8 
PICTURESQUE VIEWS ON THE NIGER. 
1. At the part represented in the first sketch, the Nun branch, eight or nine leagues from the sea, is about 200 yards wide. The mangrove 
tree, with its arching and slime-covered roots, has given place— mar liing also the limit of the sea-tide — to the graceful palm and cocoa-nut, with forest 
trees in increasing variety and magnificence. The banks become firm, cleared in very small patches here and there for plantations of bananas ; 
all, however, in the most profound silence and solitude ; not a vestige of animal Ufe is seen, except a solitary contemplative crane standing at the 
margin of the water, and hardly scared away even by the novelty of our appearance. 
2. The huts in the villages of the Delta, unlike those of the interior, are of a square form, with gable ends. The inhabitants also appear to 
be of a different race, and the comparison is very much in favour of those of the interior, who have not been corrupted by intercourse with white 
men, which has hitherto, unfortunately for the cause of humanity, been usually so debasing in its effects on the savage. At the first village above 
the swamps, the natives were much frightened ; but when Lander and myself landed unarmed, they were so pleased, that they ran in search of 
goats and fowls, which they offered us, and gratefully received a small piece of cloth in return. 
3. On anchoring in the evening, Boy, King of the Brass country, who had accompanied us, made fast his canoe to the bank abreast. This 
Chief, with his wives and fulla-hoys, slept in the canoe, or were lying about on the banks, perfectly contented with the wide vault of heaven 
for a canopy, which, whether of a deep azure, and resplendent with its thousand luminaries, or blackened with the coming tornado, is equally unheeded 
by them ; they generally sleep soundly, even while the thunder might wake all but the dead. They, however, provide against the want of rest 
by exertions in paddling very hard during the day, and by dancing and singing half the night. In these performances they have utterly 
banished — or rather have never conceived — the idea of grace and melody, since their dancing consists in shakings and contortions, vs^hich, 
though generally hideous, have sometimes the merit of being very extraordinary and ridiculous. In these qualities, indeed, are their rules of 
perfection ; for some out-of-the-way feat, which niade me constantly apprehend the dislocation of a member, never failed to excite a great deal of 
applause ; and, as the artiste was not shackled by abstract ideas of elegance^ he generally gave full scope to the exuberance of his fancy and 
the suppleness of his limbs. The music was in parallel taste; being no other than a few monotonous sounds, shrieked out in defiance of all scales, 
diatonic or chromatic. 
4. Egaboh, in the " Ibu yam country," is a neat village, though the inhabitants have a savage appearance. We held a 'palaver ^\\X\ the 
Chief and elders, to explain our motives in visiting their country. The whole population probably assisted at this conference, and had a very 
singular appearance, grouped and half-hidden among the grass, fifteen feet high. An embassy met us here from King Obi, who was much 
alarmed at our approach. 
