hough they were more sober than their master, they also had had
a pull at the bottles. Fortunately the king did not appeal to us, but
again and again asked them what we had said. At length starting up he
called them all by the most opprobrious names, insisting that they
should interpret, then seizing a cane, which he probably thought was a
sword, he ordered them to go about their business, bestowing a kick on
the rear of first one, and then on another, sending them all flying away
from him, the commander-in-chief, who maintained his post to the last,
receiving a blow from the monarch's foot as he endeavoured to leap down
the steps, which sent him flying away some fifty yards, when down he
sprawled with his nose in the dust, kicking up his heels in the air.
The king having accomplished this feat, no longer able to stand, rolled
back in his seat, where he continued kicking out with his legs, shaking
his hands, and blubbering away, exclaiming, "that he could get no wisdom
out of his counsellors, who were a useless, lazy set." He then looking
up, inquired in husky tones, "What we wanted?"

Harry once more endeavoured to explain our object in coming, but all his
efforts were vain to make the king comprehend a word he said. Aboh then
tried, with the same want of success. The king, who in the meantime had
taken a pull at another bottle, evidently felt no inclination to rise,
and comforted himself by showering abuse on Aboh's head and ours,
bestowing upon him all sorts of opprobrious epithets.

At last, as it was very evident that we could get nothing out of the
monarch, we beat a retreat in as dignified a manner as possible, and
retired to our house, more resolved than ever to take French leave
before many days were over, should we have the opportunity.

The king's attendants wisely kept out of his way when he was in his
drunken fits, and shut themselves up in their houses, or left the
village, lest he might take a fancy to cut off any of their heads. We,
finding the road open to the river, determined to make an excursion
along the banks in the hope of discovering some canoes fit for our
purpose. Keeping our guns ready for action, we sauntered along near the
river, though we pretended to take that road merely for the sake of the
fresh breeze which blew off the water. We spied four or five canoes; in
none of them, however, could we see paddles, and without some such means
of propulsion they would be useless. How to pr