a vast number of the inhabitants came out to
meet us, and received us in the most cordial manner, while the guides
led us to the middle of the town, in which there is a large open square,
a good stones throw from side to side, in which they desired us by signs
to remain. Then all the women and girls of the place gathered together
in the square, many of whom carried young children in their arms; as
many of them as could get forwards came up and rubbed our faces, arms,
and bodies, giving every token of joy and gladness for having seen us,
and requiring us by signs to touch their children. After this, the men
caused the women to withdraw, and all sat down on the ground round about
us, as if they meant to represent some comedy or shew. The women came
back, each of them carrying a square matt like a carpet, which they
spread out on the ground and caused us to sit down on them. When this
was done, _Agouhanna_, the king or lord of the town, was brought into
the square on the shoulders of nine or ten men. He sat upon a large deer
skin, and was set down on one of the matts near our captain, all the
people signifying to us by signs that this was their king. Agouhanna was
apparently about fifty years old, and no way better clothed than any of
the rest, except that he had a kind of red wreath round his head instead
of a crown, which was made of the skins of hedgehogs. He was full of
palsy, and all his limbs were shrunk and withered. After he had saluted
our captain and all the company, welcoming us all to his town by signs
and gestures, he shewed his shrunk legs and arms to the captain,
desiring him to touch them, which he did accordingly, rubbing them with
his hands. Then Agouhanna took the crown or fillet from his own head,
and gave it to our captain; after which several diseased men were
brought before the captain, some blind and others cripple, lame or
impotent of their limbs, that he might touch them, as they seemed to
think that God had come down from heaven to heal them. Some of these men
were so old that the hair of their eyebrows grew down over their cheeks.
Seeing the misery and devotion of these ignorant people, our captain
recited the commencement of the gospel of St John, "_In the beginning
was the word_," &c. touching all the diseased persons, and prayed to God
that he would open the hearts of these deluded people, making them to
know his holy word, and to receive baptism and the Christian faith. He
then opened a servi