KING agua's town. 285 



In the morning we went ashore to visit 

 -King Agua, who received us on the beach. 

 The most striking article of his attire was an 

 enormous cocked-hat, evidently "made to or- 

 der," from its dimensions, and stuck round with 

 small circular looking-glasses, which had a most 

 dazzling effect as he bowed and scraped our 

 welcome. 



After viewing his house, which was of two 

 stories, with a gallery surrounding it outside, we 

 walked through the town, which in order and 

 beauty far exceeded any thing I had yet seen in 

 Africa. It appeared to me the beau ideal of an 

 Indian town. The principal street is about three 

 quarters of a mile in length, about forty yards 

 wide, perfectly straight, and the houses being 

 all upon the same plan, give it a regular and 

 handsome appearance. In the course of our 

 ramble we paid a visit to a person whose native 

 impudence, aided by my countrymen's gulli- 

 bility, had rendered him notorious. We found 

 him reclining in his hut, attended by three of 

 his women, who were employed dressing a loath- 

 some sore upon his thigh. This man is a slave 

 to King Agua, and acts as pilot for vessels com- 

 ing into or going out of the river. In exercis- 



