8 
JOURNEY FROM BADAGRY TO KATUNGA. 
a mile in width, full of low swampy islands and floating reeds. The 
natives appear to have a number of canoes, which are not used with 
paddles, but a forked pole, and they manage them very cleverly. 
At this place Dr. Morrison was taken very unwell, and had 
slight symptoms of fever. The caboceer made us a present of two 
hogs and some yams. Vfe observed here some women very oddly 
marked, having small raised dots, like wens, across the forehead, 
about half an inch apart; those on the cheek about an inch. 
They are made by cutting and lifting the skin. 
Tuesday, 13th — This morning Dr. Morrison was better, and we 
left Bidgie in the canoes. The road from this place was through 
a dry swamp nearly the whole way. The sun was very oppressive, 
and 1 had sent my umbrella on. About midday I sat down in the 
shade, quite exhausted by the heat, when a horseman came up ; 
he kindly dismounted, and gave me his horse, while he walked 
with me to the village of Atalioboloo, where the baggage and 
people w ere halted, w aiting for carriers to come from the next town. 
I procured rooms in the principal man’s house for Captain Pearce 
and Dr. Morrison, who were indisposed. This town is surrounded 
with plantations of yarns and corn ; numbers of people were on the 
road going to the market at Bidgie. The carriers having arrived from 
Laboo, the sick, and the greater part of the baggage, sent forward, 
Houtson and I followed in hammocks ; the road lying through fine 
plantations of yams, and nearly as level as a bowling-green. In the 
evening I w as met by the Jannah messenger, with an officer of the 
caboceer of Laboo, bringing horses for the party : w r e got out of our 
hammocks and mounted. I w r as the only one that had a saddle, but it 
was so hard and the stirrups so short, that it became a question wiiich 
of us had the best bargain. W e soon arrived at the town of Laboo, 
which stands on an eminence, and is the cleanest we have seen since 
we first set foot in Africa. The country has now become beautiful, 
rising into hill and dale, from which there are some fine views: part 
