6 JOURNEY FROM BADAGRY TO KATUNGA.

nothing to eat. The road lay through the thickest woods I ever saw; and, except on the narrow footpath, wholly impenetrable by man or beast : the surface rather uneven ; the soil a strong red clay. We passed several people, principally women, heavily laden with cloth, plantains, and a paste made from pounded Indian corn, wrapped in leaves called accasson, going to market. They were all extremely civil, and never omitted saluting us, or giving us the road. One woman, whom I made signs to that I was thirsty, was nearly crying that she had no water to give, but would make us take plantains and accassons. Shortly after leaving Dagmoo we crossed a small stream, over which 1 was carried. About noon, arrived at the town of Humba, where I found Captain Pearce and Dr. Morrison in the caboceer's house, and the caboceer waiting in state to receive us. Here I had my feet bathed, but found 1 had a considerable degree of fever on me, and was glad to get to bed. In the afternoon I had a slight fit of ague. The house was in a very ruinous state ; and, indeed, the whole town, as far as we saw of it, was equally so. The inhabitants, however, were cheerful enough, and kept singing and dancing all night round our house ; their songs were in chorus, and not unlike some church music that I have heard.

Sunday, 1 1th.—Though very weak, I walked on for a mile to a town called Akalou, where the baggage was halted ; and here I found a black captain in a leopard skin cloak, holding a palaver, and declaring he would neither go nor let the baggage go on, without a flask of rum. Mr. Houtson gave him a glass of grog, when, after keeping it in his mouth for some time, he poured it out of his own into the mouths of his attendants. After this the baggage proceeded, and I had two men to carry me in my hammock ; but they had not gone twenty paces before they set me down, and said they would carry me no further. I accordingly endeavoured to creep on slowly, but on seeing the fellows walking very deliberately