This meat according to another native informant, was believed on that account to be human flesh, for they knew, it was added, that we white men eat human flesh.  Lander afterwards received the following additional information from a mallam or priest, whom he met with at Wawa, and who tendered it spontaneously.  “The sultan of Youri advised your countrymen to proceed the remainder of the way on land, as the passage by water was rendered dangerous by numerous sunken rocks in the Niger, and a cruel race of people inhabiting the towns on its banks.”  They refused, however, to accede to this, observing that they were bound to proceed down the Niger to the salt water.  The old mallam further observed, that as soon as the sultan of Youri heard of their death, he was much affected, but it was out of his power to punish the people, who had driven them into the water.  A pestilence reached Boussa at the time, swept off the king and most of the habitants, particularly those who were concerned in the transaction.  The remainder fancying it was a judgment of the white man’s God, placed everything belonging to the Christians in a hut, and set it on fire.  It is not a little remarkable, that it is now a common saying, all through the interior of Africa, “Do not hurt a Christian, for if you do, you will die like the people of Boussa.”  On Clapperton waiting on the sultan of Boussa, he was as usual very kindly received; his first inquiry was concerning some white men, who were lost in the river, some twenty years ago, near this place.

The sultan appeared rather uneasy at these inquiries, and it was observed that he stammered in his speech.  He assured both Clapperton and Lander, that he had not any thing in his possession belonging to the white men, and that he was a little boy when the event happened.  Clapperton told him that he wanted nothing but the books and papers, and to learn from him a correct account of the manner of their death; and, with the sultan’s permission, he would go and visit the place where they were lost.  To this request, the sultan gave a decided refusal, alleging that it was a very bad place.  Clapperton, however, having heard that part of the boat remained, inquired if such were really the case; to which the sultan replied, that there was no truth whatever in the report; that she did remain on the rocks for some time after, but had gone to pieces and floated down the river long ago.  Clapperton told the sultan, that, if he would give him the books and papers, it would be the greatest favour he could possibly confer on him.  The sultan again assured him, that nothing remained with him; every thing of books or papers having gone into the hands of the learned men; but that, if any were in existence, he would procure them, and give them to him.  Clapperton then asked him, if he would allow him to inquire of the old people in the town the particulars of the affair, as some of them must have witnessed the transaction.  The sultan appeared very uneasy, and as he did not return any answer, Clapperton did not press him further at that time upon the subject.