Wednesday, 21st.—The caboceer came this morning with his headmen to overhaul the packages, to see how many carriers would be requisite. We tried for hammock-men for the sick, but the caboceer said, that the Eyeo people could not and would not carry a hammock—that a man was not a horse; which, to be sure, was a truism so obvious and ancient, that we could not venture to contradict it. I offered him a string of coral, which to him is most tempting, but he would not make a positive promise. However, he sent a messenger in the evening, saying that he would find hammocks to the first stage. He promised also to forward any thing that was sent from Badagry for the mission, and any thing from the mission to Badagry. We visited several manufactories of cloth and three dyehouses, with upwards of twenty vats or large earthen pots in each, and all in full work. The indigo here is of an excellent quality, and forms a most beautiful and durable dye; the women are the dyers, the boys the weavers; the loom and shuttles are on the same principle as the common English loom, but the warp only about four inches wide. Mr. Houtson was anxious to purchase the freedom of a Bornouese slave, a dwarf three feet high and thirty years of age, a cunning-looking rogue; but he was not willing to be sold, and his master would not therefore sell him. Thursday, 22d.—This morning Dr. Morrison was looking ill, but in better spirits; Captain Pearce very weak; Richard better. In the extreme weak state of the two former, I thought it advisable to say to both, that I would either make arrangements for their remaining here until they were completely convalescent, or for their return on board the Brazen, provided hammocks could be got to carry them to Puka, and to go under the care of Mr. Houtson’s boy, Accra; or, if necessary, that Mr. Houtson should himself take charge of them, and return them safe to Badagry. Captain Pearce expressed a decided determination to proceed, and Dr. Morrison would not even hear Mr. Houtson speak on the subject of a return or stay, but said he would proceed on. The caboceer came early, and after much trouble, and seemingly much difficulty, got men to carry the sick, his own son being obliged to take one end of a hammock. I observed that, on the caboceer’s sneezing, all his attendants clapped their hands and snapped their fingers, a custom common to Benin, Lagos, and Dahomy, and similar to our exclamation of “God bless us” on the same occasion. The hammocks started early, when Mr. Houtson’s small boys, owing to some people frightening them with stories of war on the path, and probably a message from their friends at Badagry requesting them to go no further, all ran away. He immediately despatched a letter for another interpreter, who will join us in a few days. About an hour afterwards, I started after the sick, leaving Mr. Houtson to see the baggage off.