Explorations. Abbeokuta

Here I met for the first time with my colleague and Assistant
Commissioner, Mr. Robert Campbell, from whom, at Lagos, I found a letter
waiting for my arrival in the hands of Acting Consul, Lieut. Edward F.
Lodder, of Her Majesty's war vessel "Brun," which continually lies in
the harbor, directly opposite and near to the Consulate. Consul Campbell
(since deceased), had paid an official visit to England, and Lieut.
Lodder was supplying his place.

Towns from Abbeokuta

From Abbeokuta, population 110,000, we proceeded to Ijaye, population
78,000, reckoned by the white missionaries and officers of the Niger
Expedition of Her Majesty's service, who passed through once, at 80,000;
Oyo, population, 75,000; Ogbomoso, population 70,000; Illorin,
population 120,000; returning back, _via_ Ogbomoso to Oyo: when by
arrangement, Mr. Campbell leaving me at Oyo, returned to Abbeokuta by a
new route through Isen and Biolorin-Pellu, small places: whence I, a
week later, also by another strange route, returned, passing through
Iwo, population 75,000; and Ibaddan, population 150,000 an immense city,
the estimated number of inhabitants by the Civil Corps who passed
through, being 250,000. It will be seen that I have made a liberal
deduction of two-fifths, or 100,000 from this estimate; still, the
population is immense and the city extensive, the walls embracing an
outline of at least twenty-three miles.

Return to Lagos

From Abbeokuta, the water being very low, it was thought advisable that
Mr. Campbell take charge of all our luggage, and proceed by way of the
Ogun to Lagos, (he having disposed of his horse at Abbeokuta) whilst I,
on horseback, with William Johnson our cook, the only servant we
retained--a civilized native--as guide and attendant, proceeded by land,
both reaching Lagos three days after, in the same hour of the same day.

VIII TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATE, ETC.

Topography, Climate

The whole face of the country extending through the Aku region or
Yoruba, as it is laid down on the large missionary map of Africa, is
most beautifully diversified with plains, hills, dales, mountains, and
valleys, interlined with numerous streams, some of which are merely
temporary or great drains; whilst the greater part are perennial, and
more or less irrigating the whole year, supplying well the numerous
stocks of cattle and horses with which that country is so well
everywhere provided. The climate is m