374 CURIOSITY OF THE NATIVES. 



English manufacture, and many were in a state 

 of nudity. About eight in the evening we an- 

 chored alongside a sandbank. 



A great deal of rain fell during the night. 

 About five o'clock, on the 20th of June, we again 

 proceeded. Mr. Lander improving, and myself 

 much better. About nine o'clock we were abreast 

 of a large branch of the river, said to run to 

 Benin. I believe this is the largest Benin branch 

 which runs out of the Quorra. On the opposite 

 side of the river we observed a multitude of 

 black countenances, with white teeth, anxi- 

 ously watching our progress, but apparently 

 afraid of being seen. Our interpreter hailed 

 them to bring off some mats, fowls, eggs, and 

 yams, at the same time telling them not to be 

 afraid. In a few minutes an amazing number of 

 canoes were alongside of us, some having Indian 

 corn (which is much cultivated here) — some with 

 plantains, yams, fowls, eggs, goats, and mats, and 

 red pepper. The river presented the appear- 

 ance of a fair, and such a noise and confusion of 

 tongues I never before heard. I counted up- 

 wards of seventy- eight canoes ; several were very 

 small, containing one and two men. The people 

 sit astride their canoes, with their legs hanging 



