rees, and thick with underwood, whose luxuriant foliage of
various tints and hues, blending with the scarcely ruffled bosom of the
ocean, and the retiring clouds, making the sky each moment become more
lucid and transparent, formed such a variegated picture of natural
beauty, that we unanimously hailed it as the land of promise.

It was not long before the scene began to assume an aspect of
animation, the immediate consequence of our arrival; for, in less than
half an hour after we anchored, a number of canoes, with several
natives in each, who had already been trafficking with the Diadem,[30]
approached us for the purpose of bartering the productions of their
island, namely, yams, fowls, palm-wine in calabashes, fish, some boxes
made of split cane, monkey and snake skins, with other trifling
articles; for pieces of iron hoop, a few inches long, which we
afterwards found they made into two-edged knives, by beating them
between stones, until they succeeded, in shaping the blade to their
purpose, when they fitted it into a wooden handle, from four to six
inches in length. In the first instance, however, they evinced
considerable doubt and timidity, as they did riot venture to come
alongside, but kept the stern of their canoes directed towards us, to
be ready to paddle away on the first show of hostility, while a man
remained in the forepart to carry on the barter. We in vain attempted
to induce them to come on board, for, pointing in reply to their
Fetish, they gave us to understand that this was either prohibited or
imprudent. It was easy to perceive that the natives were fine-looking,
active, middle-sized men, with an agreeable and animated expression of
countenance. The natural colour of their skin was not ascertainable,
the whole body being painted, or rather daubed over with a composition
of clay, or ochre, mixed up with palm-oil. The prevailing colour was
red, which seems to belong more exclusively to the lower classes: some
few, however, had used a yellow, and others a grey pigment, probably as
a mark of distinction, and which we afterwards found appropriated to
the kings, or chief men. The faces were much seamed or scarified, while
other parts of the body, and particularly the abdomen, were more or
less tattoed. It is curious to remark, among the African savages, the
variety of delineations on their skin, tattoed in lines, figures, or
tropes, by way of ornament, fashion, or distinction, in nation and
rank, which,