THE SLAVE “ PALAVER*’ TERMINATED. 229 
articles in exchange for the goods they would bring, and 
that the increase of trade would depend upon the exer- 
tions of himself and of his people. 
In agreeing to put an immediate stop to the slave- 
trade, and to make a law to that effect, he said that 
some of his people were at that time absent, and there- 
fore could not know the Treaty. That his son, in fact, 
was then engaged in purchasing slaves at a town up 
the river. He asked if, in such a case, he was to seize 
their boats and punish them for carrying on the Slave 
Trade, without knowing it was wrong ? 
The Commissioners allowed him till the end of the 
present moon to make all his subjects acquainted with 
the law. This Obi said was sufficient time. He could 
not then be prevailed on to give any information as to 
the price of the slaves, or the manner in which the 
traffic was carried on ; saying impatiently, “ The Slave 
Palaver is all over now, and I do not wish to hear any- 
thing more of it.” 
As Obi laid so much stress on the necessity of our 
sending plenty of ships to enable him to substitute 
legitimate trade for that which we had explained to be 
unjust ; it is probable and reasonable he should con- 
sider his adherence to the Treaty as contingent on our 
fulfilment of its stipulations. He will, doubtless, look 
on our inability, to be an infraction and a sufficient 
release from the performance of his part, and may, there- 
fore, long ere this, have returned, with renewed energy, 
to his former practices, calculating on the deadly nature 
