named "Bàibai," speaking generally the Djùku language, but the country had been mostly subjugated by the Filátas. We were now completely in Pùlo* territory, and with these people were invariably on the most friendly terms; they were by far the most intelligent and civilized of any of the races we met with during our wanderings. From good observations the position of Gurowa was determined to be in lat. 9° 8' 36" N., and long. 11° 0′ 37′′ E. We waited anxiously all next day for the return of Mr. Crowther and Mr. Richards, but they did not make their appearance till the morning of Sunday the 24th, when they came on board tired and footsore, having had a long journey over a miserable road. They had, however, met with a most hospitable reception, and were the bearers of a letter (in Arabic) to me, requesting me to visit the Sultan. As no time was to be lost I made instant preparations, and at mid-day left, accompanied by two of the officers of the 'Pleiad,' We went by boat down a broad creek for about 3 miles, and then landing, proceeded on foot along a narrow road, or rather track, only wide enough for single file, and enclosed mostly on either side by thick bush or tall grass. Walking was certainly very bad, as great part was completely under water, and the remainder was soft adhesive mud. Our route lay across a level swampy plain, on the farther side of which was a fine rising ground at the foot of a range of hills, and on this eminence the town was situated. We reached it just after sunset, having walked according to my pedometer 14 miles, nearly N.N.W. from the little village of Wuzu, where we landed. We were conducted to the house of the geladima or prime minister, where a large hut and a surrounding yard were set apart for our use. As it was dark we lit our lantern, and spreading our mats, sat down. We first received a message of congratulation from the Sultan, and immediately afterwards crowds of visitors poured in to welcome us. Half an hour of incessant shaking of hands tolerably tired us, and besides feeling rather hungry after our walk, we were agreeably surprised by the appearance of various dishes, sent us by the Sultan, consisting of messes of milk and of fufu and palaver sauce, two well-known country preparations. Our supper being finished we arranged our couches and slept in the open air, as being freer from mosquitoes than in the hut. About 11 o'clock next forenoon we were conducted to the Sultan's residence, and were ushered into his presence. We were placed on Turkey rugs, but separated from his majesty by a partycoloured silk screen or curtain, which hung from side to side of the apartment, and during the whole interview the Sultan re i.e. Fùlo' or 'Filata.' mained unseen by us. As soon as we were seated an attendant threw over me and over each of my two companions fine Haússa tobes, and I was presented with a bundle of spears and a basket of Gura (Kola) nuts. The Sultan then expressed his high satisfaction and delight that white men should have visited Hamarúwa during his reign, assuring us of his ardent wish to cultivate our friendship, and saying that he should despatch a special messenger to his master the Sultan at Sokatú to announce our arrival. I then told him of our country and of our Queen, of the objects and intentions of our voyage, of our wish for friendship and for trade, and of our dislike to war, especially when aggressive and unprovoked. I then gave him the presents I had brought for him, which seemed to please him much, and proceeded to take our farewell. He pressed me much to extend our stay, and added that he had ordered two bullocks to be caught for me. I thanked him, but excusing ourselves on account of the lateness of the season, and pressing occupation on board, departed. The language of this town is the Filáta, but all the traders also speak Haússa. It was now past 1 o'clock, so, hurrying back to our hut, I got our baggage packed up and at once despatched the Krùboys. One horse was brought, on which Mr. Guthrie mounted, and two others were promised us, but as they were delayed I walked on, leaving Dr. Hutchinson to follow with the steeds. I soon came to a very wet part of the road, where the easiest method of walking was barefoot; but not having a guide, I wandered along a wrong track, and by sunset had completely lost my way, having nothing around me but thick bush. I therefore looked out for a good tree as the best quarters I could take up, and fortunately found a large Monkey breadfruit-tree, up which I climbed, and seating myself about 15 feet from the ground, spent a not uncomfortable night, though the howling of leopards and other wild beasts awoke me several times, and did not cease entirely till daylight. In the morning I luckily found a few huts, and getting a guide, proceeded towards the river, meeting after a time with a party searching for me, but who had already consigned me in their imaginations to the wild beasts which abound in this district. From several causes I was most reluctantly obliged to give up the idea of proceeding farther in the ship, but Mr. May and I determined to make the attempt in our gig, and so, with a crew of six men, we left at daybreak of the 27th September, the river still rising. For some days previously there had been invariably a fresh breeze blowing up the river, but this day, to our great disappointment, it was nearly calm, and we made but little progress against the current. We visited two villages belonging to Hamarúwa, named Chòmo and Làu, in both of which the aboriginal inhabitants, though friendly, were less civilized than any we had hitherto met. Next morning, having a slight breeze, we did rather better, and in the afternoon reached a large village named Djin, situated up a swampy creek, where, on leaving, an attempt was made to detain us. Near this, however, we fortunately found a piece of dry ground on which we landed for observations. On the third morning we had a fine breeze and went rapidly up, and early in the forenoon arrived at a village named Dùlti, now, by the rise of the water, most completely inundated, and in which, except around the foot of one tree, there was not a single spot of dry ground. To this spot we waded to get observations, but were soon surrounded by crowds of most savage, wild-looking barbarians, who, both male and female, were equally destitute of clothing. For some time their surprise kept them quiet, and we tried to keep them in good humour and to get into conversation with them, but they soon began to be troublesome, and in a body advanced to seize and pilfer our boat, when a little pet terrier I had with me raised her head, on which in astonishment they all held back. Not wishing to have any quarrel, and their numbers, from 300 to 400, all armed with swords, spears, and bows with poisoned arrows, being rather out of proportion, I judged it advisable to remove, so giving one or two presents to the head men we suddenly shoved off. While searching for another landing-place near, to complete our observations, their canoes followed us and tried to entangle us among the bushes, so we had to retreat rapidly to the open river, where we were in safety, as if the canoes annoyed us we could at once have run into them and upset them. On reaching the openwater their canoes, 9 or 10 in number, each with 8 or 9 armed men, immediately turned back. Our Krùboys were in a great fright, so that in everything Mr. May and I had only ourselves. to depend on. We had previously fixed the afternoon of this day for our return, and so had, though very unwillingly, to steer down the river. This, our extreme point eastward, is, as nearly as we could determine, in lat. 9° 25′ N., and long. 11° 30′ E. From the information we received, we believe that we were not then more than 50 miles from the Faro, and it was a matter of deep regret to us that we did not reach that confluence. Had the wind blown as freshly for the first two days as it did during the third, we might, without much difficulty, have attained that point. During our return, which was much more speedy than our ascent, we continued to complete our survey, getting soundings and outlining the river's banks. By dark we had gone about 24 miles, when, being unable to continue our operations, we anchored. About 1 A.M. on the 30th, one of the heaviest thunder-storms I ever witnessed came on, and for upwards of two hours the whole sky was one entire and continuous blaze of most vivid light. About 9 A.M. we reached Gùrowa, where we found that the 'Pleiad,' owing to some temporary false alarm, had left two days previously. We followed, and, as the current ran strong, went rapidly along. Towards evening we entered a wrong creek, and soon found ourselves in submerged country; and it was not till 9 next morning that we regained the river, having pulled over fully 20 miles of flooded land. This forenoon we overtook the Pleiad,' aground on the weather end of a bank, having gone about 120 miles in our gig. By considerable exertions the ship was floated on the afternoon of the 2nd of October, and on the morning of the 3rd, having no fuel on board, dropped down the river about 20 miles to Zhibú, where we remained for some days to re-rate the chronometers and to cut wood. During our descent we touched at many towns and villages, and wherever practicable repeated and tested the observations made during the ascent, and by the 18th of October Mr. May was enabled to get the sun's meridian altitude, the angle previously having been too great to be measured by the sextant. On the morning of the 20th of October we once more reached the confluence, and anchoring off Igbégbe, remained for 5 days, during which time fresh chronometer rates were once more obtained. The only incident I have to mention is, that a man whom I had taken from this place as a guide and interpreter, and whom I left at O'jogo, brought on board with him, when we called to re-embark him, a boy, whom he confessed, after much questioning, to be a slave for sale. I told him that our vessel could not be considered as a slave-ship, and that I should take and free the boy, but as he might have erred in ignorance, I should pay him his market value, viz., 50,000 cowries, or from 71. to 87. He agreed very gladly, but on reaching Igbégbe tried to kidnap the boy; on which I had him sent for before the king, to whom I related the whole circumstance, ending by telling him and the people around our views on the slave trade. Before leaving I ascertained that my ransoming the boy had given much general satisfaction, and it showed the natives that, although no one was wronged, we are opposed to slavery in deed as well as in word. The boy, whose native name is Gato, is of the Mítshi tribe; he is a smart, intelligent youth, and under the English name of William Carlin is now at school in Sierra Leone. Of the remainder of our voyage I have little to say. We crossed the bar under most favourable circumstances on the morning of the 6th of November, and anchored next afternoon in Clarence Cove, not having lost a single life, and all being in tolerable health. The Pleiad,' as might have been expected from her experienced designer Mr. Laird, auswered admirably, and was in every respect beautifully adapted for the purpose intended. Most of her officers were carefully selected, and I have in particular to mention the conduct and the assistance I derived from the chief mate, the chief engineer, and the surgeon. Of my own party, I can hardly speak in too high terms of the ability or the behaviour of Mr. May, who contributed greatly towards the success of the expedition; and I had in Mr. J. T. Dalton a very active zoological assistant. To one more person I must allude, namely, the Rev. S. Crowther, who, by his amiable character, his unassuming behaviour, and the quiet, yet perfect manner in which he discharged his duties, endeared himself to all on board. In conclusion I would only remark that, from all appearances, there is less war and turmoil and greater feeling of security along the river than formerly, as detached huts and patches of cultivated ground are now to be seen all along the banks, none of which, I am assured by Mr. Crowther, existed during his visit in 1841. Table of some of the principal Positions. Long. E. .... 5° 31′ 16′′ 6° 29' 11" 6° 31' 12" 6° 39' 23" 7° 6' 2" 7° 44' 33" 59' 14" 6° 42′ 14′′ 6° 44' 27" 5 7° 9' 47" Dágbo .. Gándiko 8° 2' 34" 7° 35' 23" 59' 30" 7° 45' 8" .. 7° 45' 45" 55' 34" 7° 53' 41" 5' 22'.5 28' 31" 5 8° 40' 12" 5 IV.-A Journey from El-Mediná to Mecca down the "Darb el Sharki on the Eastern Road (hitherto unvisited by Europeans) in September 1853. By RICHARD F. BURTON, Lieut. Bombay Army. Read, March 12, 1855. To the SECRETARY of the Royal Geographical Society, London. SIR, At 8 A.M. on Wednesday 31st August the camel-shaykh suddenly appeared, warning us that we must lose no time in loading. All started up, and at 9 I found myself standing opposite the Bab el Misri, or eastern gate of the city, surrounded by my Madani friends, who had accompanied me thus far on foot, to take leave with customary politeness. After many affectionate |