OUR OLD ACQUAINTANCE SOHO. 433 



were in great alarm ; that the women and chil- 

 dren had been removed into the bush, and poi- 

 soned arrows were planted in pit-falls which they 

 had dug to entrap us. The chief, however, came 

 on board with a present ; and, notwithstanding 

 our ill forebodings, we had the satisfaction to 

 find ourselves in possession of some good eggs. 



Between 3 and 4 on the morning of the 7th, 

 I was awakened by the noise of a canoe near 

 the vessel. On its coming alongside, our old 

 acquaintance De Lai, or Soho,* the same person 

 who paid us such a late evening visit at Attah, 

 came on board. His arrival was welcomed : he 

 had been following our track from the Niger for 

 three days, and had brought a bullock for us. 

 He is a very shrewd and intelligent man, and 

 stands six feet high. 



About 4 A. M. we had a heavy squall, accom- 

 panied with rain. It was excessively cold ; in- 

 deed, I may say, I never felt it colder in the 

 month of December in England than I did at 

 this time. In the evening I went with Mr. Al- 

 len on shore to take an observation ; but feeling 

 myself suddenly indisposed, I returned on board. 

 There are several small villages within a short 

 * " Soho ' means an auctioneer or trader. 



VOL. I. 2 F 



