Upon our return to the town we found a fine dog lying on the ground, apparently just killed. He was very much swollen, particularly one of his fore-legs. I made inquiry of the owner respecting the cause of its death, and was told that, while visiting his farm at some short distance on the plain, a large snake came in contact with the dog, and in the conflict bit the dog in the fore-arm. The venom caused death in about a quarter of an hour afterwards. The dog died within two hundred yards of its home. Serpents are said to be very numerous and extremely venomous here, but I have not seen any of the serpent tribe since I left Whydah. Upon my return to my quarters I found my servant Maurice apparently worse, and in very low spirits. He had hitherto expressed a wish not to be left, but to proceed with me on my journey. This, of course, in his present state, it would have been folly to allow him to do. I proposed, therefore, that if he were not much better in the morning, to leave him a few days, till I returned from the town of Whagba, for which place I intended to march. This the poor fellow consented to. He was now suffering much from dysentery, and his illness had every appearance of terminating fatally. In the evening I was visited by one of the caboceer’s wives, who was introduced to me as the principal cook, and who had presided at the cooking of my food. This, of course, was a very broad hint that I should not forget her when distributing presents. Several of the caboceer’s younger wives, who seemed very anxious to flirt when an opportunity presented itself, came to make inquiry after the health of my servant, but their real motive was to obtain a glass of rum, for they knew that I had arranged to depart on the following morning. The caboceer, Agassadoo, importuned for every thing that met his eye, though he took special care not to do so when the caboceer or captain of my guard was present. FOOTNOTES: [2] I found this man was a native of Houssa, which accounts for his surname. [3] The inhabitants of Paweea are about three thousand. [4] Caboceer. [5] Brother to the caboceer. [6] Commander-in-chief of the soldiers. [7] Second in command of the soldiers. CHAPTER III.