194 EMBARK FOR FUNDAH. 



remainder I embarked in a canoe, accompanied 

 by one of the black boys as interpreter. 



Although I had found it difficult enough to 

 get into Yimmahah, I had no trouble in getting 

 out of it, as the old Mallam mounted me on the 

 shoulders of one of the natives, and telling me to 

 hold on by his ears, led the way down the preci- 

 pitous face of the rock, my carrier following him 

 and leaning on his shoulders. I shut my eyes 

 and held fast, and was most happy when we had 

 reached the bottom safely, as a single false step 

 would assuredly have been fatal to both of us. 

 My bearer trotted across the sandbank with my 

 long legs dangling round his neck, amidst the 

 laughter of his companions, great numbers of 

 whom had assembled to witness my departure. 

 The canoe which I embarked in was about 

 twenty-five feet long, pulled by four men, who, 

 with one of the Fundah messengers, completed 

 my crew. 



We started at midnight, and had proceeded 

 only a short distance when, to my great surprise, 

 the canoemen pulled in to the shore, landed, and 

 deliberately left me in the canoe with my boy 

 while they repaired to some huts for the purpose 

 of sleeping. It was in vain that I remonstrated 



