Nor did they confine themselves to simple expressions of pity
or concern; but as they subsequently learnt, they joined the assembly
and spoke in their favour with warmth and energy, taxing those who
had assaulted them, with cowardice, cruelty, and wrong: and proposing
to have them beheaded on the spot, as a just punishment for their
crime. This was bold language, but it produced a salutary effect on
the minds of the hearers.
In the afternoon, the Landers were ordered to return to the small
island whence they had come, and the setting of the sun being the
signal for the council to dissolve, they were again sent for to the
market. The people had been engaged in deliberation and discussion
during the whole of the day; and with throbbing hearts they received
their resolution, in nearly the following words: -
"That the king of the country being absent, they had taken upon
themselves to consider the occurrence, which had taken place in the
morning, and to give judgment accordingly. Those of their things
which had been saved from the water, should be restored to them; and
the person, who first commenced the attack on the white men, should
lose his head, as a just retribution for his offence, having acted
without the chief's permission: that with regard to themselves, they
must be considered as prisoners, and consent to be conducted on the
following morning to Obie, king of the Eboe country, before whom they
were to undergo an examination, and whose will and pleasure
concerning their persons would then be explained."
They received this intelligence with feelings of rapture, and with
bursting hearts they offered up thanks to their divine Creator, for
his signal preservation of them throughout this disastrous day.
The Kirree people are a savage-looking race; they are amazingly
strong and athletic, and are also well proportioned. Their only
clothing is the skin either of a leopard or tiger fastened round
their waist. Their hair is plaited, and plastered with red clay in
abundance; and their face is full of incisions in every part of it;
these are cut into the flesh, so as to produce deep furrows, each
incision being about a quarter of an inch long and dyed with indigo.
It was scarcely possible to make out a feature of their face, and
never were individuals more disfigured. The Eboe women have handsome
features; and the Landers could not help thinking it a pity, that
such savage-looking fellows as the men should be blessed with so
handsome a race of females.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
At sunrise on the 6th November, their canoe was taken from before
Kirree market-place, to the little sand bank or island in the middle
of the river, where they waited till nine o'clock for the coming of
two war canoes, which it was resolved should convoy them to the Eboe
country, which they understood was situated three days journey down
the Niger.
