We found the mission family at Creek Town, on our return from Willy's farm, dreadfully agitated by several horrible occurrences which had taken place during the three days of our absence. First, a poor youth had been put to death by Egbo, though guilty of no crime, as a substitute for a free man, who had stolen and sold one of King Eyo's slaves. The head of the innocent victim was exhibited to the chiefs of Egbo, in Creek Town, and then sent to Duke Town for the same purpose, while the body was left exposed for birds and beasts of prey.

When Mrs. Waddell heard of the transaction, she went to the king to request that the body might be interred. In that country, persons publicly executed never found a grave. He promised it should be done; but the body was merely thrown aside into the bush. In the evening, Mr. Thomson went to George Eyo, the master of the murdered youth, to procure men to bury it. George gloried in having given a man to save a friend, and refused to send people for the object in view, but consented to hire them; and at length the corpse was interred—the first time, perhaps, that a slave victim had ever there received the respect due to our common humanity.