Page:A pilgrimage to my motherland.djvu/125

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116
A PILGRIMAGE

During this day's journey we saw the largest number of wild animals, deer, monkeys, etc., especially near the river; and as we passed through the village we perceived a flock of Guinea-hens covering an area of over an acre. As before mentioned, we arrived at Isehin about eight in the evening. Mr. Elba, the native reader of the Church Mission, and father of the boy already mentioned, kindly afforded us accommodation. We tarried long enough the next day to pay our respects to the king. We found his majesty attired in his hunting costume, horses, attendants, dogs and arms, all ready to depart, consequently he could not afford a lengthy audience, but was very courteous, and presented me a small smoked animal not unlike the armadillo, a present, I was told, significant of much respect, but which I could not sufficiently appreciate, particularly as it partook of the qualities of venison when most acceptable to certain palates. We also called on the chief Balagun, who gave us a hearty welcome and a few dried fishes. The number of inhabitants does not exceed twenty thousand, and the town is one of the only two in this section, Iwo being the other, which have existed before the troubles which led to the formation of Ijaye, Abbeokuta, etc. We left Isehin about eleven A.M., and reached Awaye, the next town, the same evening.