the evening, for not

having attended them the greater part of the day, on the plea that he

had been engaged in the country with his people, in making a fetish

for the prosperity of the king of Katunga. The return of the governor

and his procession to the town, was announced by a flourish of drums,

fifes, &c., with the usual accompaniments of singing and dancing. The

musicians performed before him, for some time, in a yard contiguous

to that where the Landers resided, and their ears were stunned for

the remainder of the night, by a combination of the most barbarous

sounds in the world.

They were here daily assured that the path was rendered exceedingly

dangerous by banditti, and the governor of Jaguta endeavoured with a

good deal of earnestness, to persuade them that their goods would not

be respected by them. It will, however, scarcely be believed, that

this universal dread originates from a few Borgoo desperadoes, who,

although only armed with powder and a few broken muskets, can put a

whole legion of the timid natives to flight. The inhabitants of the

town kept firing the whole of the evening, to deter their formidable

foe from scaling the wall and taking possession of their town.

On the night of Saturday May 8th, they were visited by thunder

storms, from which, however, they did not receive any great

annoyance. The natives as usual imputed the seasonable weather to

their agency alone, and in consequence, their arrival at many places

was hailed with transport, as the most fortunate thing that could

have happened.

Extraordinary preparations were made by the governor of Jaguta, to

ensure the safety of the travellers on the dreaded pathway; and a

horseman armed with sword and spear, in company with four foot

soldiers, who were equipped with bows, and several huge quivers full

of arrows, were in readiness to offer them their protection. The

horseman preceded the party, and played off a variety of antics to

the great amusement of the Landers. He seemed not a little satisfied

with himself; he flourished his naked sword over his head; brandished

his spear; made his horse curvet and bound, and gallop alternately;

and his dress being extremely grotesque, besides being old and torn,

gave him an appearance not unlike that of a bundle of rags flying

through the air. But with all this display of heroism and activity,

the man would have fled with terror from his own shadow by moonlight,

and it was really regretted by the travellers, that a few defenceless

women were the only individuals that crossed their path to put his

courage to the test, the formidable "war men" not being at that time

in that part of the country.

Their journey this day was vexatiously short, not having exceeded

four miles, for it was utterly beyond the power of either of the

Landers to persuade the superstitious natives, who conform only to

their fetish in these matters, that the robbers would be afraid even

to think of attacking white men. They halted at a small town called

Shea, which was defended by a wall. It appeared to possess a numerous

population, if any opinion could be formed from the vast number of

individuals that gathered round them, immediately on their entrance

through the gateway. A stranger, however, cannot give anything like a

correct estimate of the population of any inhabited place, in this

part of Africa, for as he can only judge of it by the number of

court-yards a town or village may contain; and as the one court yard

there may be residing at least a hundred people, and in the one

adjacent to it, perhaps not more than six or seven, the difficulty

will be immediately perceived. Generally speaking, the description of

one town in Youriba, would answer for the whole. Cleanliness and

order and establish the superiority of one place over another, which

may likewise have the advantages of a rich soil, a neighbourhood, and

be ornamented with fine spreading and shady trees; but the form of

the houses and squares is every-where the same; irregular and badly

built clay walls, ragged looking thatched roofs, and floors of mud

polished with cow-dung, form the habitations of the chief part of the

natives of Youriba, compared topmost of which, a common English barn

is a palace. The only difference between the residence of a chief and

those of his subjects, lies in the number and not in the superiority

of his court yards, and these are for the most part tenanted by women

and slaves, together with flocks of sheep and goats, and abundance of

pigs and poultry, mixed together indiscriminately.

Shea lies four miles E. by S. of Jaguta. The governor of the town

presented them with a pig, and a quantity of country beer, and they

also received little presents of provisions from a few of the people.

May the 9th was on a Sunday, and they were invited to witness an

exhibition of tumbling; it was with great reluctance that the

invitation was accepted, not only on account of the sanctity of the

day, but for the delay which it would occasion them. They, however,

considered it politic to lay aside their religious scruples, and they

attended the exhibition mounted on their horses. As soon as it was

over, they were escorted out of the town by beat of drum, preceded by

an armed horseman, and an unarmed drummer, and continued their

journey, followed by a multitude of the inhabitants.

They passed through a very large walled town called Esalay, about six

miles from Shea, but its wall was dilapidated, and the habitations of

the people in ruins, and almost all deserted. This town, which was

not long since well inhabited, has been reduced to its present

desolate and miserable state, by the protection which its ruler

granted to an infamous robber, whose continued assaults on

defenceless travellers, and his cruelty to them, at length attracted

the notice of the king of Katunga. But previously to this, the

inhabitants of another town not far off, many of whom had at

different times suffered from his bold attacks, called in a number of

Borgoo men, who bore no better reputation for honesty than the robber

himself, and resolved to attempt the capture of the ruffian in his

strong hold, without any other assistance. Their efforts, however,

were unavailing; the governor, entrenched in his walled town, and

supported by his people, sheltered the miscreant and compelled his

enemies to raise the siege. About this time a messenger arrived at

Esalay from the king of Katunga, with commands for the governor to

deliver up the robber to punishment, but instead of obeying them, he

privately warned the man of his danger, who took immediate advantage

of it, and made his escape to Nouffie. The governor was suspected of

aiding the escape of the robber, and a second messenger soon after

arrived from Katunga, with orders for the guilty chief either to pay

a fine to the king, of 120,000 kowries, or put a period to his

existence by taking poison. Neither of these commands suiting the

inclination of the governor of Esalay, he appointed a deputy, and

privately fled to the neighbouring town of Shea, there to await the

final determination of his enraged sovereign. The Landers saw this

man at Shea, dressed in a fancifully made tobe, on which a great

number of Arab characters were stitched. He walked about at perfect

liberty, and did not seem to take his condition much to heart. The

inhabitants of Esalay, however, finding that their ruler had deserted

them, that they were threatened by the king of Katunga, and that the

Borgoo men emboldened by the encouragement they received from that

monarch, were also lurking about the neighbourhood, and ready to do

them any mischief, took the alarm, and imitating the example of their

chief, most of them deserted their huts, and scattered themselves

amongst the different towns and villages in the neighbourhood. Very

few people now resided at Esalay; and this town, lately so populous

and flourishing, was on the visit of the Landers little better than a

heap of ruins.

After passing through Esalay, they crossed a large morass and three

rivers, which intersected the roadway. The croaking from a multitude

of frogs which they contained, in addition to the noise of their

drum, produced so animating an effect on their carriers, that they

ran along with their burdens doubly as quick as they did before. They

then arrived at an open village called Okissaba, where they halted

for two hours under the shadow of a large tree, to allow some of

their men who had been loitering behind to rejoin them, after which

the whole party again set forward, and did not stop until they

arrived at the large and handsome walled town. Atoopa, through which

Captain Clapperton passed in the last expedition. During their ride,

they observed a range of wooded hills, running from N.N.E. to S.S.W.,

and passed through a wilderness of stunted trees, which was relieved

at intervals by patches of cultivated land, but there was not so much

cultivation as might be expected to be found near the capital of

Youriba.

The armed guides were no longer considered necessary, and, therefore,

on the 10th May, they set out only with their Badagry and Jenna

messengers and interpreters. On leaving Atoopa, they, crossed a

river, which flowed by the foot of that town, where their travellers

overtook them, and they travelled on together. The country through

which the path lay, was uncommonly fine; it was partially cultivated,

abounding in wood and water, and appeared by the number of villages

which are scattered over its surface, to be very populous. As they

rode along, a place was pointed out to them, where a murder had been

committed about seven years ago, upon the person of a young man. He

fell a victim to a party of Borgoo scoundrels, for refusing to give

up his companion to them, a young girl, to whom he was shortly to be

married. They, at first endeavoured to obtain her from him by fair

means, but he obstinately refused to accede to their request, and

contrived to keep the marauders at bay, till the young woman had made

her escape, when he also ran for his life. He was closely pursued by

them, and pierced by the number of arrows which they shot at him; he

at length fell down and died in the path, after having ran more than

a mile from the place where the first arrow had struck him. By the

care with which this story is treasured up in their memory, and the

earnestness and horror with which it is related, the Landers were

inclined to believe, that although there is so great a fuss about the

Borgoo robbers, and so manifest a dread of them, that a minder on the

high-way is of very rare occurrence. When this crime was perpetrated,

the whole nation seemed to be terror-struck, and the people rose up

in arms, as if a public enemy were devastating their country, and

slaughtering its inhabitants without mercy. This is the only instance

they ever heard of a young man entertaining a strong attachment for a

female. Marriage is celebrated by the natives as unconcernedly as

possible. A man thinks as little of taking a wife as of cutting an

ear of corn; affection is altogether out of the question.

A village in ruins, and a small town called Nama, where they halted

for a short time, were the only inhabited places they passed through

during the day, till their entrance into the town of Leoguadda, which

was surrounded by a double wall, and in which they passed the night.

The governor happened to be in his garden on their arrival, so that

they were completely wearied with waiting for him, but as he did not

make his appearance, they themselves found a convenient and

comfortable hut; and though they were assailed by a volley of abuse

from the mouths of half a dozen women, they succeeded in sending them

away, and they remained in tranquil possession of their quarters. In

the centre of their yard was a circular enclosure without a roof,

within which was an alligator that had been confined there for seven

years. This voracious animal was fed with rats only, of which he

generally devoured five a day. One of the inhabitants perceiving that

John Lander was rather inquisitive, volunteered to go to a river in

the vicinity of the town, and to return in a few minutes with as many

young crocodiles as he might wish for; but as he had no opportunity

of conveying animals of that description through the country, he

declined the man's offer. The inhabitants of Leoguadda, having

probably no vegetable poison, make use of the venom of snakes on the

tips of their arrows. The heads of those serpents, from which they

extract this deadly substance, are exposed on the sticks, which are

thrust into the inside of the thatch of their dwellings as a kind of

trophy.

Leoguadda is almost surrounded by rugged hills, formed by loose

blocks of granite; these added to a number of tall trees, always

green and growing within the walls, render the town inconceivably

pleasant and romantic. Immense tracts of land are cultivated in the

vicinity of the town with corn, yams, &c., and abundance of swine,

poultry, goats, and sheep are bred by its inhabitants. Formerly, also

herds of cattle were to be seen in the meadows, but they belonged to

Fellatas, who, they were told, fled from Leoguadda some time since,

to join their countrymen at Alorie.

They left Leoguadda early in the morning of 11th May, and about the

middle of the forenoon reached a walled town of some extent called

Eetcho. This place is of importance on account of a large weekly

market which is held in it. Eetcho had recently been more than half

consumed by fire, and would not, it was supposed, regain its former

condition for some time. Like most large trading-towns, it is in as

unsettled and filthy a state as can be conceived. This day's journey

was highly agreeable, the path lay through a beautiful country,

varied in many places by hills of coarse granite, which were formed

by blocks heaped on each other. Trees and shrubs of a beautiful green

grew from their interstices, and almost hid the masses of stone from

the view.

The governor of Eetcho welcomed them to his town very civilly; yet

his kindness was not of any great extent, and although in all

probability, he was as opulent as most chiefs on the road, yet he did

not follow their example in giving them provisions, but left them to

procure what they wanted for themselves, in the best manner they were

able. It is the general custom here, when any stranger of consequence

approaches Katunga, to send a messenger before him, for the purpose

of informing the king of the circumstances; and as they were

considered to be personages of consequence, one of their Jenna guides

was deputed to set out on the morrow, and in the mean time they were

to remain at Eetcho until a guard of soldiers should be sent to

escort them to Katunga. They, however, having no inclination for the

honour, as it would expose them to a thousand little inconveniences,

determined to avoid them all by leaving the place by moonlight.

An extraordinary instance of mortality is here mentioned by Richard

Lander, who says, "that not less than one hundred and sixty governors

of towns and villages, between this place and the seacoast, all

belonging to Youriba, have died from natural causes, or have been

slain in war, since I was last here, and that of the inhabited places

through which we have passed, not more than half a dozen chiefs are

alive at this moment, who received and entertained me on my return to

Badagry three years ago."

On the night of the 12th, they were visited by a tornado, and in the

morning it rained so heavily, that even if they had not been obliged

to remain in Eetcho that day, it would have been next impossible to

have pursued their journey. The celebrated market of this place may

be said to commence about mid-day, at which time, thousands of buyers

and sellers were assembled in a large open space in the heart of the

town, presenting the most busy, bustling scene imaginable. To say

nothing of the hum and clatter of such a multitude of barbarians, the

incessant exertions of a horrid band of native musicians rendered

their own voices inaudible. People from Katunga and other towns of

less importance, flocked into Eetcho to attend the market held on

this day, which they were informed was not so well attended as on

former occasions; the rain that had fallen, and the alleged danger

which besets the path, having prevented many thousands from leaving

their own abodes. Country cloth, indigo, provision, &c., were offered

for sale, but they observed nothing in the market worthy of notice.

Orders were given by the governor that the town should be well

guarded during the night, for fear of its being attacked whilst the

travellers were in it, and it was given out that any one found

loitering outside the walls after sunset, would be seized without

ceremony, and his effects taken from him.

A very ungallant custom prevails at Eetcho, which is, that every

woman, who attends the market for the purpose of selling any article,

is obliged to pay a tax of ten kowries to the governor, whilst any

individual of the other sex is allowed to enter the town, and vend

commodities publicly without paying any duty whatever.

On Thursday May 13th, they arose at a very early hour to undertake

the journey to Katunga, which was rather long, and they hoped not

only to reach that city before the heat became oppressive, but also

to avoid, if possible the escort, which they had every reason to

suppose the king would send out to meet them. Notwithstanding,

however, their most strenuous exertions, it was six o'clock before

they were all ready to depart. The air was cooler than they had felt

it since landing from the Clinker, the thermometer being as low as

71° in the shade. The natives appeared to feel this _severity_ of the

weather most keenly, for although they huddled themselves up in their

warmest cotton dresses, they were yet shivering with cold. Hundreds

of people, and it would perhaps not be overrating the number to say

thousands, preceded and followed them on the pathway; and as they

winded through thick forests, along narrow roads, their blue and

white clothing contrasted with the deep green of the ancient trees,

produced an eminently pleasing effect. After a hasty ride of two

hours, they came in sight of the town of Eetcholee, outside of which

were numerous trees, and underneath their widely spreading branches,

were observed various groups of people seated on the turf taking

refreshment. They joined the happy party, partook of a little corn

and water, which was their usual travelling fare, and then renewed

their journey in good spirits. They had not, however, proceeded a

great way, when the escort, about which they had been so uneasy, was

descried at a distance, and as they approached at a rapid pace, they

joined the party in a very few minutes. There was no great reason

after all, for their modesty to be offended either at the splendour

or numbers of their retinue, for happily it consisted only of a few

ragged individuals on foot, and eight on horseback; with the latter

was a single drummer, but the former could boast of having in their

train, men with whistles, drums and trumpets.

Richard Lander sounded his bugle, at which the natives were

astonished and pleased; but a black trumpeter jealous of the

performance, challenged a contest for the superiority of the

respective instruments, which terminated in an entire defeat of the

African, who was hooted and laughed at by his companions for his

presumption, and gave up the trial in despair. Amongst the

instruments used on this occasion, was a piece of iron, in shape

exactly resembling the bottom of a parlour fire shovel. It was played

on by a thick piece of wood and produced sounds infinitely less

harmonious than "marrow-bones and cleavers."

The leader of the escort was a strange looking, powerful fellow, and

might very well serve the writer of a romance as the hero of his

tale, in the character of keeper of an enchanted castle, when fierce,

scowling looks, terrific frowns, and a peculiarly wild expression of

countenance are intended to be _naturally_ described, for the man's

stature was gigantic; his eyes large, keen, piercing, and ever in

motion, his broad nose squatted over both cheeks; his lips immensely

large, exposing a fine set of teeth; the beard was thick, black and

gristly, and covering all the lower part of his face, reached to his

bosom; the famous Blue Beard was nothing to him; and in gazing on his

features, the observer might almost be inclined to believe, that all

the most iniquitous and depraved passions of human nature were

centered in his heart. Yet, with so unlovely and forbidding an

appearance, this man was in reality as innocent and docile as a lamb.

He wore on his head a small rush hat, in shape like a common

earthenware pan inverted, or like the hats, which are worn by the

lower class of the Chinese. His breast was enveloped in a coarse

piece of blue cloth; from his left shoulder hung a large quiver of

arrows, and in his right hand he held a bow, which he brandished like

a lance; a short pair of trousers covered his thighs, and leathern

boots, fantastically made, incased his feet and legs. His skin was of

jetty blackness, his forehead high, but his tremendous beard, which

was slightly tinged with grey, contributed, perhaps, more than any

thing else, to impart that wildness and fierceness to his looks,

which at first inspired the travellers with a kind of dread of their

leader.

Thus escorted they travelled onwards, and after a hasty ride of six

hours from Eetcho, they beheld from a little eminence, those black

naked hills of granite, at whose base lay the metropolis of Youriba.

About an hour afterwards, they entered the gates of that extensive

city. As being consistent with etiquette, they halted under a tree

just inside the walls, till the king and the eunuchs were informed of

their arrival, which having been done after a wearisome delay, they

rode to the residence of the chief eunuch Ebo, who, next to the king,

was the most influential man in the place. They found this personage

a great fat, round, oily man, airing himself under the verandah of

his dwelling. Other eunuchs of similar appearance were sitting on the

ground with him, and joining him in welcoming both of the travellers,

but particularly Richard, to Katunga, with every appearance of

sincerity, heartiness, and good-will. An uninteresting conversation

now took place, which lasted for some time, after which, they walked

altogether to the king's house, which was at the distance of half a

mile from that place.