21st.—Early this morning, the person who had threatened to shoot me yesterday came to beg my pardon, excusing his conduct on the plea of being intoxicated with drinking too much bum. At six in the morning continued our route, and at twelve at noon halted at Dalho, on the banks of the river Quontakora. At 3 P.M. every thing was safely landed on the opposite side; and journeying till sunset, reached the foot of a hill five miles to the east of the Niger, and rested there for the night. The country traversed to-day was one continued swamp, the mud and water frequently reaching up to the asses’ side. Rained continually throughout the day.
22d.—At nine in the morning left the hill, and at eleven at noon came to the river Niger, which was full one hundred yards wider than we found it on our way to Soccatoo. After waiting an hour, a canoe came to fetch us; but we did not get over till two in the afternoon, the horses, &c. being obliged, by reason of the rapidity of the current, to be ferried across in the canoe. My poor slave Jowdie, never having in all his life seen so large a body of water before, became greatly agitated, and was afraid to cross. Getting him at length, after much persuasion, into the canoe, he reached the other side, but fainted the moment he put his foot on terra firma. We landed at Inguazhilligee, where the principal inhabitants pressed us to remain; but having no presents to offer, declined stopping. Expecting to reach a village in the evening, made all possible haste to get out of the town; but at six o’clock, P.M. the asses being quite spent, were obliged to fix our tent on a marshy spot in the midst of a bush. The roads were horribly bad, through swampy ground, and could only travel two miles an hour. This evening, as well as the two former ones, went to rest without food.
23rd.—At six in the morning, proceeding on similar roads, and having heavy rain, reached a small village at one, and were obliged to remain there for the day to give the asses a little rest. The poor animals had stuck in bogs seven times in the morning, each of which times the loads were taken from their backs, and they themselves dragged with much difficulty and loss of time out of their unpleasant situation. None of the poor inhabitants of the village understanding the Houssa language, I entered a hut, the door of which was open, and giving the inmates a few beads, made signs with my hands that we stood in need of provisions and rest. One small lean fowl, however, was all that could be procured from them; but having the good fortune to shoot a guinea-fowl, made a tolerable meal, and slept soundly.
24th.—At seven in the morning left the village, and journeying till 3 P.M., halted at the pleasant town of Wowow, one of the handsomest, if not the handsomest, in the interior of Africa. It had taken us two days and a half on the road from Inguazhilligee, while in the dry season we did it with ease in one.
25th.—Took the old king a present, consisting of four yards of scarlet and four yards of blue damask, four yards of scarlet silk, a cap of the same colour, and a white turban. Though overjoyed to see me at first, he was much distressed on mentioning the death of Captain Clapperton at Soccatoo. He wondered at my being alive, after visiting the Fellata country, the inhabitants of which he described as the most barbarous in the world; said my preservation was miraculous, and that I was certainly one of God’s favourites. I was obliged to comply with his request, which was tantamount to a command, to remain with him a few days to clean seven muskets and three pistols, which he afterwards told me belonged to the white men who were drowned at Boussa. They have the Tower mark on them.
26th.—Solicited and obtained permission to visit Boussa, to pay my respects to its king.
27th.—At five in the morning, accompanied by Pascoe, proceeded on the road to Boussa; but, after journeying till six in the evening, had only got half way. The country is full of bogs and swamps, which in some places took the horses up to their saddles in mud and wet; and Pascoe being the worst rider I ever saw, was soused in them more than a hundred times. The remaining part of the road appearing still more difficult and dangerous, found it impossible to proceed any further.
28th.—Returned to Wowow.
29th.—The king sent me a goat, cut up into small pieces, and a large bowl of tuah, to make a sadacco for my poor master; a ceremony common in many places in the interior, on the decease of any person of consequence. The pieces of goat and the bowl of tuah are sent to the mallam or priest, who repeats a short prayer over them: it is however necessary, before this can be performed, to place a gold or silver coin, or at least an article made of either of those metals, on the top of the bowl. Having no coin I could part with, I put a silver pencil-case in its stead, which was never returned me. After the prayer has been pronounced over the tuah and goat’s flesh, they are sent back to the person to whom they belong; and any one who is disposed comes and eats; each person, before tasting, repeating this pious ejaculation, “God send him safe to heaven!” The goat’s flesh and tuah sent to me were soon consumed.
30th.—Having finished cleaning the muskets and pistols, asked the chief permission to leave Wowow. The old man, smiling, told me not half my business was done; he wanted six charms, which I alone could write. These charms were to be worn on his person, and to possess the following virtues: 1st charm. If his enemies thought of making war on him, it would cause them to forget to put it in practice. 2d. If they should be on their way to his city, for the purpose of warring, it would turn them back. 3d. If they should discharge their arrows at his people, when close to the city walls, it would cause them to rebound in their own faces, and wound them. 4th. It was the province of this charm to prevent his guns from bursting. 5th, was to preserve the person who might hold the gun from receiving any injury, should it unfortunately explode. The 6th and last charm was to make him the happiest and most successful of men.