apprehension that one might have received more than another; that Ebo
himself, powerful as he is, would dread the effects of it on his own
person, should he have been found to have concealed a single thing.
They all in fact endeavour to disarm censure by an appearance of
openness and sincerity.

On the night of Thursday the 20th, to their infinite surprise and
pleasure, Ebo entered their yard in a great hurry, with the pleasant
information, that the king, as nothing more was to be got from them,
had consented to their departure on the following morning; and that
it was his wish they would get their things in readiness by that
time. So confident were they that they would be unable to start from
Katunga, for a month to come at the earliest, that they had not only
sowed cress and onion seed the day after their arrival, which were
already springing up, but they had actually made up their minds to
abide there during the continuance of the rains. But now they were in
hope of reaching Yaoorie in twelve or fourteen days, in which city
they intended to remain for a short time, before proceeding further
into the interior. The only drawback to their pleasure, was the
misfortune of having all their horses sick, which might seriously
inconvenience them in their progress. The old route to Kiama was
considered so dangerous, that it was understood they were to be sent
back to Atoopa, which was two long days' journey from Katunga, and
they were to proceed in a safer path. Although they now required but
five men besides their own to carry the luggage, the king scrupled
and hesitated to supply them with them, and the youngest of their
Jenna messengers was nominated to fill the place of one of them. They
were told that it was on account of the vast number of people that
have emigrated from Katunga to Raka and Alorie, that a sufficient
number of carriers could not be procured for them; but in so large a
place as Katunga, where two thirds of the population are slaves,
their reason seemed quite ridiculous, and they suspected the real one
to be the same original sin, viz. the humble character of their
present. The king, however, promised to take his farewell of them on
the following morning, and they being in good health, they hoped soon
to accomplish the object of their undertaking, and return in safety
to Old England.

On the following day, instead of the visit from the king, which they
were told on the preceding day he was to honor them w