260 abboka's advice. 



vessel on her way down to the sea-side, and that 

 Obie himself had taken a part in plundering 

 Mr. Lander and the canoes which were coming 

 up the river laden with cowries, &c. and that 

 Attah had refused to comply with Gabbreducco's 

 wishes, saying that he had put his hand to paper 

 never to do anything to the injury of the vessel. 

 Had he not done this, Abboka is of opinion that 

 he would immediately have acceded to the pro- 

 posal, and attacked us ; but that he had neither 

 summoned his eunuchs and council, nor made 

 Abboka acquainted with it. He also added, that 

 he thought the king might yield on being much 

 importuned ; and requested Mr. Brown to cau- 

 tion me to be on my guard, and when sent for by 

 the king not on any account to go, or go ashore, 

 as that was the only means he had of murdering 

 me and my people. 



I felt very thankful to my friend Abboka for 

 this advice, and lost no time in putting the 

 vessel in a state of defence, and of drilling the 

 men. The guns and muskets were cleaned and 

 examined, and each man stationed at his gun. I 

 divided the crew into three watches, five men in 

 each, two of whom I stationed forward on the 



