I cannot omit bearing testimony to the singular and perhaps unprecedented fact, that we have already travelled sixty miles in eight days, with a numerous and heavy baggage, and about ten different relays of carriers, without losing so much as the value of a shilling public or private; a circumstance evincing not only somewhat more than common honesty in the inhabitants, but a degree of subordination and regular government which could not have been supposed to exist amongst a people hitherto considered barbarians. Humanity, however, is the same in every land; government may restrain the vicious principles of our nature, but it is beyond the power even of African despotism to silence a woman’s tongue: in sickness and in health, and at every stage, we have been obliged to endure their eternal loquacity and noise. We have observed several looms going here: in one house we saw eight or ten—in fact a regular manufactory. Their cloth is good in texture, and some very fine. They also manufacture earthenware, but prefer European, though they sometimes misappropriate the different articles. The vessel in which the caboceer of Laboo presented us water to drink, Mr. Houtson recognised as a handsome chamber-pot sold by him last year at Badagry. Monday, 19th.—Captain Pearce is better this morning, but Richard continues still very ill with severe head-ache and fever. About twelve o’clock we visited the caboceer at his own house. He had previously sent us about twenty-five gallons of rum, saying he heard we had not brought much rum with us; that Eyeo people liked rum too much, and that he sent us this that we might give all his people a dram to get us a good name amongst the inhabitants.