KRUMEN. 77 
agreed, that in the event of our reaching the upper parts 
of the Niger, it would be desirable to send a mes- 
senger to Sierra Leone by that route ; and fortunately a 
very intelligent native of Timbo, named Mahomed 
Lamina entered at the last moment before our de- 
parture, as interpreter on board the ‘ Wilberforce,’ 
with a view of undertaking this journey, which he 
had frequently made, being well acquainted with the 
country. 
One of the objects of our visit to this place, was to 
procure about one hundred Negroes, to be employed in 
various departments of the expedition. Of these the 
greater number w'ere Krumen, to assist in the working 
of the vessels, and especially to save the white men from 
exposure to the sun and heavy rains. A considerable 
number of these men are always here waiting for em- 
ployment; having, as it were, devoted themselves to the 
English ; and both men-of-war and merchant ships take 
a gang on their arrival on the coast, for the purposes 
before mentioned. There appeared, however, to be some 
prejudice among them, and a dislike to river navigation, 
so that the best men did not come forward very willingly 
at first ; nevertheless our party, under “ Jack Andrews,” 
were a fine set of fellows, active and independent in 
their looks, but civil and hard-working. The English 
names by which they were entered, and known on the 
ship’s books, are most amusing. Here you find Jack 
Frying-pan taking precedence of King George and 
Prince Albert; and Jack Sprat, Bottle-of-Beer, or Tom 
