suaded that this is the spot, where the seeds of those diseases were sown, on the very first night of their journey, which speedily proved so fatal to a part, and eventually to the whole, of the company:-"The morning thick and hazy; and, though sleeping close to the river, in the open air, for the first time since we have been on shore, we did not hear the hum of a single mosquito." How an old naval surgeon, and two experienced naval officers, could commit such an imprudence, in such a climate, is to us most surprising, when most dreadful consequences are well known to have almost invariably resulted from such a practice in tropical climates. The next night (the 9th), they again slept in the open air, in the market-place of Dagmoo, a large town where they might have had as many houses as they wanted. On the 10th, Clapperton was seized with fever and ague. On the 12th, Dr. Morrison was attacked with fever. On the 13th, Captain Pearce was severely indisposed; and, on the 14th, Richard Lander was taken ill. On the 23rd Dr. Morrison, after being carried in a hammock to the distance of about seventy miles, finding himself worse, requested to return to a town called Jannah; and Mr. Houtson accompanied him. The next day, one of the servants died; and, on the evening of the 27th, Captain Pearce breathed his last. "The death of Captain Pearce," says Clapperton, "has caused me much concern; for, independently of his amiable qualities as a friend and companion, he was eminently fitted, by his talents, his perseverance, and his fortitude, to be of singular service to the mission; and, on these accounts, I deplore his loss as the greatest I could have sustained, both as regards my private feelings and the public service."

The following morning, the remains of this lamented officer were interred in presence of all the principal people of the town. The grave was staked round by the inhabitants, and a shed built over it. An inscription was carved on a board, placed at the head of the grave, by Lander-"I being unable," says Clapperton, "to assist, or even to sit up." Two days after this, Mr. Houtson returned, with the information of Dr. Morrison having died at Jannah, on the same day as Captain Pearce, where he had his remains decently interred-the people of the town attending the ceremony.

These unfortunate officers had been conveyed thus far, about seventy miles, in hammocks, by the people of the country; every where experiencing the kindest attentions, lodged in the best houses, and supplied with every thing that the country afforded. Clapperton was able occasionally to ride on horseback, and sometimes to walk; but greatly debilitated, and not free from fever. He describes the country between Badagry and Jannah, the frontier town of the kingdom of Yourriba, as abounding in population, well cultivated with plantations of Indian corn, different kinds of millet, yams, and plantains, wherever the surface was free from dense forests. Every where on the road the party was met by numbers of people, chiefly women, bearing loads of produce on their heads, always cheerful and obliging, and delighted to see white men, frequently singing in chorus, holding up both

hands, and clapping them as tokens of joy, as they passed along, and whole groups kneeling down, and wishing the travellers a good journey. Towns and villages were very frequent; and some of the former were estimated to contain from eight to fifteen thousand souls. At Jannah, the crowds were immense, but extremely civil, and highly amused to see white men.

"In the evening Mr. Houtson and I took a walk through the town: we were followed by an immense crowd, which gathered as we went along, but all very civil; the men taking off their caps, the women kneeling on their knees and one elbow, the other elbow resting upon the hand. In returning we came through the market, which, though nearly sunset, was well supplied with raw cotton, country cloths, provision, and fruit, such as oranges, limes, plantains, bananas; and vegetables, such as small onions, chalotes, pepper and gums for soups: also, boiled yams, and accassons.* Here the crowd rolled on like a sea, the men jumping over the provision baskets, the boys dancing under the stalls, the women bawling, and saluting those who were looking after their scattered goods, yet no word or look of disrespect to us."-p. 12.

Of the honesty of the black population of the kingdom or province of Badagry, Captain Clapperton gives the following testimony:

"I cannot omit bearing testimony to the singular and perhaps unprecedented fact, that we have already travelled sixty miles in eight days, with a numerous and heavy baggage, and about ten different relays of carriers, without losing so much as the value of a shilling, public or private; a circumstance evincing not only somewhat more than common honesty in the inhabitants, but a degree of subordination and regular government which could not have been supposed to exist amongst a people hitherto considered barbarians. Humanity, however, is the same in every land; government may restrain the vicious principles of our nature, but it is beyond the power even of African despotism to silence a woman's tongue: in sickness and in health, and at every stage, we have been obliged to endure their eternal loquacity and noise."-p. 13.

The people of Jannah are ingenious as well as industrious. They are excellent carvers in wood: all their doors, drums, and wooden utensils, being covered with figures of men, snakes, crocodiles, &c. Numerous looms were in operation-sometimes eight or ten in one house; their cotton cloths good in texture, and some of them very fine. Their looms and shuttles are described as being on the same principle with the common English loom, but the warp seldom more than four inches in width. They have abundance of indigo, of an excellent quality. The women are generally the dyers, and boys the weavers. They also manufacture a tolerable kind of earthenware.

The old caboceer, or chief of the town, was delighted to see the strangers; assigned them good lodgings; and sent thither hogs, ducks, pigeons, plantains, yams, and whatever the place would afford; while his numerous wives, about

* Paste of pounded Indian corn, wrapped in a particular leaf.

two hundred, welcomed them with songs of joy. | On being informed that an Englishman had only one wife, he and the whole crowd, particularly his wives, laughed immoderately. The old gentleman wore a rich crimson damask robe and a red velvet cap; but during the ceremony of reception he changed his dress three differ ent times, each time increasing the splendour of his appearance.

"The whole court, which was large, was filled, crowded, crammed, with people, except a space in front where we sat, into which his highness led Mr. Houtson and myself, one in each hand, and there we performed an African dance, to the great delight of the surrounding multitude. The tout ensemble would doubtless have formed an excellent subject for a caricaturist, and we regretted the absence of Captain Pearce to sketch off the old black caboceer, sailing majestically around in his damask robe, with a train-bearer behind him, and every now and then turning up his old withered face to myself, then to Mr. Houtson, then whisking round on one foot, then marching slow, with solemn gait, twining our hands in his-proud that a white man should dance with him. We gave in to the humours of the day, and thus cheered we our old friend, and he was cheered.""-pp. 14, 15.

The approach to Emmadoo is described as extremely beautiful, through a long, broad, and majestic avenue of trees, at the end of which a stockade, eighteen feet high, with a wicker gate, and another of the same kind, at the distance of a hundred paces, defend the entrance of the town. The surface of the adjoining country is broken into gentle hills and dales, a small stream of water running through every little valley. At Afoora the granite formation began to show itself. The town of Assulah is surrounded with a wall and a ditch, and may contain six thousand people. Assouda, another walled town, had about ten thousand inhabitants. At both the party was abundantly supplied with provisions; and regaled with dancing and singing the whole night, by the apparently happy inhabitants.

The appearance of the country improved as our travellers advanced; they had now reached the mountainous range, the width of which is stated to be about eighty miles. The highest point would appear not to exceed two thousand five hundred feet at that part where the travellers crossed them; and the road, by the edge of the hills and through the valleys, not more than one thousand five hundred. The valleys were planted with cotton, corn, yams, and plantains; and on the tops and hollows of the hills were perched the houses and villages of the proprietors of these plantations. The town of Duffoo in these mountains is said to have a population of fifteen thousand souls; and Chiadoo, seven thousand. On departing from the latter, Clapperton was attended by the chief, and an immense train of people, of all ages and sexes, with drums, horns, and gongs, making a strange discord when mingled with the agree able voices of the women.

The highest summit of these mountains is between Erawa and Chaki.

"The road through this mountain pass was grand and imposing, sometimes rising almost

perpendicularly, and then descending in the midst of rocks into deep dells; then winding beautifully round the side of a steep hill, the rocks above overhanging us in fearful uncertainty. In every cleft of the hills, wherever there appeared the least soil, were cottages, surrounded by small plantations of millet, yams, or plantains, giving a beautiful variety to the rude scenery. The road continued rising, hill above hill, for at least above two miles, until our arrival at the large and populous town of Chaki, situated on the top of the very highest hill. On every hand, on the hills, on the rocks, and crowding on the road, the inhabitants were assembled in thousands; the women welcoming us with holding up their hands and chanting choral songs, and the men with the usual salutations and every demonstration of joy. The caboceer was seated on the outside of his house, surrounded by his ladies, his singing men and singing women, his drums, fifes, and gonggongs. He is a good-looking man, about fifly years of age, and has a pleasing countenance. His house was all ready for us; and he immediately ordered us a large supply of goats, sheep, and yams; pressing us strongly to stay a day or two with him. He appeared to consider us as messengers of peace, come with blessings to his king and country. Indeed a belief is very prevalent, and seems to have gone before us all the way, that we are charged with a commission to make peace wherever there is war; and to do good to every country through which we pass. The caboceer of this town indeed told us so; and said he hoped that we should settle the war with the Nyffee people and the Fellatah; and the rebellion of the Houssa slaves, who have risen against the king of Yarriba. When I shook hands with him, he passed his hand over the heads of his chiefs, as confirming on them a white man's blessing. He was more inquisitive and more communicative than any one whom we have yet seen. He sat until near midnight, talking and inquiring about England. On asking if he would send one of his sons to see our country, he rose up with alacrity, and said he would go himself. He inquired how many wives an Englishman had? Being told only one, he seemed much astonished, and laughed greatly, as did all his people.

The town of Koosoo, at the northern termination of the mountains, is stated to be the largest that our traveller yet had seen, and supposed to contain twenty thousand inhabitants. Next to it was Yaboo another large town, and then Ensookosoo, between which and the former is a beautiful plain, well cultivated and studded with a number of Fellatah villages, whose inhabitants are living here, as they do in most parts of Soudan, a quiet and harmless pastoral life, unmolested by the black natives, and not interfering with any of the negro customs. From hence to the capital of Yourriba, which is named Eyeo, or Katunga, many of the villages were deserted, and the towns, more or less, in ruins, from the incursions of the more warlike Fellatahs of Soccatoo, and the insurrectionary slaves of Houssa, who had laid waste the country. Town followed town in quick succession, but all of them had suffered from the recent incursions.

The approach to the town of Tshow was

through a beautiful valley, “planted with large shady trees and bananas, having green plots and sheets of water running through the centre, where the dingy beauties of Tshow were washing their well-formed limbs, while the sheep and goats were grazing around on the verdant banks." This picture of repose is stated, however, to be frequently disturbed by inroads from the neighbouring kingdom of Borgho, the natives of which are described as thieves and plunderers; and as our traveller was now close on its borders, he thought it necessary to brush up his arms. In the evening, however, a chief, with a large escort of horse and foot, arrived from Katunga, to conduct him safely to the king. They were so numerous that they eat up all the provisions of this small town; "every corner was filled with them; and they kept drumming, blowing, dancing, and singing, all night." On leaving this place, "the road through which we passed was wide, though woody, and covered by men on horseback, and bowinen on foot. The horsemen armed with two or three long spears hurrying on as fast as they could get us to go; horns and country drums beating and blowing before and behind; some of the horsemen dressed in the most grotesque manner; others covered all over with charms. The bowmen also had their natty little hats and feathers, with the jebus, or leathern pouch, hanging by their side. These men always appeared to me to be the best troops in this country and Soudan, from their lightness and activity. The horsemen, however, are but ill mounted; the animals are small and badly dressed, their saddles so ill secured, and the rider sits so clumsily on his seat, that any Englishman, who ever rode a horse with an English saddle, would upset one of them the first charge with a long stick."-p. 34.

They soon arrived at the gate of Katunga, which is said to be delightfully situated at the point of a granite range of hills: a band of music accompanied them, followed by an immense multitude of men, women, and children. They proceeded about five miles in the city before they reached the residence of the king, who was seated under a verandah, with two red and two blue umbrellas, supported on long poles held by slaves. The chiefs were observed to be holding a parley with the king, which Clapperton conjectured to relate to his being desired to perform the usual ceremony of pros

tration.

"I told them,' says he, if any such thing was proposed, I should instantly go back; that all the ceremony I would submit to would be to take off my hat, make a bow, and shake hands with his majesty, if he pleased.' This being granted, 'We accordingly,' says our author, went forwards; the king's people had a great deal to do to make way amongst the crowd, and allow us to go in regular order. Sticks and whips were used, though generally in a goodnatured manner; and I cannot help remarking on this, as on all other occasions of this kind, that the Yourribas appear to be a mild and kind people-kind to their wives and children, and to one another-and that the government, though absolute, is conducted with the greatest mild

ness.'"

This ceremony of prostration before the

|

king is required from all. The chiefs who come to pay their court, cover themselves with dust, and then fall flat on their bellies, having first practised the ceremony, in order to be perfect, before a large fat eunuch. There is something whimsical, we admit, in the comparison we are about to make; but it really strikes us, that nothing is wanting at Katunga but the yellow screen, whose unexpected appearance occasioned some misgivings in Lord Amherst's mind, to imagine the scene described by Clapperton to be laid in a provincial town of the Celestial Empire. The umbrellas-the negotiations for the ceremony-the rehearsal of it-the sticks and whips so good-naturedly laid across the shoulders of the crowd-are completely, and to the letter, Chinese; and these heavenly people of the east are successfully imitated by the Yourribas of the west, in the extraordinary degree of politeness practised towards each other: "when equals meet, they kneel on one knee; women kneel on both knees, the elbows resting on the ground." Nor are these dingy people outdone by the Celestials in another respect: the accredited traveller is subsisted entirely at the expense of the sovereign-that is to say, of the public. He is also invited to theatrical entertainments, quite as amusing, and almost as refined, from Clapperton's description, as any which his Celestial Majesty can command to be exhibited before a foreign ambassador. The king of Yourriba made a point of our traveller staying to witness these entertainments. They were exhibited in the king's park, in a square space, surrounded by clumps of trees. The first performance was that of a number of men dancing and tumbling about in sacks, having their heads fantastically decorated with strips of rags, damask silk, and cotton of variegated colours; and they performed to admiration. The second exhibition was hunting the boa snake, by the men in the sacks. The huge snake, it seems, went through the motions of this kind of reptile, "in a very natural manner, though it appeared to be rather full in the belly, opening and shutting its mouth in the most natural manner imaginable." A running fight ensued, which lasted some time, till at length the chief of the bag-men contrived to scotch his tail with a tremendous sword, when he gasped, twisted up, and seemed in great torture, endeavouring to bite his assailants, who hoisted him on their shoulders, and bore him off in triumph. The festivities of the day concluded with the exhibition of the white devil, which had the appearance of a human figure in white wax, looking miserably thin, and as if starved with cold, taking snuff, rubbing its hands, treading the ground as if tender-footed, and evidently meant to burlesque and ridicule a white man, while his sable majesty frequently appealed to Clapperton whether it was not well performed. After this the king's women sang in chorus, and were accompanied by the whole crowd.

The city of Eyeo, called in the Houssa language Katunga, has a thick belt of wood round the walls, which are built of clay, about twenty feet high, and surrounded by a dry ditch; they are fifteen miles in circumference, and are entered by ten gates. The houses are of clay with thatched roofs. The posts that support the verandahs and the doors are carved in bas

relief, with figures of the boa killing an antelope or a hog, with warriors accompanied by their drummers, &c. It has seven markets, held every evening, in which are exposed for sale yams, corn, calavances, bananas, vegetable butter, seeds of the colocynth, goats, fowls, sheep, cotton cloths, and various implements of agriculture. The country produces small horses, but fine horned cattle, many of them with humps on their shoulders like those of Abyssinia; sheep, hogs, muscovy ducks, fowls, pigeons, and turkeys. They have various kinds of fruit, such as oranges, limes, and, so Clapperton says, pears and apples. The cotton plant and indigo are extensively cultivated; but the commerce with the coast is almost exclusively in slaves, which are given in exchange for rum, tobacco, European cloth, and cowries. This intercourse, which is constant, is entirely by land, either from Badagry, Lagos, or Dahomey. The price of a slave at Jannah, as nearly as could be calculated, was from 3l. to 4l. sterling; their domestic slaves, however, are never sold, except for misconduct. In fact, the whole population may be considered in a state of slavery, either to the king, or his caboceers. The features of the Yourriba people are described as being less characteristic of the negro than those of Badagry; the lips less thick and the nose inclined to the aquiline; the men well made, and of an independent carriage; the women of a more coarse appearance, probably from drudgery and exposure to the sun.

Though Clapperton remained at Katunga from the 23d January, to the 7th March, and though the river, Quorra,—the mysterious and miscalled Niger-was not more than thirty miles to the eastward, he was not able to prevail on the king of Yourriba to allow him to visit it; whenever he asked for permission to do so, he was always put off with some frivolous excuse; and in this, too, the old gentleman appears to have been as cunning and as cautious as a Chinese mandarin-observing at one time, that the road was not safe-at another, that the Fellatas had possession of the country; and what would the king of England say, if any thing should happen to his guest? It was with some difficulty, after all, that Clapperton could prevail on him to let him depart on his journey; -offered, if he would stay, to give him a wife; of wives, he said, he himself had plenty-he did not exactly know how many, but he was sure that, hand to hand, they would reach from Katunga to Jannah.

On departing from Katunga for Kiama, a city of Borgho, Mr. Houtson took his leave of our traveller, and returned to the coast, where he shortly afterwards died. Clapperton continued his route among ruined villages, that had been sacked by the Fellatas. These marauders, it seems, have a mode of setting fire to walled towns, by tying combustibles to the tails of pigeons, which, on being let loose, fly to the tops of the thatched houses, while they keep up showers of arrows, to prevent the inhabitants from extinguishing the flames. Having crossed the river Moussa, a considerable stream which falls into the Quorra, an escort appeared to conduct our traveller to Yarro, the sultan, as they called him, of Kiama. They were mounted on remarkably fine horses, but were a law

less set of fellows, who plundered the villages as they went along, without mercy or remorse. At Kiama he was well received by Yarro, who assigned him an excellent house, within a square inclosure, and sent him milk, eggs, bananas, fried cheese, curds, and foo-foo (paste of Indian corn). Shortly afterwards he paid him a visit, mounted on a beautiful red roan, attended by a number of armed men, on horseback and on foot; "and six young female slaves, naked as they were born, except a stripe of narrow white cloth tied around their heads, about six inches of the ends flying out behind; each carrying a light spear in the right hand." Each of these girls, on entering the door, put a blue cloth round her waist. Yarro promised our traveller every assistance, and kept his word. On taking leave, he remounted his horse, "the young ladies undressed; and away went one of the most extraordinary cavalcades I ever saw in all my life." Extraordinary indeed! The following is his account of a second visit

"After the heat of the day was over, Yarro came, attended by all his train. The most extraordinary persons in it were himself and the bearers of his spears, which, as before, were six naked young girls, from, fifteen to seventeen years of age. The only thing they wore was a white bandeau, or fillet of white cloth, round the forehead, about six inches of the ends flying behind, and a string of beads round their waists; in their right hands they carried three light spears each. Their light form, the vivacity of their eyes, and the ease with which they appeared to fly over the ground, made them appear something more than mortal as they flew alongside of his horse, when he was galloping, and making his horse curvet and bound. A man with an immense bundle of spears remained behind at a little distance, apparently to serve as a magazine for the girls to be supplied from, when their master had expended those they carried in their hands."—p. 72.

Here, as in other large towns, there were music and dancing the whole night; "men's wives and maidens, all join the song and dance, Mahomedans as well as Pagans."

Kiama is one of the largest cities in Borgho. Clapperton estimates it to contain, at least, 30,000 inhabitants; but, like the rest of the people of this kingdom, they are represented as great robbers. Yarro, however, behaved very well to our traveller, supplied him at once with horses and bearers, and advised him to go by Boussa, and not by Youri, as the latter was at war with the Fellatas. Profiting by this advice, he proceeded towards the former, and in the way, he fell in with a coffle or caravan from Ashantee and Gonja, on their road to Houssa.

"At 10 we fell in with the Houssa caravans. They occupied a long line of march: bullocks, asses, horses, women, and men, to the amount of a thousand, all in a line, after one another, forming a very curious sight; a motley groupe, from the nearly naked girls and men carrying loads, to the ridiculously and gaudily dressed Gonja traders, riding on horseback, some of these animals being lame, and going with a halt, and all in very bad condition. The poor girls, their slaves, are compelled to travel with a heavy load on their heads, yet are as cheerful

and good-natured as if they were at home grinding corn in their own native country."pp. 75, 76.

At Wawa, another city of Borgho, our traveller was well and hospitably received, the old governor of which told him, that every thing should be done that he wished. Being so near that part of the Quorra, where Mungo Park perished, our traveller thought he might get some information of this melancholy event.

"The head man's story is this: that the boat stuck fast between two rocks; that the people in it laid out four anchors a-head; that the water falls down with great rapidity from the rocks, and that the white men in attempting to get on shore, were drowned; that crowds of people went to look at them, but the white men did not shoot at them as I had heard; that the natives were too much frightened either to shoot at them or to assist them; that there were found a great many things in the boat, books and riches, which the Sultan of Boussa has got; that beef cut in slices and salted was in great plenty in the boat; that the people of Boussa who had eaten of it all died, because it was human flesh, and that they knew we white men eat human flesh. I was indebted to the messenger of Yarro for a defence, who told the narrator that I was much more nice in my eating than his countrymen were. But it was with some difficulty I could persuade him that if his story was true, it was the people's own fears that had killed them; that the meat was good beef or mutton; that I had eaten more goats' flesh since I had been in this country than ever I had done in my life; that in England we eat nothing but fowls, beef, and mutton."-pp. 84, 85.

At this place Clapperton had nearly, though innocently, got into a scrape with the old governor, by coqueting with a young and buxom widow.

"I had a visit, amongst the number, from the daughter of an Arab, who is very fair, calls herself a white woman, is rich, a widow, and wants a white husband. She is said to be the richest person in Wawa, having the best house in the town, and a thousand slaves.

She showed a great regard for my servant Richard, who is younger and better looking than I am : but she had passed her twentieth year, was fat, and a perfect Turkish beauty, just like a walking water-butt. All her arts were unavailing on Richard: she could not induce him to visit her at her house, though he had my permission."-p. 81.

This widow it seems was not disposed to waste time by making regular approaches, like those by which widow Wadman undermined the outworks of the unsuspecting uncle Toby, but was determined to carry the citadel by storm.

"The widow Zuma has been kind enough to send me provisions ready cooked, in great abundance, ever since I have been here. Now that she has failed with Richard, she has offered Pascoe a handsome female slave for a wife, if he could manage to bring about matters with me. Not being much afraid of myself, and wishing to see the interior arrangement of her house, I went and visited her. I found her house large, and full of male and female slaves;

the males lying about the outer huts, the females more in the interior. In the centre of the huts was a square one of large dimensions surrounded by a verandah, with screens of matting all around except in one place, where there was hung a tanned bullock's hide; to this spot I was led up, and, on its being drawn on one side, I saw the lady sitting cross-legged on a small Turkey carpet, like one of our hearth rugs, a large leather cushion under her left knee; her goora pot, which was a large old fashioned English pewter mug, by her side, and a calibash of water to wash her mouth out, as she alternately kept eating goora and chewing tobacco-snuff, the custom with all ranks, male or female, who can procure them: on her right side lay a whip. At a little distance, squatted on the ground, sat a dwarfish, humpbacked, female slave, with a wide mouth but good eyes: she had on no clothing, if I except a profusion of strings of beads and coral round her neck and waist. This personage served the purpose of a bell in our country, and what, I suppose, would in old times have been called a page. The lady herself was dressed in a white coarse muslin turban; her neck profusely decorated with necklaces of coral and gold chains, amongst which was one of rubies and gold beads; her eyebrows and eyelashes blacked, her hair dyed with indigo, and her hands and feet with henna: around her body she had a fine striped silk and cotton country cloth, which reached as low as her ankles; in her right hand she held a fan made of stained grass, of a square form. She desired me to sit down on the carpet beside her, which I did, and she began fanning me, and sent Humpback to bring out her finery for me to look at; which consisted of four gold bracelets, two large paper dressing-cases with looking-glasses, with several strings of coral, silver rings, and bracelets, with a number of other trifling articles. After a number of compliments, and giving me an account of all her wealth, I was led through one apartment into another, cool, clean, and ornamented with pewter dishes and bright brass pans. She now told me her husband had been dead these ten years, that she had only one son, and he was darker than herself; that she loved white men, and would go to Boussa with me; that she would send for a malem, or man of learning, and read the fatha with me. I thought this was carrying the joke a little too far, and began to look very serious, on which she sent for the looking-glass, and looking at herself, then offering it to me, said, to be sure she was rather older than me, but very little, and what of that? This was too much, and I made my retreat as soon as 1 could, determined never to come to such close quarters with her again."—pp. 85, 86.

Wawa is said to contain from 18 to 20,000 inhabitants; it is surrounded by a good high clay wall, and dry ditch; and is described as the neatest, and most compact, and best walled town between it and Badagry. The following, however, is no very flattering account of its inhabitants.

"I never was in a place in my life where drunkenness was so general. Governor, priest, and layman, and even some of the ladies, drink to excess. I was pestered for three or four