10 
PICTURESQUE VIEWS ON THE NIGER. 
1. At Attab we anchored abreast of tbe landing place, which is shaded by the magnificent Adansonia digitata and the silk cotton ti'ee, among 
abundance of others of equal beauty. The path to the town winds over a hill, which, toAvards the river, terminates in cliffs about one hundred and 
fifty feet high ; partly overhanging the water, and fringed at the summit with lovely pendant shrubs. Further back, among noble forest trees, 
mingled with palms and cocoa-nuts, part of the town is seen over the cliffs ; but the liaycock summits of the huts do not add much to their beauty. 
Nearer to us is a narrow winding path, among thick underwood and fragments of rocks, where the king used formerly to sacrifice human beings to 
the Spirit of the River. This practice, however, we had reason to believe, he discontinued at the strong remonstrances of Lander ; and thus 
gave strong evidence of the power of civilization over the savage mind. 
2. If there be one thing which can more than another be pronounced as characteristic of the natives of the interior of Africa, it is the love of 
traffic. This is indeed their ruling passion. All are traders, from the king to the slave children who wander about the whole day, with their little 
baskets of sweetmeats on their heads. It is highly gratifying to find that this feeling, which is the first step in national advancement, has attained 
a systematic regularity, in the establishment of markets in all the towns and villages of any importance ; which are there usually held every fourth day. 
Besides these, at some j)arts of the river commercial meetings or fairs are held, to which, as in more civilized countries, the merchants, or rather brokers 
— for all trade is carried on by their intervention — resort from all the towns situated within reach, on the banks of the river. The most important of 
these, indeed the grand emporium of the commerce of all the nations below Rabba, is the Bokweh, or Iccory Market, which Lander said was the 
same as that held at Kiri at the time of his capture ; and in consequence of that event, it was broken up by his old friend Abokko. To this centre, 
flows the produce of the interior, to be exchanged for European merchandise — of very inferior quality, — which is brought from the coast. The 
neutrality of these reunions is frofessed to he held sacred, vi'hatever wars may be in the land ; and cheering indeed to humanity, would be the principle 
on which they are established, were it strictly acted upon. It would be beautiful in Africa — the hot-bed of violence and rapine — where every man's 
hand is raised against his fellow to enslave him, — could we vouch for the existence of such a treve-dieu, especially if sanctified to the exercise of 
peaceful and legitimate commercial intercourse ; but their neutrality has been frequently violated by the avarice and tyranny of surrounding 
princes, and the staple commodity, alas, is man ! A foundation is nevertheless already prepared, in the deeply-rooted practices and most favorite 
pursuits of the inhabitants, on which, if we can succeed in directing them to their true and inexhaustible resources, a noble superstructure may be 
raised. Every important consequence, therefore, which we can hope to attain,. — whether it be the encouragement of industry, the extension of useful 
arts, or the propagation of true religion, — must attend our efforts, in proportion as we strike powerfully, but with judgment, on that chord which 
already vibrates so freely throughout Africa. 
