AL hadge's credulity. 189 



tales over again, and to relate what he saw in 

 " white man's" country ; meaning the salt water. 

 Bonny, and Fernando Po. As he had been on 

 board the Curlew, he did not forget to mention 

 the war ships. Commander Trotter having kindly 

 ordered him to be shown the guns and the in- 

 terior of the vessel : and Al Hadge had preserved 

 a high opinion of Sullikeen Yiki Hilligee (the 

 King of the War-ship) ; meaning Captain Trotter. 



In the course of the conversation, he took a 

 small piece of paper from the corner of a hand- 

 kerchief, in which he had carefully tied it : this, 

 he said, was a charm against being drowned or 

 sick, and that he was going to have it enclosed 

 in a piece of leather to wear round his wrist. It 

 was nothing more or less than a scrap of paper 

 on which were written two or three names : it 

 was given him by one of the midshipmen of the 

 Curlew, and in the opinion of Al Hadge was of 

 inestimable value. I could not help smiling at 

 the poor fellow's credulity. 



Al Hadge had also brought with him a piece 

 of coal, which he laid before the queen with 

 much gravity, telling her that it was " maghony 

 hoota," (medicine for fire). Abboka and the 

 princess examined it very minutely. He had 



