ACCIDENT TO MALLAM CATAB. 421 



with some suspicion, and we therefore did not 

 stay long. 



While on shore, we saw a number of beautiful 

 birds. Some of them had a plumage of a bright 

 indigo colour ; while that of others was of the 

 richest purple, blended with hues of the deepest 

 scarlet. 



In the afternoon the Mallam's canoe came 

 alongside. His people brought word that he 

 had nearly blown his hand off, owing to the sud- 

 den ignition of some gunpowder which he had 

 inadvertently placed near the fire to dry. He 

 was in the act of turning it when the accident 

 occurred. If this man had actually been the 

 cause of Pascoe's death, he was justly served, 

 and we should not have regretted the circum- 

 stance at all if his head had been carried away 

 in place of his hand ; but our suspicion of him 

 was grounded on the information that he was 

 employed by the King of Attah to remove those 

 persons who are obnoxious to him. I sent him 

 a lotion for his hand, which I considered was 

 treating him with more kindness than he de- 

 served 



This afternoon we were destitute of every- 

 thing eatable ; and while regretting our hard 



