Leaving the Doomed City 
For about an hour, the condition of my wife 
and self was very forlorn. When 1 sent to the 
commander for a tent in which to pass the night, 
I received permission to occupy a little thatched 
arbor which was open on all sides. We were 
soaking wet and getting very cold in the fresh 
breeze that followed the storm. We sat here for 
a while in the darkness and were not only cold 
and wet but weary and hungry and there was no 
one to get anything for us. Our people had all 
disappeared in the storm and darkness excepting 
my faithful interpreter, who was now acting as 
my messenger. I found out that the commander 
was Ogubona, one of the most famous chiefs of 
the Egbars and known in England as the “friend 
of the white man.” I sent another message to 
him reminding him of this and requesting him 
to give me a place in which we could be more 
comfortable. The chiefs messenger then came 
and carried us to a small but very comforta¬ 
ble tent with clean floor, and after a short time 
food was brought to us by one of Ogubona’s 
wives. 
Though we slept on nothing but a grass mat, 
we passed a comfortable night and were much 
refreshed next morning. During the night I 
waked once and made the astounding discovery 
205 
