286 VISIT FROM ABBOKA. 



It was no doubt to accomplish this, that I was 

 invited by the king to go to him ; but I was hap- 

 pily informed by Abboka of his wicked designs. 

 It was his intention to have murdered me and 

 the people I had with me ; and afterwards the 

 Alburkah was to have been plundered. The 

 cowries, the beautiful white cowries of the white 

 men, are the admiration of all the natives, who 

 wonder where they come from : and the Mallams 

 collect every one they can for curiosities, and 

 with the same avidity as persons in England 

 seek after new coins when they are first issued 

 by the Mint. 



On March 30th, which was Easter Sunday, 

 the river appeared to have risen two inches dur- 

 ing the preceding week. 



On the 21nd April, Abboka came on board, 

 telling me that he had sent a message to the 

 king to inform him how very wrong he had 

 acted in not sending us yams or anything to eat, 

 and in not letting any one come to us. I told 

 him and Al Hadge that I did not want to see 

 any of them ; that if I were ill, I would let them 

 know ; and if the king would send a bullock 

 along with their message, &c. it would be more 

 acceptable. 

 I was inclined to think that Abboka came on 



