BASSA-PU. 
217 
tory, fully exposed to all the benefit of the sea-air, 
and, moreover, the dense brushwood which springs up 
so luxuriantly at most other parts of the island is 
here wanting; fine forest trees abound, but from some 
peculiarity, the soil is dry, and there is no tendency 
to the vegetation just spoken of. From all that was 
learned, it appeared to be a very healthy locality, and 
few who have resided at it have suffered from dan- 
gerous fevers. Mr. B. received them with his usual 
truly English frankness, aided in all their inqui- 
ries, and enabled them to pass a sojourn of five days 
most agreeably, under his hospitable roof. There is a 
store attached to the place for the purpose of traffick- 
ing with the natives for palm-oil, and Mr. Jamieson’s 
ships generally touch here to fill up any deficiencies 
of cargo or provisions that may be required. 
The natives of Bassa-pu, the adjoining village, are 
like the rest of their countrymen, very harmless and 
good-natured, but now and then they are obliged to 
have a war palaver with some distant town, in conse- 
quence of the seduction of a female, or some petty 
quarrel ; but although they are all well trained in 
their military evolutions, the nature of the country 
does not admit of an open engagement, so that the 
offensive is confined to certain strategies by which 
they get near enough sometimes to inflict a spear 
wound or two, and perhaps in their retreat bear off 
with them slight scratches “ a posteriorly^ to show that 
they prefer running away rather than deadly combat. 
