6 
JOURNEY FROM BADAGRY TO KATUNGA. 
nothing to eat. The road lay through the thickest woods I ever 
saw; and, except on the narrow footpath, wholly impenetrable by 
man or beast : the surface rather uneven ; the soil a strong red 
clay. We passed several people, principally women, heavily laden 
with cloth, plantains, and a paste made from pounded Indian corn, 
wrapped in leaves called accasson, going to market. They were all 
extremely civil, and never omitted saluting us, or giving us the 
road. One woman, whom I made signs to that I was thirsty, was 
nearly crying that she had no water to give, but would make us take 
plantains and accassons. Shortly after leaving Dagmoo we crossed 
a small stream, over which 1 was carried. About noon, arrived at the 
town of Humba, where I found Captain Pearce and Dr. Morrison in 
the caboceer's house, and the caboceer waiting in state to receive 
us. Here I had my feet bathed, but found 1 had a considerable 
degree of fever on me, and was glad to get to bed. In the after- 
noon I had a slight fit of ague. The house was in a very ruinous 
state ; and, indeed, the whole town, as far as we saw of it, was 
equally so. The inhabitants, however, were cheerful enough, and 
kept singing and dancing all night round our house ; their songs 
were in chorus, and not unlike some church music that I have 
heard. 
Sunday, 1 1th. — Though very weak, I walked on for a mile to a 
town called Akalou, where the baggage was halted ; and here I 
found a black captain in a leopard skin cloak, holding a palaver, 
and declaring he would neither go nor let the baggage go on, with- 
out a flask of rum. Mr. Houtson gave him a glass of grog, when, 
after keeping it in his mouth for some time, he poured it out of 
his own into the mouths of his attendants. After this the baggage 
proceeded, and I had two men to carry me in my hammock ; but 
they had not gone twenty paces before they set me down, and said 
they would carry me no further. I accordingly endeavoured to 
creep on slowly, but on seeing the fellows walking very deliberately 
