Some of his half-heads, who may very appropriately be termed his mortal messengers, in contradistinction to the immortals sent to the shades, arrived at the fort, and, with the Coke, a stern and hardhearted villain, who, in the absence of the yavougah, was the next caboceer, demanded admittance in the king’s name, prostrating themselves as usual, and covering their heads with dust.  On entering, they proceeded immediately to that quarter where the slaves were, and repeated the ceremony of kissing the ground before they spoke the king’s word, that is to say, delivered his message.  The Coke then made a long harangue, the purport of which was to signify the king’s regret that animosity should have so long existed between him and the chief of that country which he had just despoiled, and to express his sorrow for the fate of a family, which had suffered from his displeasure, through false accounts and misrepresentations.  For this reason, he was now most anxious to make every reparation in his power to a son yet remaining of that prince, and would readily re-establish him in the rank and possessions of his father, could he only find him out.  Completely duped by this wile, the unsuspecting lad exultingly exclaimed, “I am the son of the prince!”—­“Then,” replied the Coke, with a hellish joy at having succeeded in his object, “you are just the person we want.”  Upon which these half-heads seized him, and began to bind his hands.  Finding by this time the real state of the case, which at first it was impossible to comprehend, Mr. M’Leod strongly protested against their seizing a slave whom he had regularly purchased, and complained loudly of the insult offered to the company’s fort; but all in vain.  He then earnestly entreated them to offer the king his own price, or selection of goods, and to beg as a favour from Mr. M’Leod, that he might be spared, strongly urging the plea also, that, when once embarked, he would be as free from every apprehension, respecting him, as if he had killed him.

The Coke coolly replied, that Mr. M’Leod need not give himself any further trouble to make any proposals, for he dared not repeat one of them to the king; and, after an ineffectual struggle, Mr. M’Leod was at last compelled to witness, with the most painful emotion, this ill-fated youth dragged off in a state of the gloomiest despair, a despair rendered more dismal from the fallacious glimpse of returning happiness, by which he had been so cruelly entrapped.

The party not being able to obtain the slightest information respecting Mr. Dickson, retraced their steps, and rejoined Captain Clapperton in the river Benin, where they met with an English merchant, of the name of Houston, who advised them by no means to think of proceeding by that river, a circuitous track, and covered with pestilential swamps; and more particularly as the king bore a particular hatred to the English for their exertions in putting an end to the slave-trade, nor