RESIDENCE AT SOCCATOO AND MAGARIA. 
251 
kind as food ; that certainly there were some savages in different 
parts of the world who eat their enemies. The sultan said he had 
seen them eat human flesh; that on the governor of Jacoba telling 
him of these people, he could hardly believe it himself; but on a 
Taurick being hanged for theft, he saw five of these people eat a 
part, with which he was so disgusted that he sent them back to 
Jacoba soon after. He said that whenever a person complained of 
sickness amongst these men, even though only a slight headach, 
they are killed instantly, for fear they should be lost by death, as 
they will not eat a person that has died by sickness; that the person 
falling sick is requested by some other family, and repaid when 
they had a sick relation ; that universally when they went to war, 
the dead and wounded were always eaten ; that the hearts were 
claimed by the head men; and that, on asking them why they eat 
human flesh, they said it was better than any other ; that the heart 
and breasts of a woman were the best part of the body ; and that 
they had no want of food, as an excuse for eating one another. 
Indian corn, millet, doura, and sweet potatoes were in plenty ; that 
both men and women went naked, though their houses were much 
neater and cleaner than those of the common people of Soccatoo ; 
that, excepting this bad custom, they were very cleanly, and other- 
wise not bad people, except that they were Kaffirs ; that he would 
make me a present of some of them to let the king of England see 
that such was the fact. I said, I would rather be excused taking them, 
as both the king and the people of England would be too much dis- 
gusted at seeing such a sight. You will see them, he said, when 
you go to Jacoba : he would write to the governor to show them to 
me when I went. I then told him I wished as soon as possible to 
go to Jacoba, as I had been here now five months very idle. He 
said that the rebels of Zamfra had sent to beg for peace, and 
that, as soon as their sultan or chief arrived, he would send me 
through that part of Zamfra which I had not seen, and I should 
k k 2 
