A FRIENDLY INVITATION. 105 



ery, deceit, and cunning, — by imposing on the 

 superstitious fears of the simple aborigines, and 

 by artfully insinuating themselves into the good 

 opinion of the very people it was their secret in- 

 tention to enslave. It would not be just to say 

 that they have greater positive courage than the 

 negro ; but they have less pusillanimity and 

 more shrewdness than he has. 



The following morning, it was reported at Eg- 

 ga, that if any of our people went on shore, the 

 Felatahs would cut their heads off. In the even- 

 ing the Kroomen went ashore ; when the boasters 

 ran away and left the town, not one having the 

 courage to remain. 



On Monday, October 7th, a messenger from 

 Ederesa came on board in the morning : he 

 stated that Ederesa had nearly recovered from 

 the ulceration, and that his general health was 

 much improved. A gentleman on shore, a rela- 

 tive of the king, sent me a present of a tobe, 

 with a request that I would pay him a visit : as 

 I had to go on shore to see the Mallam respect- 

 ing the cowries, I proposed complying with his 

 request. 



At 10 A. M. I waited on the Mallam. He was 

 a rich old man, and the same person who had 



