The Little Man Trudged Along Merrily, Without Dreaming Of The Fraud That Had Been Practised On Him, Till They Arrived

Within a short distance of Leoguadda, when imagining that one end of the tent felt much heavier than the other,

He was induced to take it from his head, and presently discovered the cheat, for the bag having been thrust simply inside the covering, it could be seen without unlacing the package. He was much enraged at being thus deceived, and called his companions around him to witness the fact, and said he was resolved to proceed no further than Leoguadda. He then succeeded in persuading them to follow his example, and thus a kind of combination was instantly formed against the travellers. As was usual with them on entering a village, they rested a little while under a shady tree in Leoguadda, and here they were presently surrounded by the murmuring carriers, with the little man at their head. They were furious at first, and gave them to understand that they would go no further, and were determined, let the consequence be what it might, to remain in the town all night. Leoguadda contained no accommodations whatever for them, and a storm seemed now to be gathering over their heads. Atoopa was the town in which the king of Katunga had advised them to spend the night; they therefore resolved to go on to that town, and strenuously endeavoured by gentle means to bring over the carriers to their views, but, these failing, they resorted to their own mode of argument, namely, fierce looks, violent action, vociferous bawling, and expressive gesture, which intimidated so much, that they snatched up their burdens, without saying a word, and ran away with alacrity and good humour. These carriers Were to accompany them as far as the frontier town of the kingdom.

It was market day at Atoopa, and at a distance of some miles from the town, the hum of human voices could be distinctly heard. Just after their arrival, a man of note, who was a public singer and dancer, stood before the door of their hut to entertain them with a specimen of his abilities, and he entered with so much warmth and agility into the spirit of his profession, that his whimsical performance really afforded them much diversion. The musician had two assistant drummers in his train, whose instruments were far from being unmusical, and likewise several other men, whose part was to keep time by clapping with their hands. The dancing was excellent of its kind, and resembled more the European style, than any they had before seen in the country. The singing was equally good, the voices of the men being clear and agreeable; they sang the responses, and likewise accompanied the chanting of their master with their voices; in fact, they performed their part of the entertainment to admiration. A Fatakie, a smaller number than a coffle of merchants, left Atoopa on the preceding day for Kiama, and it was most likely that they would overtake them at the next town.

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