,
reserving the head for himself, which, after being well scorched, he
ordered to be taken to his hut.

A more curious part of this singular feast remains to be described. On
opening the animal, it was found to be with young, when the uterus,
containing two lambs, each about six inches long, was, as a particular
mark of favour or respect, placed in my hands: but, not appreciating
the gift so highly as probably had been expected, I immediately laid it
aside. After the departure of the King, it was a second time brought to
me, and I now contrived, by shaking my head, and other demonstrations,
to make them comprehend that I did not intend to make use of it, and
that it was entirely at their service. This was, without doubt, very
agreeable intelligence; for, having pricked the sac, to allow the
liquor to drain away, and laid it for a short time before the fire, the
whole was divided into portions, and eaten up apparently with avidity
and delight.

The above meal was purely carnivorous, for neither yams nor palm-wine
were introduced as accompaniments; in the afternoon, however, his
Majesty made us another short visit, and sent a quantity of wine. We
offered the natives salt to their meat, but they refused it with every
sign of disgust, and even wanted to throw away our little store of
this, to us, so necessary a condiment. They also shewed an equal
dislike to tobacco; and, when one of our party made preparations for
smoking a cigar, the priest held out his rod as if in prohibition,
while others endeavoured to prevent him from lighting it. Canning,
indeed, who had witnessed more frequently the practice of smoking on
board, shewed less aversion.

Though we were at a considerable distance from the settlement, we could
hear the reports of the morning and evening gun; for the first two or
three days, the natives appeared, or pretended to be, much alarmed at
this, as they halloed for some time after. They would frequently come
up to us, levelling a stick like a musket, and accompany the action
with bang! bang! We had reason to consider them much afraid of every
species of fire-arms, and I cannot but think it would be good policy to
keep this apprehension alive, rather than to endeavour to remove it by
attempts to explain the principles of their action, and to familiarise
them with the effects. In this respect, I deem the general practice of
our voyagers and travellers to be decidedly faulty, since the superior
advantages which