322 
FROM ZEGZEG TO BADAGRY. 
rendered almost impassable by reason of the rain, which fell in 
torrents. On our arrival I was put into the same house we occu- 
pied on our journey into the interior. 
26th. — The king would not let me wait on him, fearing it might 
wet my feet ; and accordingly he visited me with five hundred of 
his wives (out of two thousand), and the principal inhabitants of 
the city. The wives welcomed my return by singing a simple anti 
plaintive air, with much pathos and feeling : their voices were 
sweet and musical ; and the whole had a novel and pleasing effect. 
Nothing could be heard but their strains, to which every one 
listened with the profoundest attention until the conclusion of the 
performance. The king expressed his sorrow for my master's 
death ; and questioned me very minutely on the motives that in- 
duced us to go into the interior. On telling him it was to see if 
there was any thing worth trading for in the country, he appeared 
satisfied. He was richly dressed in a scarlet damask tobe, and 
a pair of trowsers made of country cloth, scarlet ground with a blue 
stripe ; the former ornamented with coral beads ; his legs, as far as 
the knee, were stained red with hennah ; and on his feet he wore 
red leather sandals. A cap made of blue damask, thickly studded 
with coral beads, was on his head ; and silver rings hung round his 
neck, arms, and legs. I offered him the horse I had purchased at 
Kano, a fine animal, that had carried me the whole of the way from 
that city : and regretted my inability to make him a more valuable 
present ; but promised, if he permitted two messengers to accom- 
pany me to the sea-coast, I would send him something else. In 
the evening I received a goat and a great quantity of yams from 
the king. 
27th. — The king having desired me to call on some of his head 
men, I waited on the master of the horse, and two others. The 
former gave me a goat and a bottle of honey. I remarked I was 
very poor, and could make him no return. 
