Worshipping the Dead Prince 
ing reception, and when we left, walked some 
distance by my side in the sight of the whole 
army, a courtesy he rarely extended to anybody. 
I was greatly puzzled to know what all this 
meant, for 1 could not imagine how 1 could be 
of service to him in any way which would lead 
to so much affability on his part at a time when 
he had me and everybody in Ejahyay from Areh 
down, so absolutely in his power. 
A few nights after this, when 1 was about to 
retire, I heard a gentle knock at the door. I cau¬ 
tiously opened it and found the Bashorun dressed 
as a common soldier standing before me. He 
had only two attendants, and they were dressed 
like himself. After talking a while, he requested 
that I would allow my interpreter to act as his 
private secretary and write a letter for him. To 
this I readily consented, of course. He made 
several visits like this, each time calling for my 
interpreter to act as his amanuensis. I knew 
that the letters were addressed to the king of 
Abeokuta but, supposing that they had reference 
only to military arrangements, I did not inquire 
of my interpreter as to their contents. I do not 
know whether they were written in English or 
Yoruba, but that was immaterial for the king’s 
private secretary was a Sierra Leone man and 
189 
