s country is still excluded from the light of truth, and the
refined arts of civilized life.

From Mahera we proceeded to Rochell, another of Mr. Smart's towns, more
insular, where I expected to have met him, in conformity with an
arrangement previously made, to visit him at his towns, and see, as he
observed, his country fashion. Upon our reaching this point of our
expedition, we were saluted by a numerous assemblage of chiefs and natives,
going to join my friend Smart in one of his wars with his opposite
neighbours and rivals, the Cammarancies, inhabiting the country towards the
Port Logo. The cause of quarrel was, that these people had seized upon the
rafts and canoes which brought the camwood over the falls higher up the
river, and had demolished several storehouses belonging to Smart and his
people, engaged in that trade. Smart, with a part of his forces, had
crossed the river only an hour before, and another division were embarking
to join him at a place of rendezvous upon the enemy's territory, with the
intention of cautiously approaching during the night to some of their
towns, and surprising them before they had arisen from sleep. Nothing could
exceed the novelty of this sight; the chiefs and their followers were armed
with their bows and arrows, and other rude implements of war, and
completely in their native character; in addition to their native weapons,
some had musquets, procured from Europeans in trade, swords, and various
other manufacture, supplied by traders, exhibiting an appearance, of which
no idea can be formed, without a personal knowledge of this barbarous
people. The chiefs, in particular, were covered with _gris-gris_ and
_fetishes_, a mixture of feathers and other preposterous materials,
calculated to obliterate any trace of human appearance, and possessing the
virtue, as they conceived, of shielding them from danger. Solemn _palaver_
is always held upon these occasions, and their _gris-gris_ makers, _fetish_
men, and priests, exorcise their absurd decorations, which, in their
estimation, operate as guardian angels in the hour of difficulty and peril.

Having occasion to visit a gentleman resident at some distance, we left our
canoes at Rochell, and proceeded on foot. _Cabba_, one of the chiefs,
accompanied us with a guard, being apprehensive, as he observed, that "bad
might happen us, as war live in the country." We passed through a
remarkably fertile country, presenting an infinite variety of