102 EBOE AND ITS INHABITANTS. 



him a human skull covered with blood, and fol- 

 lowed by a mob of about a hundred fellows armed 

 with all manner of instruments, from a musket 

 to a penknife. His Satanic Majesty was particu- 

 larly civil to us : perhaps, being of the same colour, 

 he looked on us as his brethren. 



The town of Eboe stands by the side of a creek 

 running parallel with the Niger, and in the 

 flooded season communicating with it at both 

 ends. On a rough estimate, the town consists 

 of eight hundred to a thousand houses ; and al- 

 lowing on an average six people to a house, will 

 give the amount of population, two-thirds at 

 least of which may be considered as under four- 

 teen years of age. The inhabitants are the most 

 enterprising and industrious traders on the Ni- 

 ger.* The town itself with its immediate vici- 

 nity is unhealthy, owing to the swampy nature 

 of the ground : we found but few old people of 

 either sex, and a great number of young men 

 who appeared debilitated and aged. 



The staple trade of Eboe consists of slaves 

 and palm-oil. The value of the former varies 

 according to the demand on the coast ; but the 



* As a proof of which, I may state that 1 have met with 

 them as hisjrh as Fundah. 



