of aversion towards their jetty complexions, in
common I believe with most strangers that visit this place."

Owing to the holiday, which is equally prized and enjoyed by
Mahommedan and pagan, their visitors on this day have been almost
exclusively confined to a party of Houssa mallams, who entered their
dwelling in the forenoon, perfumed all over with musk, more for the
purpose of gratifying their vanity by displaying their finery before
them, than of paying the travellers the compliment of the day, which
was avowedly the sole object of their intrusion. One or two of them
were masticating the goora nut, and others had their lips, teeth, and
finger nails stained red. Each of the mallams was attended by a
well-dressed little boy of agreeable countenance, who acted as page
to his master, and was his _protege_. Neither of the men would eat or
drink with those who they came to visit, yet whilst they were in
their company, they seemed cheerful and good humoured, and were
communicative and highly intelligent. In answer to the questions put
to them, they; were informed that two rivers enter the Quorra, or
great river of Funda, one of which is called the _Coodonie,_ and the
other the _Tshadda,_ (from the lake Tshad); that a schooner might
sail from Bornou to Fundah, on the latter river, without difficulty;
that Funda is only twenty-four hours pull from Benin, and twenty-nine
days' journey from Bornou. At the close of a long and to the
travellers rather an interesting conversation, their visitors
expressed themselves highly gratified with their reception, and left
the hut to repair to their own habitations.

These men, though slaves to Adooley, are very respectable, and are
never called upon by their master, except when required to go to war,
supporting themselves by trading for slaves, which they sell to
Europeans. They wore decent _nouffie_ tobes, (_qu Nyffee,_) Arab red
caps, and Houssa sandals. The mallams, both in their manners and
conversation, are infinitely superior to the ungentle, and malignant
natives of Badagry.

March 28th fell on a Sunday, and luckily for the travellers, the
inhabitants of the place considered it as a holiday, and their
singing, dancing, and savage jollity possessed greater charms for
them than an empty rum cask, though backed by two white faces. With a
trifling exception or so, they were in consequence unmolested by
their visitors of the everlasting grin and unwearied tongue during
the day. T