A NARROW ESCAPE. 179 



for the night nearly two hours, and from the 

 great number of fires lighted for the purpose of 

 cooking, the sandbank wore the appearance of a 

 town lighted with gas when seen from a distance. 

 My Eboe friend recommended me to halt for 

 the night some distance below Kirree, which I 

 did at about 10 at night: his principal wife 

 paid us a visit, bringing with her a fowl and 

 some yams mashed up with palm-oil and highly 

 seasoned with Cayenne pepper. As we were to 

 pass the night in a strange place and might be 

 easily attacked, I ordered my men to sleep 

 abreast of the canoe on mats, and to keep their 

 muskets under their heads. 



At 5 A. M. on December the 20th, we left our 

 resting-place, the weather being very foggy. 

 During the last two days I found myself much 

 indisposed. Before coming to Kirree market, a 

 large canoe, which I supposed to be from Bonny, 

 ran foul of us, with such force as nearly to cap- 

 size us ; but, fortunately, the canoe of my Eboe 

 friend was close alongside on my left, and mine 

 being struck on the right, rested on it, and was 

 prevented by it from being upset. As it was, 

 my canoe was nearly filled with water, and was 

 only prevented from sinking by some of the 



N 2 



