d from his expedition
with Captain Clapperton, it was reported that Magia, who was a
younger son of the late king of Nouffie, was reinforced by the
soldiers from Soccatoo; that he took immediate advantage of the panic
into which this intelligence had thrown his brother, by attacking and
routing his army, and expelling both him, and them from their native
country. Ederisa was for some time after a wanderer, but at length he
was said to have found an asylum with one of the chiefs of a state
near the kingdom of Benin where he continued to reside in
tranquillity and retirement.

They received visits almost every hour of the day from a number of
mahommedan mallams residing at Kiama, as well as from those
merchants, who formed part of the fatakie that accompanied them
through the forest from Keeshee. The former sent two boys to pray for
them, in the expectation, it was supposed, of obtaining something
more substantial than thanks, for the good that might result to them
from their charitable remembrance of the frailty of their nature. The
boys dropped on their knees, and recited the lesson that they had
been taught, without committing a single blunder. A few needles were,
however, the only recompense it was thought proper to make them, so
that it was not likely their masters would desire any more prayers to
be offered up at the shrine of their prophet, for Christians so
illiberal and irreligious. Of all the vices of which these mahommedan
priests were guilty, and by all accounts they were not a few, slander
and defamation appeared to be by far the most general. Never did they
hear a mallam speak of his neighbours in terms of common respect.
According to his account they were all the vilest creatures under the
sun, not one escaping the lash of his censure. "Avoid that man," said
a complaisant and comfortable looking old Mahommedan, pointing to
one of his companions, as he quitted the hut, after having just
blessed him in the name of Allah, "for believe me, he will take every
opportunity of deceiving you, and if you go so far as to trust him
with any of your property, he will cheat you of every kowrie."

The venerable speaker had a number of gilt buttons, nearly new, in
his possession, which they had given him to sell, for they were
frequently obliged to make such shifts for a meal, and when his
invective was finished, he arose to take his leave, but the
self-righteous priest had neglected, in the hurry of discourse, to
secu