PICTURESQUE VIEWS ON THE NIGER. 9 
The palaver was soon " set" with Obi's messenger, who agreed that liis master, as compensation for the injury his people had done to the 
brothers Lander, in seizing their goods, and in selling them as slaves, should pay two bullocks, ten goats, and four hundred yams. On our arrival 
oflf the mouth of the creek leading to Ibu, or Eboe — the capital,- — it was thought advisable to take immediate advantage of the good disposition of the 
chief, and it was determined to pay him a visit. In order to have a more imposing effect, we made our appearance in our gayest uniform. Lander 
had on that of a general of&cer ; I wore my own ; and some of the gentlemen of the expedition displayed fancy coats of many colours, turbans, sashes, 
&c. Pasco, the chief of the interpreters, with his subordinates, variously and gaily attired, preceded us in the jolly-boat. We followed in the pin- 
nace, sheltered by a prodigious umbrella, of all the colours of the rainbow ; with old Jow die — a Doma slave, who had been purchased by Lander, and 
manumitted on his first journey, — seated in the bow, in the character of " Saliki-n nuiikidi," the chief of the drummers, the proudest of the proud. 
Not satisfied with a good drummer's jacket, he covered himself with all the ornaments he could lay his hands on, and which were more remarkable for 
variety than taste. He seemed, however, to think himself the most important person of the cortege, as he exerted his strength upon the sheepskin 
with considerable effect ; though, with more noise than music, giving ample note of our approach. King Boy, who accompanied us with all his 
canoes, vainly attempted to marshal the procession, and clear a channel through the immense number of natives, who almost precluded the possibility 
of advance, by paddling about in all directions with canoes of every dimension ; from the large war jiUigi, capable of holding thirty or forty puUa- 
hoys, besides warriors and passengers of all ages and both sexes, to a little frail thing, in which one person only could sit, with his legs projecting 
beyond the gunwale, there being no room for them inboard. Yet they paddled boldly, threading the openings between the larger craft with great 
swiftness and dexterity. Some canoes were paddled by eight or ten women. On we went, amidst the shouts and admiration of the natives ; the 
numbers increasing, until there was scarcely room on the surface of the little creek to contain all the canoes ; many of which got entangled and 
upset among the overflowed bushes, affording some ludicrous scenes. On the right bank, through every opening between the trees, and even 
among the branches, were innumerable heads, piled one above another, all striving to catch a glimpse of the passing procession ; which must 
have had more comparative splendour than the proudest pageant in the eyes of a civilized multitude. They were dazzled by magnificence 
greater than the most glowing imagination of their poets — giving them credit for having any — could conceive ; and they did not fail to testify 
their sense of it, by wild and almost frantic gestures. After rowing in this manner about a mile and a half up the creek, we landed, and walked 
through green lanes, an immense concourse of people hurrying us along ; so that I had little time for admiring some of the most picturesque and 
beautiful vistas I had ever beheld ; with groups of trees, such as painters Avould delight to study. 
B 
