pounds each of cloves and cinnamon ; three cases of gunpowder, with shot and balls ; three razors, three clasp-knives, three looking- glasses ; six snuff-boxes, three of paper, and three of tin ; a spy-glass, and a large English tea-tray, on which the snialler articles were arranged. He took them up one by one. The compass and spyglass excited great interest; and he seemed much gratified when I pointed out that by means of the former, he could at any time find out the east to address himself in his daily prayers. He said, “ Every thing is wonderful; but you are the greatest curiosity of all!” and then added, “ What can I give that is most acceptable to the King of England?” I replied, “ The most acceptable service you can render to the King of England, is to co-operate with His Majesty in putting a stop to the slave trade on the coast: as the King of England sends every year large ships to cruise there, for the sole purpose of seizing all vessels engaged in this trade, whose crews are thrown into prison ; and of liberating the unfortunate slaves, on whom lands and houses are conferred, at one of our settlements in Africa. “ What!” said he, “ have you no slaves in England ?” “ No. Whenever a slave sets his foot in England, he is from that moment free.”—“ What do you then do for servants ?” “ We hire them for a stated period, and give them regular wages : nor is any person in England allowed to strike another; and the very soldiers are fed, clothed, and paid by Government.” “ God is great!” he exclaimed ; “ You are a beautiful people.” I next presented the sheikh of Bornou’s letter. On perusing it, he assured me I should see all that was to be seen within his dominions, as well as in Youri and Nyffee, both of which, I informed him, I was anxious to visit. He expressed great regret at the death of Dr. Oudney, as he wished particularly to see an English physician, who might instruct his people in the healing art. In the evening I made a present to the gadado of a scarlet bornouse, a pair of scarlet breeches, a red Turkish jacket, two white, and one red turban shawls, three razors, three knives, three paper snuff-boxes, and three of tin, three looking- glasses, two pounds of cloves, and two pounds of cinnamon. The gadado is an excellent man, and has unbounded influence with the sultan, to whose sister he is married. March 18.—Weather clear and warm. Although I was very ill all day, the courtyard of my house was crowded with people, from sunrise to sunset; all of whom I had to see with the greatest patience, and to answer their numberless questions, such as, “ Have you rain in your country ?” “ Have you wheat ?” i: Have you goats, sheep, and horses?” But the obvious and favourite interrogatory was, “ What are you come for?” This I always attempted to explain to their satisfaction ; telling them, “ I came to see the country, its rivers, mountains, and inhabitants, its flowers, fruits, minerals, and animals, and to ascertain wherein they differed from those in other parts of the world. When their friends travelled among strange nations, did they not on their return ask them what they had seen ? The people of England could all read and write, and were acquainted with most other regions of the earth; but of this country alone they hitherto knew scarcely any thing, and erroneously regarded the inhabitants as naked savages, devoid of religion, and not far removed from the condition of wild beasts: whereas I found them, from my personal observation, to be civilized, learned, humane, and pious.” March 19.—I was sent for by the sultan, and desired to bring with me the “ looking-glass of the sun,” the name they gave to my sextant. I was conducted farther into the interior of his residence than on my two former visits. This part consisted of coozees, pretty far apart from each other. I first exhibited a planisphere of the heavenly bodies. The sultan knew all the signs of the Zodiac, some of the constellations, and many of the stars, by their Arabic names. The “ looking-glass of the sun” was then brought forward, and occasioned much surprise. I had to explain all its appendages. The
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