AliUlVAL AT ABOH. 
341 
tion more difficult here, was the fact that over many of 
tliem a few feet of water concealed the danger entirely 
from observation, and the first indication was the vessel 
striking, but where they showed above the water, the 
channel was generally well defined. 
On the morning of the 6tb, the ‘Wilberforce’ 
anchored off Abbh Creek, and, aware of the danger of 
losing time in such a pestilential atmosphere. Lieute- 
nant Webb immediately proceeded to visit Obi, to 
state to him the objects of the mission, and if pos- 
sible, to obtain some information respecting the settle- 
ment at the Confluence, and the fate of Mr. Carr. 
The entrance of the Aboh Creek, which on the first 
visit of the Expedition was nearly a cpiarter of a mile 
in width, had now decreased so much, as to be barely 
sufficient to admit the use of the galley’s oars, and the 
sandbanks were fully half way across the bed of the 
river. 
After keeping Lieutenant Webb waiting almost an 
hour in the so-called palace, the King made his appear- 
ance, dressed out in the habiliments presented to him 
by the Commissioners, on signing the treaty for the sup- 
pression of the slave trade. 
During the interview, which was very brief. Obi was 
informed of the ratification of that treaty by Her 
Majesty Queen Victoria, upon which he inquired, with 
his usual sagacity, how soon the trading vessels which 
had been promised, might be expected to arrive, but of 
course no satisfactory answer could be given on that 
