ained by his
Majesty, who gave us what is called Calabar chop, a dish consisting of
any sort of meat stewed in palm-oil, and highly seasoned with pepper.

The idea of palm-oil may be unpleasant to an English reader, but when it
is fresh, it is not unpalatable, and I must confess, that I greatly
relished a dish of fish and yams which was brought on board the Kent, as
a present to the captain: of course it was cooked in their best style. I
remember, at one time, having as much prejudice as any of my countrymen
against oil; but when I went to France, I partook of it insensibly,
until I began to like it; and, when in Italy, I fell into the custom of
using it with vegetables, as a substitute for melted butter: fresh oil,
in warm climates, being generally preferred to butter, even where both
are to be had, which is not always the case in southern latitudes.

There are very few good fish in the Old Calabar river; the best I met
with was a species of sole, but very thin, which, I suppose, is owing to
the muddiness of the river itself, and to the extensive mud-banks which
flank the channel. The water in the river is also so bad as to be unfit
for use, in consequence of the quantity of decayed animal and vegetable
matter that must constantly be mixed with it, in a climate where the
progress of putrefaction is so rapid; however, fortunately for the
shipping, there is a good spring on the bank of the river, about a mile
below the town, where it is usual to send for supplies.

King Eyo went on board the African, schooner, and remained with Captain
Smith to select goods, equal in value to twenty bullocks.

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[36] It is the custom here to bury their dead in their own houses.

[37] Brother to King Eyo.

CHAP. XII.

Captain Owen's Departure--Runaway Slave--Egbo again--Duke's Sunday--
Superstitious Abstinence--Anecdote of a Native Gentleman--Breaking
Trade--Author's Visit to Creek Town--Bullocks embarked--Departure from
Calabar--Chased by mistake--Dangerous Situation--Mortality at Fernando
Po--Detection of a Deserter--Frequency of Tornados--Horatio hove
down--Capture of a Slave Vessel--Loss of Mr. Morrison--Another Slave
Vessel taken--Landing a part of the Slaves--Author's Daily Routine--
Garden of Eden--Monstrous Fish--Continued Mortality--Market at Longfield

_Monday, 17_.--After breakfast, Captain Owen sailed in the Victoria for
Fernando Po. The Lady Combermere also departed for the same destination;
the latt