AFRICAN LOYALTY. 
209 
tom-tomSj which they belaboured with little sticks. 
Prince Ejeh had also been an anxious visitor ; he had 
made an addition to his wardrobe in the shape of an 
old hat, and white waistcoat with tarnished uniform 
buttons, which, fastened up tightly to the throat, served 
to throw out more strongly the waving folds of the 
unwashed striped shirt. He had with him an uncle, 
brother to Obi, as also one of his sons. They all 
became much enamoured of the junior officers’ com- 
partment, where they partook of dinner quite in the 
English fashion — ^using knife and silver fork tolerably 
well, having first looked to see how the white men 
handled them. On being shown a little toy which 
moved by the agency of sand placed inside, their wonder 
amounted to fear, starting back at each movement of 
the tiny figure ; they could not be prevailed on to touch 
it even when clearly explained that it was only a piece 
of human ingenuity. 
Having seen our sable friends safely on shore, we 
must now go back to where the ‘ Albert’ and ‘ Soudan’ 
were left, at the entrance of the Agoborih branch, 
which the ‘Wilberforce’ was ordered to examine. It 
appears that Captain Trotter did not intend that we 
should do more than “ look into it,” and, therefore, on 
anchoring in the evening, expected us soon to rejoin 
him ; but as Sunday passed without seeing us, not 
having heard our evening gun, and fearing we might 
VOL. I. 
p 
