The king then replied in assuring us that we were truly welcome to his country; that he had frequently heard of white men; but that neither himself, nor his father, nor any of his ancestors had ever seen one. He was glad that white men had come at this time; and now he trusted his country would be put right, his enemies brought to submission, and he would be enabled to build up his father’s house, which war had destroyed. This he spoke in such a feeling and energetic manner, and repeated it so many times, that I could not help sympathising with him. He then said we were welcome to his country, and he was glad to see us, and would have been so, even if we had not a cowrie, instead of coming with our hands full, as we had done; that he wanted nothing from white men, but something to assist him against his enemies, and those of his people who had rebelled against him, so as to enable him to reduce them to obedience; that his slaves from Housa had joined the Fellatahs, put to death the old, and sold the young; that he was glad to hear that all his people had behaved well to us; that had any of them refused us assistance, he should have sent an order to cut off their heads; that the caboceer of Jannah was his slave, whom he put there to look after that part of his dominions; that Badagry, Alladah, and Dahomey all belonged to him, and paid custom for every ship that anchored there: and he concluded by assuring us he wanted nothing but assistance against his enemies; feelingly deploring the civil war occasioned by his father’s death, the state of his country, and of his capital, Katunga. He then asked us if we did not see the ruined towns as we came along the road. “All these,” says he, “were destroyed and burned by my rebellious Housa slaves, and their friends, the Fellatahs.”
We now began to unfold and to deliver the presents. With the umbrellas and gold-mounted cane he was much pleased; but for the red and blue cloth, which, by some mistake, was common cloth for soldiers’ coats, we had to make an apology. With all the others he was highly pleased. Indeed, during our stay at Katunga he was never seen without the cane.
After the delivery of the presents, I told him that the king, my master, had sent me before on a mission to Bornou, in which country and Housa I had passed two years; that the sultans and people of these countries had behaved to me with the greatest kindness; and that, having then understood that the path we were now going was the nearest way to Bornou, the king of England had ordered me, as I proceeded, to visit the king of Youriba, and to assure him of his friendship, and to request him to give me a safe conduct to Nyffee, from whence I might proceed to Bornou.
He seemed to hesitate much at this request, and consulted with his minister what answer to give. After which, he said, that Nyffee or Toppa was involved in civil war, caused by the death of the king, who had left two sons, both of whom claimed the kingdom; that one son had more of his countrymen on his side, but the other had called in the assistance of the Fellatahs or Fellans, which made him doubt as to my safety, in the event of his putting me into their hands. I told him I was a servant of the king of England, and must go where he chose to order me, and that, live or die, I must proceed; that I had nothing to do with either party or with their wars; that all I wanted was a passage over the Quorra into Nyffee, and hoped he would not refuse me. After some further consultation with his counsellors, he said he would despatch a messenger to open the road for me, and that he would send me safely over the river.
Wednesday, 25th.—Early this morning the king sent me a present of a large fat cow, a sheep, yams, &c. He had before sent us a goat, yams, honey, and milk, night and morning.
The atmosphere here is so dry, that most of the instruments are breaking and splitting. My only hygrometer was broken at Badagry. The late Dr. Morrison’s barometers were fitted with ivory screws at the bottom of the tube; they are all split, and rendered useless by the heat: the plain tubes are the best; those with ivory or wooden scales contract, and break the glass. The microscope is all in pieces, as also several other instruments.
In the evening we had a visit from the king, to thank me for the presents I had given him, and again to assure me of being welcome; said that he wanted nothing, unless it was something that would speedily cause the submission of the rebels. He said that he had sent to his friend the king of Benin for troops to assist him in the war. He added that the customary fêtes or amusements would begin in about two months, and he would be very glad if I would stay and see them; that he dressed now as a common man, but after that, I should see him robed as a king. I told him I must go on early, to get to Bornou before the rains. Mr. Houtson took this opportunity of observing to him that he had been at the customs in Dahomey, and inquired if the king of Yourriba put to death such a number of people at his customs as at those of Dahomey. He shook his head, shrugged up his shoulders, and exclaimed “No, no—no king of Yourriba could sacrifice human beings; and that if he so commanded, the king of Dahomey must also desist from that practice; that he must obey him.”
Thursday, 26th.—This morning we had a sheep from the king, and a hog and some plantains from one of his sons. In the evening I set off five rockets, which astonished all and frightened away many. The king was sitting under his verandah, and we waited on him to inquire how he liked the rockets; he was quite delighted, and said they should be kept for war.
Friday, 27th.—Employed in reducing the packages, and writing. The morning dull and hazy. In the afternoon the king paid us a visit, when we showed him some presents intended for the three principal caboceers of the city. He said he did not know what to do or say for our great kindness, as we had given him more things than he would have got for the sale of one hundred slaves, and now we were giving more to his caboceers; that, however, what he could do he would. He said he had sent messengers in different directions to try to find a safe path to the place where I wished to go; that while we were in his dominions we were perfectly safe, but on leaving them he was sorry to think we might be exposed to danger from the disturbed state of the countries through which I must travel. He then said that the Tappa, or Nyffé messengers, who had been here three years, were in waiting to give us every information regarding the course of the river that I might wish to ask him. They were accordingly called in, and were certainly the most savage-looking knaves I ever saw; but they either could not, or were afraid to give any the least account of the river Quorra, and I therefore sent them off, after asking a few questions. Indeed there seems a great unwillingness in both the king and the people of this place to say any thing at all about the subject, for what reason I cannot yet conjecture.
Saturday, 28th.—This morning I set out on horseback on a visit to the three head caboceers, who dwell about three miles from our house. We were received with much kindness and attention by all of them under their respective verandahs, and surrounded by hundreds of their wives, who all clapped their hands in token of welcome. They severally presented us with goats, sheep, pigs, yams, eggs, honey, and ducks, inviting us to drink country ale with them, and to make merry; but I was very unwell, and anxious to get home. In the evening we paid a visit of ceremony to the king, when I asked him to allow Mr. Houtson and myself to go and look at the Quorra, and return before closing my despatch for England. He replied, that he heard what we said, and that we should go. I also asked for a messenger to carry letters to Badagry in two days hence. He said he would be ready.