The Huts Of The Head Men Were Larger And More Carefully Built, And Their Yards More Commodious Than Even Those Of The King; All Were Kept In Excellent Order, Clean And Neat.

These ministers of the crown, like the ministers of other countries, had contrived to appropriate to themselves the good

Things of the country, for they were in far more affluent circumstances than any of their neighbours; they had a wife for almost every week in the year, and large flocks of sheep and goats, in which the wealth of the natives principally consists. A goat, and two large pots of country beer, were laid at the feet of Richard Lander, and after expressing his acknowledgements, he returned home.

The Landers were of opinion, that it would require a long residence in this country, and a perfect acquaintance with its language to enable a foreigner to form a correct judgment of its laws, manners, customs, and institutions, as well as its religion and form of government. So innumerable are the mistakes, which the smattering of ignorant native interpreters never fails to occasion, that they despaired of obtaining any accurate information on any of those heads. Perhaps few despots sully their dignity, by condescending to consult the inclination of their subjects, in personally communicating to them their most private as well as public concerns. Yet the sovereign of Youriba appeared to be so obliging, as to make this a common practice. In return, however, the people are expected and compelled to satisfy the curiosity of their prince, by adopting a similar line of conduct towards him; and all the presents which they receive from strangers, however trifling they may be, are in every instance taken to his residence for inspection.

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