On The 19th October, They Arrived At Egga, A Large Handsome Town, Behind A Deep Morass.

It is upwards of two miles in length, and the people carry on a great trade.

A large number of canoes, laden with merchandize, lie beside the town, and many of the natives reside in them. Half of the population is Mohammedan. When they left this place, they were informed that in their farther progress towards the sea, they would pass through states of an entirely different character, inhabited by fierce and lawless people, from whom both their lives and property would be exposed to peril. The friendly natives exhorted them to return, or at least if they were determined to persevere, to pass, if possible, the towns by night.

After they had left Egga, the banks of the river assumed a pleasing appearance, and were adorned with numerous villages. The Landers observed a number of canoes, built in the same manner as those of the Bonny and Calabar rivers, which confirmed them in the opinion that they were approaching the sea. The natives of one village, when they saw them, sounded their war-cry, and flew to arms; but their hostility was speedily exchanged for friendship, when the object of the travellers was explained. Their next halting-place was Kacunda, which consists of four large villages, at a considerable distance from each other. The river here changes its direction to the N.N.E., which the main branch keeps till it reaches the sea. About forty miles below Kacunda, its volume is increased by the influx of the Tshadda; at the place of the junction the river is about three or four miles in breadth, and the Landers saw numerous canoes floating upon it. They passed a large city, but neither landed, nor held any communication with the inhabitants; they were afterwards told that it was called Cuttumcurafee, and was a place of considerable traffic.

Some days afterwards the apprehension of a storm induced them to land, and to erect an awning of mats under the shade of a palm-tree. No habitation was seen, but the place had evidently been resorted to by a great number of people. Three of the men, however, who had gone in search of firewood, suddenly came upon a village, but saw only some women, who fled in terror from the strangers, and alarmed their male relatives, who were at work in the fields. They returned to the party, who did not anticipate any danger from this strange occurrence, till one of the negroes suddenly cried out, "War is coming! oh, war is coming!" A fierce band of men, armed with spears, cutlasses, muskets, and bows and arrows, rushed towards the little encampment. Resistance was vain against such an overwhelming force, and the only resource of the travellers was to adopt pacific measures. They threw down their useless weapons, and walked forward boldly towards the chief. The natives seemed determined to attack them; the chief's "quiver was dangling at his side, his bow was bent, and an arrow which was pointed at their breasts, already trembled on the string.

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