108 BANKS OF THE NUN. 



them of the few good traits their character pos- 

 sessed, and engrafted on their naturally vicious 

 dispositions the worst qualities of civilised life. 



If their moral constitution be bad, their physi- 

 cal one might have been given them to match Lt, 

 living as they do on the lowest vegetable and 

 fish diet, when they are fortunate enough to pro- 

 cure it. They are frequently obliged to subsist 

 on vermin and garbage of all kinds ; and, as a na- 

 tural consequence, their bodies present the most 

 disgusting appearances, from ulcers, and the accu- 

 mulated filth of personal uncleanness. This is 

 the general character of the people inhabiting 

 the marshy ground, as we found them ; nor was 

 any improvement observable in them until we 

 came to Eboe. 



The quantity of palm-oil at present made on 

 the banks of the Nun is not, in my opinion, one 

 twentieth part of the natural production. I have 

 seen the palm-oil nuts of the season lying on the 

 ground neglected as an article too plentiful to be 

 valuable, and am convinced, that in case of any 

 efficient stop being put to the slave-trade, 

 the production, if the demand continued, would 

 be four times as much in as many years. 

 The very creeks and branches that perplex 



