6th.—Started at the same hour as yesterday, and crossing a large river in a canoe at three in the afternoon, pitched our tent in the midst of about fifty small uninhabited grass huts, erected by a party of merchants, as a temporary abode, some months before. In the night, the mosquitoes were so numerous and troublesome that we were obliged to set fire to the huts to drive them away. 7th.—Took down our tent at six in the morning, and travelling till six in the evening, arrived at Womba, a large town, surrounded by a high wall. The chief sent us fowls, rice, milk, and a bowl of honey, with corn, &c. for the horses. Being in want of money, sent needles to the market to sell, which fetched fifteen cowries each, and brought me in the whole 3,400 cowries. Presented the chief with two yards of scarlet and blue silk, a scarlet cap, and a pair of scissors. 8th.—This day paid my respects to the king, who insisted on sending a messenger with me, declaring the roads to be dangerous and unsafe without a guide. 9th.—At six in the morning left Womba, accompanied by the messenger; and at six in the evening, crossing a large river, halted on the south side, and fixed our tent amidst a number of grass huts, similar to those mentioned on the sixth. In the night burnt them to the ground, in order to destroy the mosquitoes and vermin, which annoyed us exceedingly. 10th.—Started at the same hour as yesterday, and halted in the town of Beari at 2 P.M. Instead of journeying in a south-west direction to Youri, took another road, and kept due south, having been informed that a party of merchants had been plundered, and many of them murdered, on the road I intended taking. The chief sent me a sheep, a Muscovy duck, a quantity of yams, and some beer made from Indian corn. Returned him one yard of scarlet and blue silk, a scarlet cap, and four prints, which much delighted him. As soon as one of the head men was aware of my approach to the king’s residence, he blew a shrill and loud blast through a long brass trumpet, the noise of which brought all the principal male inhabitants to the spot, who entered the hut, and seated themselves in a circle round their sovereign and myself. The chief is a fine looking man, apparently about fifty years of age, with a noble expression of countenance, and a commanding air. The coozie into which I was introduced is the largest I had ever seen in Africa, being not less, I should think, than eighty yards in circumference. A man stood by the side of the chief while I remained, who repeated to him what I had to say, and the answers were returned to me by the same individual: this singular custom is, I believe, peculiar to Beari, as I never observed it in any other town in Africa. The chief asked the usual questions about my king and country. The town is surrounded by a high wall and a deep ditch, and contains about four thousand inhabitants, some of whom had seen us before at Womba.