BENIN BRANCH. 369 



was obliged to order it to be pushed off from 

 the land. The natives were armed with muskets 

 and spears. 



We passed a few fishing canoes ; on seeing us, 

 the natives paddled on with great rapidity. Nearly 

 opposite Subercrebbee is another branch leading 

 to Benin, with a fine opening at its commence- 

 ment. At this place the current was very strong, 

 running at the rate of nearly four knots per hour. 

 We were two hours in' passing the entrance of 

 this river, using sails and oars. We landed on a 

 sandbank abreast of a town named Oppocoomah 

 to breakfast, where the king's brother brought a 

 goat to us as a dash. The natives of this tov/n 

 are well provided with muskets, spears, and 

 knives, worn on the left side. One of the men 

 brought an elephant's tooth for sale, weighing 

 about forty pounds ; but he wanted an exorbitant 

 price for it, and it was not purchased. At four 

 o'clock we proceeded forward, and on the right 

 bank passed a town named Momotymiahmah, 

 and several other small villages. This evening 

 there was very heavy thunder and lightning, with 

 rain : the current being very strong, we were un- 

 able to fetch the shore without drifting consider- 



VOL. I. 2 b 



