uld
only take off his hat, and bow, and shake hands with his majesty, if he
pleased. The king agreed to this, and the English were introduced in
due form.

Behind the king were an immense number of ladies, so closely packed that
it was impossible to count them. They stood up as the strangers
approached, and cheered them, shouting "Oh, oh, oh!" equivalent to
"Hurra!" while the men outside joined them.

The king had on a large white shirt, with a blue one under it, and a
pasteboard crown, covered with blue cotton, made apparently by some
European on the coast, and sent up to him as a present.

Comfortable apartments were provided for them, and in the evening the
king himself made his appearance, plainly dressed, with a long staff in
his hand, saying that he could not sleep till he had personally
ascertained how they were.

They spent two very pleasant days here, resting after the fatigues of
their journey. The king pressed them to remain to see the national
amusements, which would begin in about two months. On this, Mr Houtson
enquired whether they were such as took place at Dahomey, on which the
king declared that no human beings were ever sacrificed in Youriba, and
that if he ordered the King of Dahomey to desist from such a practice he
must obey him.

The king had sent forward a messenger to open the way to Nyffe, and till
he returned they were compelled to remain at the capital.

They were entertained here with a pantomime, the stage being the open
ground before his majesty's residences, the characters appearing in
masks. One of them presented an enormous snake, which crept out of a
huge bag and followed the manager round the park while he defended
himself with a sword. Out of another sack came a man covered apparently
with white wax, to look like a European, miserably thin and starved with
cold. He went through the ceremony of taking snuff and rubbing his
nose. When he walked it was with an awkward gait, treading as the most
tender-footed white man would do in walking with bare soles over rough
ground.

Clapperton pretended to be as much pleased with this caricature of a
white man as the natives were.

Between each act the king's women sang a number of choral songs, joined
by the crowd outside.

They thankfully heard, on the 6th of March, that the messengers had
returned, and that they might set out the next day, when the king
presented Clapperton with a horse and bade him farewell.

Mr Houtson,