“What!” said the sultan, “have you no slaves in England.”

“No,” replied Clapperton, “whenever a slave sets his foot on England, he is from that moment free.”

“What do you do then for servants?” asked the sultan.

“We hire them for a stated period,” replied Clapperton, “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!” exclaimed the sultan, “you are a beautiful people.”

Clapperton now presented the sheik of Bornou’s letter.  On perusing it, the sultan assured Clapperton that he should see all that was to be seen within his dominions, as well as in Youri and Nyffee, both of which Clapperton informed him, he was most anxious to visit.  This interview terminated very satisfactory to Clapperton, as through the influence and power of the sultan, he hoped to be able to accomplish his design of penetrating further into the country, but the sequel will show, that the knowledge which Clapperton had as yet entertained of the African character, was very limited and superficial.

In describing the events which took place during the residence of Clapperton at Sockatoo, we shall be obliged in several instances to be very circumstantial, as they have all a reference proximate or remote to the affairs which took place, when he visited the place at a future period, in company with Richard Lander, in whose papers some highly interesting information is contained, respecting the conduct of the sultan and the natives, both prior and subsequent to the death of Clapperton, and from which in some degree resulted the death of that amiable and highly spirited officer.

On the morning of the 19th March, Clapperton was sent for by the sultan, and desired to bring with him “the looking glass of the sun,” the name which they gave to the sextant.  He was on this occasion conducted further into the interior of his residence, than on his two former visits.  Clapperton 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.  Clapperton had to explain all its appendages.  The inverting telescope was an object of intense astonishment, and Clapperton had to stand at some little distance, to let the sultan look at him through it, for his people were all afraid of placing themselves within its magical influence.  He had next to show him how to take an observation of the sun.  The case of the artificial horizon, of which Clapperton had lost the key, was sometimes very difficult to open, as happened on this occasion, and he asked one of the people near him for a knife to press up the lid.  The person handed him one much too small, and he quite inadvertently asked for a dagger for the same purpose.