from the notes of the songsters of the grove, the swelling strains of the English skylark and thrush, with the more gentle warbling of the finch and linnet.  It was indeed a brilliant morning, teeming with life and beauty, and recalled to my memory a thousand affecting associations of sanguine boyhood, when I was thoughtless and happy.  The barbarians around me were all cheerful and full of joy.  I have heard that like sorrow, joy is contagious, and I believe that it is, for it inspired me with a similar gentle feeling.”

“The 27th March in this place, is what May-day is in many country places in England, and it strongly reminded us of it.  But here unfortunately there are no white faces to enliven us, and a want of the lovely complexion of our beautiful countrywomen, tinged with ’its celestial red,’ is severely felt; and so is the total absence here of that golden chain of kindness, which links them to the ruder associates of their festive enjoyments.  By and by, doubtless, familiarity with black faces will reconcile me to them, but at present I am compelled to own, that I cannot help feeling a considerable share of aversion towards their jetty complexions, in common I believe with most strangers that visit this place.”

Owing to the holiday, which is equally prized and enjoyed by Mahommedan and pagan, their visitors on this day have been almost exclusively confined to a party of Houssa mallams, who entered their dwelling in the forenoon, perfumed all over with musk, more for the purpose of gratifying their vanity by displaying their finery before them, than of paying the travellers the compliment of the day, which was avowedly the sole object of their intrusion.  One or two of them were masticating the goora nut, and others had their lips, teeth, and finger nails stained red.  Each of the mallams was attended by a well-dressed little boy of agreeable countenance, who acted as page to his master, and was his protege.  Neither of the men would eat or drink with those who they came to visit, yet whilst they were in their company, they seemed cheerful and good humoured, and were communicative and highly intelligent.  In answer to the questions put to them, they; were informed that two rivers enter the Quorra, or great river of Funda, one of which is called the Coodonie, and the other the Tshadda, (from the lake Tshad); that a schooner might sail from Bornou to Fundah, on the latter river, without difficulty; that Funda is only twenty-four hours pull from Benin, and twenty-nine days’ journey from Bornou.  At the close of a long and to the travellers rather an interesting conversation, their visitors expressed themselves highly gratified with their reception, and left the hut to repair to their own habitations.

These men, though slaves to Adooley, are very respectable, and are never called upon by their master, except when required to go to war, supporting themselves by trading for slaves, which they sell to Europeans.  They wore decent nouffie tobes, (qu Nyffee,) Arab red caps, and Houssa sandals.  The mallams, both in their manners and conversation, are infinitely superior to the ungentle, and malignant natives of Badagry.