frequently epidemic, makes dreadful havoc among them when they are assailed by it. They are also very subject to purulent ophthalmia, having all the peculiarities and character of the Egyptian disease of the

same name.

It is expected, that every vessel, on her arrival, will fire a salute the instant the anchor is let go, as a compliment to the black monarch, who soon afterwards makes his appearance in a large canoe, at which time, all those natives who happen to be alongside of the vessel are compelled to proceed in their canoes to a respectful distance, and make way for his Majesty's barge. After a few compliments to the captain, he usually enquires after brother George (meaning the king of England), and hopes he and his family are well. He is not pleased unless he is regaled with the best the ship affords; and, on returning to his canoe, expects to find a little store of sugar, tea, butter, white biscuit, and wine. Presents, of greater.

value and bulk, are sent to him in the ship's boat. His power is absolute; and the surrounding country, to a considerable distance, is subject to his dominion. His war canoes are capable of carrying one hundred and forty persons each, and have often a gun of large calibre mounted on the bow. He has destroyed the town of New Calabar twice, and boasts of having eaten part of the heart of its king. His Jew Jew, or fetiche house, is ornamented with rows of the skulls of captives taken in battle.

New Calabar was formerly an independent state, and a number of vessels obtained at it cargoes of slaves: but at this time, the inhabitants are compelled to take their merchandize to Bonny for sale, yet are not permitted to have any communication whatever with the shipping.

The houses in Bonny are wretched habitations, being composed of stakes driven into the ground, which are wattled and plaistered, and having four or five dark and

dirty apartments in them. But the natives are not remarkable either for the cleanliness of their houses or persons: in fact, they are a dirty race, as compared with those of the Gold Coast.

The iguana is the Bonnians' fetiche, or Jew Jew; and these reptiles may be seen crawling about the town, where they are caressed and fed by the natives; and he, into whose house one of them enters, thinks himself most fortunate. One day, when thirty or forty canoes surrounded the vessel, an iguana was discovered near the middle of the river, proceeding to Peter's side, which is opposite to Bonny, when all the canoes immediately pushed off; and great was the contention among them, as to who should reach the reptile first, and ferry it to the spot, to which it seemed to be bending its course. When they returned, I joked with them, and stated my belief that their hurry proceeded not so much with a view to help the iguana quickly over the river,

as to prevent the Calabar Jew Jew (the shark) from catching it: but they said the shark dare not touch it. Had there not, however, been at the time a strong tide running when the sharks usually remain at the bottom, the Calabar deity would have swallowed at a mouthful the Bonnians' ob-. ject of adoration. The sharks in this river. are enormously large; and so numerous that scarcely any living thing that falls. overboard escape them, however promptly assistance may be rendered: and I have witnessed some distressing scenes caused by them. This voracious fish is, as I have before remarked, the Calabarians' Jew Jew; and a great number of them frequent the creek before the town, where they are regularly fed. A criminal is compelled to swim over the creek, which is a species of ordeal; and a more certain means of destroying him could scarcely be devised, yet giving him something like a chance for his life, for not one in twenty

escape: those who do are pronounced in

nocent.

At the entrance of these rivers (Bonny and Calabar), salt is made from sea-water, and of a good quality; and tobacco is cultivated, and brought from the interior for sale. Much of its pungency and flavour is lost, by being too highly dried, apparently by fire. It is spun in lengths, and resembles in thickness that which is manufactured in the Brazils. Yams are fine and abundant; but poultry and goats (the only stock to be had here) are scarce and dear. Tumbo, the native name for palm wine, is very plentiful during the dry season; and the natives take great delight in drinking it in large libations from ox horns, of as great

dimensions as they can obtain from Europe. Human sacrifices are common. When a chief dies, many of his wives are destroyed, and interred with him.

Some of the traders have become ex