206 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
trouble and the risk lie ran in taking the white men to 
Brass, but fifteen bars or fifteen slaves, and a barrel of 
rum. Although this demand was exorbitant, Lander 
did not hesitate to write an order on Richard Lake, 
captain of an English vessel at anchor in Brass river, for 
thirty-six bars. 
The king’s canoe, on which the brothers embarked on 
the 12th November, carried sixty persons, forty of whom 
were rowers. It was hollowed out of a single tree- 
trunk, measured more than fifty feet long, carried a 
four-ponnder in the prow, an arsenal of cutlasses and 
grape-shot, and was laden with merchandise of every 
kind. The vast tracts of cultivated land on either side 
of the river showed that the population was far more 
numerous than would have been supposed. The scenery 
was flat, open, and varied ; and the soil, a rich black 
mould, produced luxuriant trees, and green shrubs of 
every shade. At seven p.m. on the lltli November the 
canoe left the chief branch of the Niger and entered the 
Brass river. An hour later, Richard Lander recognised 
with inexpressible delight tidal waves. 
A little farther on Boy’s canoe came up with those of 
Gun and Forday. The latter was a venerable-looking 
old man, in spite of his wretched semi-European semi¬ 
native clothing, and a very strong predilection for rum, 
of which he consumed a great quantity, although his 
manners and conversation betrayed no signs of excessive 
drinking. That was a strange escort which accompanied 
the two Englishmen as far as the town of Brass. 
King Forday of Brass demanded four bars before the 
Landers left the town, saying it was customary for every 
white man who came to Brass by the river to make that 
payment. It was impossible to evade compliance, and 
Lander drew another bill on Captain Lake. At this 
price Richard Lander obtained permission to go down in 
Boy’s royal canoe to the English brig stationed at the 
month of the river. His brother and his servants were 
not to be set free until the return of the king. On his 
arrival on the brig, Lander’s astonishment and shame 
was extreme when he found that Lake refused to give 
