e
whatever for black men."

The king was affected! He thrust the vessel into the pocket of his
tobe, smoothed it down with his hand, looked melancholy, and said,
"How nicely it fits! what a beautiful thing! how convenient it would
be in travelling." He then took it out again, turned it round and
round, opened and shut it repeatedly, and then bestowing on it a last
commendation, as outrageously as any of the former, it was returned
filled with genuine salt. Who could not understand the meaning of all
this? Now this handsome salt cellar was of latten, and was formerly a
common round tinder box, and because they had nothing better for the
purpose, they deprived it of the candlestick on its cover a short
time before, and converted it to its present use. The tin, moreover,
had been burnt off from many parts of it, and Pascoe's wife not being
an admirer of cleanliness, it had lost much of its original
brightness. The king's encomiums were nothing more than an indirect
and ingenious solicitation of the article for his own use; which was
further apparent by desiring the woman to relate to the Landers, no
part of the conversation that had passed between them: or in other
words, that she should tell them every syllable. They could not help
admiring the delicacy of the king, and sent back the tinder box to
him immediately. The bearer was rewarded handsomely for his trouble,
and they received as many thanks, as when he accepted the silver
medal and chain which they had presented to him.

It is by such means as this, that the chiefs and rulers of this
country, ashamed of making a direct application for any thing in the
possession of the travellers, to which they may have taken a fancy,
endeavour to obtain it. If, however, the hint does not succeed in
making a visible impression, less delicate measures are presently
resorted to, and when every other expedient fails, they cast aside
the reserve and bashfulness which had influenced them at first, and
express their meaning in language which cannot be misunderstood. In
this respect, the chiefs and governors are all alike, from Badagry to
the metropolis of Yaoorie.

On the 31st, a messenger with a canoe arrived from the king of Wowow,
but it was so very small, that it was wholly inadequate for their
purpose. This was a most provoking circumstance, because a larger
canoe was to be procured, which could not be done without a
considerable loss of time. In fact, between the chief of Wowow