Chap. IJ. CHIEF RANPANO AND HIS SPELLS. 17 



likely be attained, and I should not only meet with 

 no political obstacle, but have all the assistance the 

 coast tribes could give me to enable me to penetrate 

 into the interior. I had brought goods for th^. trade- 

 loving Commi, to exchange with them for the produce 

 of their country, in order to secure their good will. 

 The people of the West Coast have no consideration 

 for any one but a trader, and even amongst them- 

 selves a man is more respected for his trading goods 

 than for the territory or land that he possesses. My 

 first object, therefore, Avas to settle myself for a few 

 weeks amongst them, and cultivate the friendship of 

 the people and their chiefs. I sent Sholomba up the 

 river to apprise Quengueza of my arrival, and mean- 

 time went to pay my court to Ranpano, who had just 

 arrived from the Ogobai. 



I knew that Ranpano had arrived during my 

 absence on board the schooner, and I felt vexed that 

 he was not amongst the number of those who waited 

 for me on the beach when the accident occurred. I 

 now learnt that he was in a hut at no great distance. 

 Thither I went, and found the fat, grey-headed old 

 fellow sitting motionless, with grave countenance, 

 over a bundle of fetiches or mondahs, muttering his 

 spells. I drew myself up, trying to look haughty, and 

 reproached him for his indifference to the fate of his 

 old friend, knowing, as he did, the dangers of passing 

 the surf at this season. To all this he remained 

 immoveable as a stone, and replied, pointing to his 

 fetiches, "My white man die in the water? never, 

 whilst I am alive ! How could it be?" and, looking 

 round at his people, he repeated, " How could it be?' 



c 



