young man, who had entered the hut with him, but whom
they had not before observed, and introduced him as a messenger sent
to them by the Fellata prince of Rabba. This man said, that his
master, named Mallam Dendo, had commissioned him to acquaint them,
that he heartily concurred with the king of Nouffie in the favourable
opinions and sentiments which the latter entertained for them. With
respect to their visiting Rabba, which he understood they were very
much disinclined to do, he should not urge them, and rather imagined
that they would be more comfortable and enjoy greater tranquillity,
on an inland on the opposite side of the river, where he would
recommend them to stop. The Fellata messenger concluded by observing,
that they would be visited on the morrow by _the king of the dark
water_, who would escort them to the island in question, of which he
was the governor.

As early as five o'clock on the following morning, their canoes were
loaded, and having breakfasted on a slice of yam, they were fully
prepared to quit the island. But as it was not deemed either politic
or proper to go away till the arrival of the great _king of the dark
water_, who was hourly expected, and who might be inclined to
construe their departure into contempt, they consented to await his
coming. Rather, however, than remain in a close black hut, full of
men, whose garments were generally covered with vermin, and rarely if
ever cleaned, and who made it a common practice to sit on the mat
where the two Landers slept, rather than undergo such a nuisance,
they stepped into their canoes, and having pushed off from the land,
they waited the arrival of the king of the dark water under the
branches of a large tree, at a little distance from the town.

Between nine and ten, they heard a number of men singing, and keeping
time to the motion of many paddles, and in a very few minutes, a
canoe, which was paddled by a few men only, came in sight, and they
knew by this that the water king was approaching. It was instantly
followed by another, and much larger one, propelled by above twenty
very fine young men, whose voices they had been listening to just
before, and who were still continuing their song. The king of the
dark water was with them. As the canoe drew nearer, they were not
only surprised at its extraordinary length and uncommon neatness, but
likewise at the unusual display of pomp and show which were
observable in her. In the centre a mat a