ith a number of
needles, as a farther token of their friendly intentions. The chief
sat himself down on the turf, with one of the Landers on each side of
him, while the men were leaning on their weapons on his right and
left. At first, no one could understand what the Landers said, but
shortly after an old man made his appearance, who understood the
Houssa language. Him the chief employed as an interpreter, and every
one listened with anxiety to the following explanation given by the
chief.

"A few minutes after you first landed, one of my people came to me,
and said that a number of strange people had arrived at the market
place. I sent him back again to get as near to you as he could, to
hear what you intended doing. He soon after returned to me, and said
that you spoke in a language which he could not understand. Not
doubting that it was your intention to attack my village at night,
and carry off my people, I desired them to get ready to fight. We
were all prepared and eager to kill you, and came down breathing
vengeance and slaughter, supposing that you were my enemies, and had
landed from the opposite side of the river. But when you came to meet
us unarmed, and we saw your white faces, we were all so frightened
that we could not pull our bows, nor move hand or foot; and when you
drew near me, and extended your hands towards me, I felt my heart
faint within me, and believed that you were _Children of Heaven_, and
had dropped from the skies." Such was the effect that the Landers had
produced on him, and under this impression, he knew not what he did.
"And now," said he, "white men, all I want is your forgiveness."
"That you shall have most heartily," said the Landers, as they shook
hands with the old chief; and having taken care to assure him that
they had not come from so good a place as he had imagined, they
congratulated themselves, as well as him, that this affair had ended
so happily. For their own parts, they had reason to feel the most
unspeakable pleasure at its favourable termination, and they offered
up internally to their merciful Creator, a prayer of thanksgiving and
praise for his providential interference in their behalf. It was
indeed a narrow escape, and it was happy for them that their white
faces and calm behaviour produced the effect it did on these people;
in another minute their bodies would have been as full of arrows as a
porcupine's is full of quills.

They now ascertained that the place wh