25a ANOTHER OF ATTAH'S CRUELTIES. 



of which he defrauded him ; and I returned as 

 an answer, that he would shortly come and de- 

 stroy the town unless the account were settled. 



On the 3rd of March, an account of another 

 cruel and tyrannical act of Attah's reached me. 

 A fine boy, about twelve years old, and belong- 

 ing to one of the market-canoes, when on board 

 the Alburkah had picked up two or three little 

 pieces of velvet, about an inch and a half long. 

 After making them into a bag, he put some seeds 

 into it, and, according to custom, wore it round 

 his loins as a charm to protect him from danger. 

 The king being informed of the circumstance, 

 sent for the lad into his presence, and asked him 

 what reason he had to wear king's cloth, and 

 thus conspire against his life ? A well-known 

 signal was immediately given, and the poor fel- 

 low's head was immediately cut off and thrown 

 on the fetish bank, while the headless trunk was 

 thrown into the Niger. 



I was now anxiously awaiting the setting in of 

 the rainy season, as it would enable us to ascend 

 higher up the river and attend the Iccory mar- 

 ket. We were obliged to depend here on the 

 caprice of the king for provisions, as there were 

 no traders who kept a supply by them. Some- 



