412 VISIT TO THE KING OF ATTAH. 



were conducted by a circuitous route in or- 

 der to impress us with an idea of the diffi- 

 culties which strangers would experience should 

 they endeavour to penetrate into it without a 

 guide. Many of these passages were merely aper- 

 tures just wide enough to admit the body, and 

 frequent and severe were the thumps we receiv- 

 ed as we worked our way through them on our 

 hands and knees. At length, to our no small sa- 

 tisfaction, we were desired to sit down in a small 

 apartment, and a mat was prepared for our re- 

 ception. Shortly after, the king's chief wife en- 

 tered, accompanied by some slaves bringing in 

 some foofoo, and fowls dressed in palm-oil. Hav- 

 ing first desired the intrepreter to taste the food, 

 we proceeded to satisfy the cravings of our own 

 appetites. We considered this precaution the 

 more necessary, as the King of Attah had mani- 

 fested a hostile feeling towards Mr. Lander at 

 the time the steamers were aground at Adda- 

 coodah, and threatened to cut off his hea^ if he 

 had an opportunity. He would not allow any 

 teeth to go on board, and forbade the natives to 

 furnish us with any kind of provisions. In ad- 

 dition to this, he despatched spies to the town of 

 .Addacoodah, to watch all their motions. Pre- 



