DUKE EPHRAIM. 277 



now would be superfluous. I may remark, how- 

 ever, that I was much struck by the extreme de- 

 moralisation and barbarism of the inhabitants, 

 in comparison with the natives of the interior. 

 The human skulls that are seen in every direc- 

 tion, and that are actually kicking about the 

 streets, attest the depravity of feeling among the 

 people, and add another to the long list of me- 

 lancholy proofs of the debasing effects of Euro- 

 pean intercourse with savage nations, when go- 

 verned solely by the love of gain. 



Colonel Nicolls entertained Duke Ephraim 

 and a great number of his followers at breakfast 

 on board the Quorra, and, with the exception of 

 the duke and three or four of his headmen, a 

 more disgusting and swinish assemblage I never 

 met with : far inferior were they to the Eboes, 

 and not to be compared with the decent and 

 well-behaved inhabitants of Addah Kuddah, and 

 other towns in the interior. 



The duke's idol was brought on board, — a little 

 abominable figure of clay : the bearer of it fol- 

 lowed him everywhere, and stood behind him 

 during breakfast. As the Quorra was the first 

 steam-vessel that had ever been at Calebar, we 



