In Afric’s Forest and Jungle 
of the town where similar horrors were being 
perpetrated. The next day the platforms were 
taken down and the programme seemed to be 
singing, dancing and firing guns. There were 
no more public sacrifices for ten days, but it is 
supposed that many took place during the nights. 
He was then taken to see the ‘ Grand Customs ’ 
at the palace of the late king. At the gate of 
this, two platforms had been erected. On each 
of these, sixteen men and four horses were placed. 
Inside the house was another on which were 
placed sixteen women, four horses and one 
alligator. The men and women were all Sierra 
Leone people captured at Eshagga and dressed in 
European clothing. Each group of men, bound 
in chains, was seated around a table upon which 
were placed glasses of rum. The king then 
ascended the platform and adored his fetiche and 
seemed to make obeisance to the prisoners 
whose right arms were then loosed that they 
might drink the king’s health. After this, the 
effects of the late king were paraded and wor¬ 
shipped by the people as they passed. A grand 
review of the army then commenced. As each 
company passed, the king harangued them and 
promised the sack of Abeokuta in November. 
Nearly the whole of the troops wore firearms. A 
238 
