to, at which the man was out of all patience, and
went off foaming with passion. In the evening, the crane was dressed
for supper, and a similar request was made by a eunuch from Katunga,
who being a good-natured fellow, his wish was readily complied with.
The chief of Chaadoo, however, presently sent a messenger to request
the said precious head and legs, and to him they were finally
committed by the disappointed eunuch, who could hardly forbear
weeping on the occasion; these relics are considered extremely
valuable as a charm.
The chief sent them a goat, a quantity of bananas, a dish of pounded
or rather mashed yam with gravy, and a large basket of _caffas_.
These are a kind of pudding, made into little round balls from
bruised Indian corn, which is first boiled to the consistence of
thick paste. From being made entirely of coarse flour and water, they
have an insipid taste when new, but when kept for a day or two, they
become sour, and in this state are eaten by the natives. There are
several deep wells in the town, but most of them are dried up, so
that water is exceedingly scarce, and it is sold in the market-place
to the inhabitants. They were daily accosted on the road with such
salutations as these, "I hope you go on well on the path," "success
to the king's work," "God bless you white men," "a blessing on your
return, &c."
They remained the whole of the 28th at Chaadoo, in order to give the
carriers with the luggage, time to come up with them, having been
unavoidably detained by the roughness and unevenness of the road from
Dufo to Elokba. The Katunga eunuch already mentioned, was sent by the
king of that place to receive the customary tribute of the governors
of various towns on the road between Katunga and Jenna. This man was
treated with much respect both by the governor of Chaadoo and his
people, who prostrated themselves to the eunuch, before addressing
him.
Being in want of money, they sent some needles this morning to the
market to sell. It is a custom in Youriba, that after a buyer has
agreed to pay a certain sum for an article, he retracts his
expression, and affirms that he only promised to give about half the
sum demanded. This occasioned violent altercations between the
Landers' people and the natives, but it is an established custom,
from which there is no appeal.
The mother of the governor was buried this afternoon, at a
neighbouring village, and the funeral was attended by all his wives
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