84 REPORTS FROM THE NIGER EXPEDITION. [Jan. XI, 1858. 
of the Brass or Ni'mbe dialect, which is, as yet, almost -unknown to 
philologists. 
We took onr farewell of the sea and commenced onr ascent of the 
Niger proper at daylight on the 10th of July, and proceeded through 
the delta at rather a slow rate, partly on account of numerous 
stoppages, hut chiefly retarded by having to tow a heavy vessel 
against a strong current. I communicated with all the larger and 
with most of the smaller towns and villages in the Delta, endeavour- 
ing to establish friendly relations with the chiefs and people ; 
announcing to them the views of Her Majesty’s Government, and 
warning them against any hostile or predatory acts on their part, 
and was always successful in making friends with them. They 
invariably promised to behave properly towards white men, and to 
commence proper trade with them. At some places where Europeans 
had never previously stopped there was sometimes a little suspicion 
on the part of the inhabitants, but in such cases my practice was to 
land with only two or three companions, and to assuage their fears. 
In one or two places they met us on the shore armed, but this was 
not with any hostile view, but only as a matter of precaution, to be 
ready for any emergency. The product of this tract of country, 
extending along the river for upwards of 100 miles, is palm oil, the 
supply of which is very abundant, but which might, were the 
demand for it carried to their own doors, be very greatly augmented. 
On July 20th we anchored off the town of Abo, which may be 
considered as the extreme apex of the delta, and at this populous and 
important place we delayed for three days, making arrangements 
with the chiefs and people, who are very much disposed to be 
friendly : indeed, our only difficulty arose from the extremely grasp- 
ing character of one of the chiefs, who was unwilling that any other 
district should benefit from our arrival except his own. 
We called at several other large towns in this, which is the Igbo 
(pronounced Iho) country, and at one, named Onitsha, about 
150 miles from the sea, we remained a week to enable the master of 
the steamer to erect a trading-house, and where we also made our 
first missionary establishment. This town had never before been 
visited by Europeans ; but we easily secured the confidence of the 
people, and, on my asking from their king ground for our purposes, 
it was readily granted. Here also I left three men, who had accom- 
panied me from Sierra Leone as settlers ; they being either Igbo or 
of Igbo descent, and who thus formed the beginning of an immigra- 
tion of liberated Africans from Sierra Leone into these their native 
lands. This town, Onitsha, is well placed on rising ground with a 
dry soil : it is the key also along the river to the extensive Igbo 
