446 VISIT DAGBOH. 



table. At a small neighbouring village we could 

 procure nothing but one fowl and some small 

 yams, which cost us two hundred cowries each. 



After taking shelter in a chief's house from a 

 heavy shower of rain coming on, I went forward 

 to Dagboh, taking with me my servant Lilly, 

 Al Harr, and Mina. At the entrance of the town 

 we found two natives on guard, one stationed 

 on each side of the foot-path. On the left of it, 

 they had placed a piece of iron about four feet 

 long, to which was suspended four cowries, and 

 some blue and white rags, as a fetish, to prevent 

 my ingress. I advanced towards the men, who 

 appeared by their manners to be surprised that 

 the fetish did not prevent my advancing. They 

 maintained their stations until I was within 

 about a yard of them, when the one who stood 

 by the fetish, casting a stern look at me, turned 

 round, walked away, and was shortly after- 

 wards followed by the other. I accosted them 

 in Houssa, but they took no notice of what I 

 said. Although the town contains more than two 

 hundred dwellings, these were the only natives 

 I could see. Abundance of goats, sheep, and 

 fowls everywhere met my eye, and I could not 



