alone. They are much
esteemed by the Youribans, who behave to them without suspicion or
reserve.

Shortly after their arrival, a man stole a sword from one of the
attendants on the travellers; he was pursued to the chief, and
asserted that he had found it; as he laid the weapon at his feet. The
sword was restored to them by the governor, but without the slightest
allusion being made to the means by which he obtained it. A company
or _goffle_ of merchants from Hano, were at this time in the town,
who had travelled thus far on their way to Gonga, which is the Selga
of Cape Coast Castle and Accra. Their merchandise consists chiefly of
elephants' teeth, trona, rock salt, and country cloths. This, the
Landers were told, is a new route, the road formerly taken being
considered unsafe, on account of private broils and disturbances
amongst the natives. The goffle consisted of more than four hundred
men; but a company of merchants that passed through the town ten days
previously, amounted to twice that number. Other merchants were also
in the town, and were to leave on the morrow on their way to Yaoorie,
to which place they were destined.

The palm tree became scarce as they advanced into the country, and,
consequently, the oil obtained hereabouts, is only in very small
quantities. But nature, ever bountiful, supplies its place with the
mi-cadania or butter tree, which yields abundance of a kind of
vegetable marrow, pleasant to the taste, and highly esteemed by the
natives. It is used for lights and other domestic purposes. The tree
from which it is obtained, is not much unlike our oak in appearance,
and the nut it produces is enveloped in an agreeable pulpy substance.
The kernel of this nut is about the size of our chestnut. It is
exposed in the sun to dry, after which it is pounded very fine and
boiled in water. The oily particles which it contains, soon float on
the surface; when cool, they are skimmed off, and then made into
little cakes for use, without any further preparation. Two
individuals appeared before the chief this day, in consequence of an
accusation of theft that had been made against them. The method
adopted of proving the guilt or innocence of the parties, was, by
compelling them to swallow the fetish water.

In the evening, the travellers received a fat goat, a basket of
caffas, a calabash of bananas, a vast quantity of yams, and a bowl of
milk from the governor. He appeared to be a sober, kind, and
bene