256 hector's account 



men affirm is a sure sign of a bad man. In the 

 evening he came back, naked, except a waist- 

 cloth, and stayed a few minutes ; but Ibrahim the 

 interpreter being out of the way, we could not 

 make out what he wanted. 



" 28th. It being a holiday to-day, we accompa- 

 nied the king to a plain, on the east side of the 

 town, where we witnessed several horse-races and 

 native dances, which were performed before him 

 to the noise of drums, trumpets, and other in- 

 struments. On returning with the king, he re- 

 cognised in the market-place a native of Bassa, 

 and a great squabble of tongues commenced. 

 The man was alone, but retorted the abuse with 

 great spirit. The people of Bassa and Fundah 

 are often at war, and perpetually harassing each 

 other. It was annoying to find, through our 

 interpreter, that the king was threatening the 

 Bassa people with the vengeance of the white 

 men, who would, he said, utterly destroy their 

 country. 



" 29th. I was witness to-day to a poisoning 

 scene, which it would appear was a favourite 

 punishment at Fundah. The culprits were two 

 women, who were placed under a tree in a court- 

 yard, and an old man beat up the leaves of some 



