Page:A pilgrimage to my motherland.djvu/94

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TO MY MOTHERLAND.
85

other civilized persons passing through his town, had treated him ill, by not stopping at his house. I frankly explained the reason, namely, his unkind treatment of missionaries who had sojourned with him before. He protested that he had never designed any ill himself, and would not suffer his people to inflict any if he knew it. After all, I believe the whole matter was the result of misunderstanding, as he did not seem like one who would willingly harm any body, much less civilized people. Although the party with whom we sojourned had a large house, he really had no accommodation within it for travellers, so that we were compelled, as we have repeatedly done before and after, to sleep on a mat in the open air, where, however, being tired, we enjoyed a good repose, without any serious consequences. So much for the "pestilential night air of that baneful clime."

The next morning when we were ready to leave, poor Peter could not walk; so leaving some cowries for his expenses, we were obliged to leave him to come on with the mail-man, who was expected to pass in a few days. He reached Ijaye before we departed for the next town, Oyo, but was unable to accompany us further. We never saw him again, as on our return from the interior we were unable to enter the city which was surrounded by hostile forces. His abode