76 THE DEATH OF MALLAM DENDO. 



On the following morning I sent an interpre- 

 ter into the town, to ascertain if any remarks 

 had been made respecting our leaving it. On 

 his return he informed us of the death of the 

 king's sister ; which circumstance accounted for 

 the noise heard in the town. 



Shortly afterwards, Al Hadge, who had been 

 all night on shore, came on board, and informed 

 us of the death of Mallam Dendo. He expired 

 at the precise moment when we fired our morning 

 gun, eight o'clock. Pagans and Mahomedans in 

 the interior of Africa place great confidence in a 

 medical man, (Sullikeen Maghony — King of Me- 

 dicine,) and believe him competent to perform 

 anything, as the following instance will show : I 

 was accused by the Felatahs of having caused his 

 death by blowing maghony (poison) through the 

 key-hole of his door ! I learned that the old 

 man had been sick about five days. The Fela- 

 tahs had threatened to behead Al Hadge, who 

 knowing us well, and how much we esteemed 

 him, said, that if they did so, they would not 

 have a house standing, for that our great guns 

 would knock them all down at one time ! 



A messenger was sent to the king to condole 

 with him for his loss, and was desired to inform 



