Travels Of Richard And John Lander Into The Interior Of Africa Part 32

This answer disappointed the hopes of the Landers, for to them it appeared final and decisive. But in the evening their hopes were again excited by a hint from their host, who was the king's drummer, and one of the princ.i.p.al men in the country; he a.s.sured them, that there was at least one book saved from Mr. Park's canoe, which was then in the possession of a very poor man in the service of his master, to whom it had been entrusted by the late king during his last illness. He said moreover, that if but _one_ application were made to the king on any subject whatever, very little was thought of it, but if a second were made, the matter would be considered of sufficient importance to demand his whole attention; such being the custom of the country. The drummer therefore recommended them to persevere in their inquiries, for he had no doubt that something to their satisfaction would be elicited. At his own request, they sent him to the king immediately, desiring him to repeat their former statement, and to a.s.sure the king, that should he be successful in recovering the book they wanted, their monarch would reward him handsomely. The king desired the drummer to inform them, that he would use every exertion, and examine the man, who was reported to have the white man's book in his possession.

On the following day, the king came to see them, followed by a man with a book under his arm, which was said to have been picked up in the Niger after the loss of their countrymen. It was enveloped in a large cotton cloth, and their hearts beat high with expectation, as the man was slowly unfolding it, for by its size they guessed it to be Mr. Park's journal, but their disappointment and chagrin were great, when on opening the book, they discovered it to be an old nautical publication of the last century. The t.i.tle page was missing, but its contents were chiefly tables of logarithms. It was a thick royal quarto, which led them to conjecture that it was a journal.

Between the leaves they found a few loose papers of very little consequence indeed; one of them contained two or three observations on the height of the water in the Gambia; one was a tailor's bill on a Mr. Anderson, and another was addressed to Mr. Mungo Park, and contained an invitation to dine. The following is a copy of it:

"Mr. and Mrs. Watson would be happy to have the pleasure of Mr.

Park's company at dinner on Tuesday next, at half past five o'clock.

An answer is requested.

Strand, 9th Nov. 1804."

The king, as well as the owner of the book, looked as greatly mortified as they themselves did, when they were told that the one produced, was not that of which they were in quest, because the reward promised would not of course be obtained. As soon as their curiosity had been fully satisfied, the papers were carefully collected and placed again between the leaves, and the book as carefully folded in its envelope as before, and taken away by its owner, who valued it as much as a household G.o.d. Thus all their hopes of obtaining Mr. Park's journal or papers in the city of Boossa were entirely defeated.

At an early hour of Wednesday June 23rd, the king and queen paid the travellers a farewell visit, when the former particularly cautioned them against poison. They then expressed their acknowledgements to both the royal personages for all their favours and an hour or two after they had taken their departure, the Landers rode out of the city, accompanied by two hors.e.m.e.n as an escort, and a foot messenger to the sultan of Yaoorie. They journied along the banks of the Niger at an easy pace, and two hours afterwards entered a pleasant little walled town called where they were desired to halt until the following day the governor of Kagogie had been made acquainted with their intention, no less than three days before their arrival, yet no canoe had been got ready for their use, and when they expected to embark, "the king of the canoe," as the person who has the care of it, is ridiculously styled, informed them with the utmost unconcern, that it was out of repair, and that it would not be fit for their reception for some hours at least. In the course of the afternoon they repaired to the side of the river, for the purpose of endeavouring to encourage and hurry the workmen in their labour about the canoe. Promises and threats were employed to effect this object, but the men would neither be coaxed nor intimidated--they would not overwork themselves, they said, for all the riches in their possession, so that they were obliged to leave them and exercise their patience. The branch of the Niger which flows by Kagogie, is about a mile in width, but it is rendered so shallow by large sand banks, that except in one very narrow place, a child might wade across it without difficulty.

About mid-day the workmen having finished the canoe, the luggage was presently put into it, and between twelve and one they embarked with their people, and were launched out into the river. The direction of this branch was nearly east and west, and they proceeded some distance down the stream for the purpose of getting into the main branch of the Niger, where there was deeper water.

Having encountered a dreadful storm, which threatened to swamp the canoe, and which obliged them ultimately to take refuge on land, for the purpose of sheltering themselves from the violence of the tornado, they came to a place, where, a short distance from the water's edge, the country was thickly studded with cl.u.s.ters of huts, which altogether are called the village of Sooloo. They took up their quarters in a large hut, which was nearest the landing place. They were treated with much hospitality by the natives, who did all in their power to render their short stay as agreeable as possible. The old chief of the village accompanied them to the water's edge, when they quitted their hut for the purpose of embarking, and enjoined "the king of the canoe," to be particularly careful of his charge.

"Careful," answered the man, "to be sure I will, do I not know that white men are more precious than a boat load of eggs, and require as much care to be taken of them." The Landers entreated the same man a short time afterwards, to be more active and diligent in the management of his canoe, for he was rather inclined to be lazy, and suffered every canoe to go before their own, but he replied gravely, "Kings do not travel so fast as common men, I must convey you along as slowly as possible."

About eleven a.m. on the following day, they landed at the foot of a small village, on the east bank of the river, where the horses and men had arrived before them. They rested under a large tree an hour or two, awaiting the arrival of the carriers from the city of Yaoorie, who had been sent for on the preceding day, by one of the Boossa messengers that had charge of their horses. These men arrived at the village, between one and two o'clock in the afternoon, and they immediately mounted and rode onwards. On attaining the summit of a steep hill, they rode over a very narrow pathway so much overhung by an impenetrable th.o.r.n.y shrub, that there was no room for more than one man to walk. This led them to the wall of Yaoorie, and they entered the city through an amazingly strong pa.s.sage, in which was an immense iron door, covered with plates of iron, rudely fastened to the woodwork. They were almost exhausted with fatigue on their arrival, insomuch that they excused themselves from visiting and paying their respects to the sultan, and they were conducted to a convenient habitation, which had been prepared for them. They soon obtained an introduction to the prince, whom they had been so desirous to visit. After pa.s.sing through a low dark avenue, and being kept long standing in a yard, they were conducted into another area, resembling that of a farm establishment. Here they discovered the sultan sitting alone in the centre of the square, on a plain piece of carpeting, with a pillow on each side of him, and a neat bra.s.s pan in front. His appearance was not only mean, but absolutely squalid and dirty. He was a big-headed, corpulent, jolly-looking man, well stricken in years, and though there was something harsh and forbidding in his countenance, yet he was generally smiling during the conference. He showed considerable dissatisfaction, because neither Clapperton nor Lander had paid their court to him on their previous journey, and still more on being informed that their means of making a present had been reduced very low by the rapacity of the chiefs already visited. In regard to Park's papers, he merely replied, with an affected laugh, "How do you think that I could have the books of a person that was lost at Boossa?" Afterwards being pressed upon the subject, he despatched an Arab to inform them, that he declared to G.o.d in the most solemn manner, that he had never had in his possession, nor seen any books or papers of the white travellers that perished at Boossa. Thus it appeared, that his overture upon that subject to Clapperton, by which the Landers had been so unguardedly lured, was a mere pretext to induce them to visit him, and bestow a portion of the valuable articles with which they were understood to be provided. His whole conduct was in perfect unison with this first specimen of it. He did not, indeed, absolutely rob them, but there was no artifice so petty that he did not employ it, in order to obtain the few commodities which still remained in their possession. Wis.h.i.+ng to purchase some things, he induced the Landers to send them, desiring that they should affix their own price; he then said they asked too much, on which pretext he delayed, and in a great measure evaded paying for them at all. The travellers, in their ill-judged confidence in his friends.h.i.+p, requested him to furnish a boat, in which they might descend the Niger. He replied, they might have one for a hundred dollars, but being unable to command that sum they were finally obliged to apply to their friend, the king of Boossa, whom they had so unreasonably distrusted, and who cheerfully undertook to supply their wants.

The city of Yaoorie is of prodigious extent, and is supposed to be as populous as any other in the whole continent, or at least that part of it which is visited by the trading Arabs. Its wall is high and very excellent, though made of clay alone, and may be between twenty and thirty miles in circuit, and it has eight vast entrance gates or doors, which were well fortified after the manner of the country. The residence of the sultan, as well as the houses of many of the princ.i.p.al inhabitants of the city, are two stories in height, having thick and clumsy stairs of clay, leading to the upper apartments, which are rather lofty, and, together with rooms on the ground floor, have door-ways sufficiently large to enable a person to enter without putting himself to the inconvenience of stooping. The princ.i.p.al part of the houses is built in the circular or coozie fas.h.i.+on, but the inhabitants have a few square ones, and the sultan's are of no regular form whatever. It may be considered somewhat singular, that the majority of the natives of western and central, and it may be said, also of northern Africa, moisten the floors of their huts, and the inside of their walls with a solution of cow dung and water, two or three times a day, or as often as they can find the materials.

Though disagreeable to the smell of an European, this keeps the interior of a dwelling as cool as it is dark.

The Landers were anxious to expedite their departure, but the sultan sent word to inform them that he would be occupied _three days_ in writing to the king of England, and he would, therefore, thank them to remain in Yaoorie till the expiration of that period. On the following day, however, the sultan told them in plain and decisive terms, that he could not send them either by way of Koolfu or Guarie, because the Fellatas were in both of those places, and their fate then would soon be decided. He wished, however, to be expressly understood, that it was from no disinclination on his part to send them to either of those places, but that his great regard for them would not permit him to lead them into danger. Now the Landers knew very well that the Fellatas had not the superiority either in Koolfu or Guarie; the natives of the latter place, in particular, having long since cut off the heads of all the Fellatas that could be found in their country, and from that time they had enjoyed the most perfect independence. The sultan of Yaoorie further said, that the best thing he could do, was to send them back again to Boossa, and from thence he was certain they might have liberty to go anywhere.

The moment they found this to be his intention, they returned to their house, and having formed their resolution, they instantly despatched one of their men with a message to the king of Boossa, to the following effect:

"That finding their presents insufficient to defray their expenses on the road to Guarie and Bornou, they were under the necessity of returning to the salt water to obtain more. That the chief of Badagry, who is governor of that part of the coast, at which they had landed, had treated them so very ill, while they were with him, that he would detain them in his town for the remainder of their lives, if they were to return by the way they had come, and by so doing, that they should be unable to avoid falling into his power. Besides which, the journey thither was so long that they should experience the same, or even greater inconvenience than if they were to proceed to Bornou through Catsheenah. Under these circ.u.mstances, they were extremely desirous of travelling to the salt water by a shorter and safer route, and would therefore prefer going by Fundah, as the easiest and likeliest means of accomplis.h.i.+ng that end. But as they had heard that the road to that kingdom by land was infested with Fellatas, who live by plunder and violence, they should feel infinitely obliged to him (the king of Boossa,) if he could either sell or lend them a canoe to proceed thither by water, and if so, that they would remunerate him to the utmost of their ability."

They awaited the return of their messenger With considerable anxiety, and if an unfavourable answer were returned, they were resolved, instead of proceeding to Boossa, to push on to Guarie, and thence to Funda, as they originally intended, whatever might be the consequence.

After the usual lapse of time, the Boossa messenger returned, and to their unspeakable joy, informed them that the king had consented to procure for them a canoe, to proceed to Funda, provided the road by land could not be depended on. He, however, candidly stated his inability to protect their persons from insult and danger beyond his own territories, and that they must solicit the good will of the prince of Wowow, and the other rulers on the banks of the Niger, and further, that their own men alone must manage the canoe, because no one at Boossa would be willing, for various reasons, to accompany them on the journey. They were, therefore, in a fair way of accomplis.h.i.+ng the object of the expedition. The sultan of Yaoorie, however, put off their departure from day to day, and from week to week, under a variety of nonsensical excuses, and they were persuaded that it was his intention to detain them, until he had drained them of every thing that was valuable. On Monday the 26th of July, however, to their surprise and pleasure, a messenger from the king of Boossa arrived, to ascertain the reason of such unwarrantable conduct on the part of the sultan, and to request their immediate release. One of the inducements urged by this monarch for their longer stay with him, was rather whimsical. He had made them a present of a quant.i.ty of worthless feathers, which he had caused to be plucked from the body of a live ostrich, and because he entertained an opinion that if others were added to them, they would altogether form a very acceptable present to the king of England, he informed them that it would be necessary they should wait till such time as the ostrich should regain its plumage, in order for that part of its body, which had not been previously plucked, to undergo a similar operation, for the weather, he a.s.serted, was much too cold for the bird to lose all its feathers at one and the same time, and further to encourage their growth, he would order that two thousand kowries worth of b.u.t.ter, (about twelve pounds weight,) should be diligently rubbed into the skin of the animal. This was, however, an arch trick on the part of the sultan, for he was indebted to the Landers in a considerable sum for some b.u.t.tons, which he had purchased of them, and this b.u.t.ter affair was intended as a kind of set-off, as the sultan said he did not approve of paying for the b.u.t.ter out of his own pocket. On the 1st August, the sultan sent a messenger to inform them that they were at liberty to pay their respects, and take their farewell of him previously to their departure from the city, which they were a.s.sured should take place on the following day, without any further procrastination or delay. They were glad to obey the summons, for such they considered it, and on their arrival at his residence, they were introduced into a large, gloomy, uncomfortable apartment; a number of swallows' nests were attached to the ceiling of the room, and their twittering owners, which were flying about in all directions, fed their young without interruption, and added not a little to the filthiness of the unswept and unclean apartment. The conversation during the interview was as uninteresting and spiritless, as their conversations with other native rulers had always been. The sultan, however, could not pay his debt, but by way of another set-off he offered them a female slave, which was just as much use to them as the ostrich feathers, however, the sultan was resolved to pay them in that species of coin, and therefore they took the lady, and old Pascoe immediately adopted her as his wife.

On Monday the 2nd, all was hurry, bustle, and confusion, in getting their things ready for their departure, and after the beasts had been laden, and the people had their burdens on their head, they had to wait for the sultan's long expected letter to the king of England. A mallam was at length perceived hurrying towards them with it, and after him came the venerable Arab chief, to honour them with his company a little way on their journey. This crafty old man was not their friend, for he had used them deceitfully, and misrepresented them and their goods to his master, and they enjoyed an innocent kind of revenge, in administering to him, after repeated applications, a powerful dose of medicine, which though harmless in its effects, had yet been very troublesome to him. Indeed it was not till they had "jalaped" the sultan, his sister, and all the royal family, that they were permitted to take their farewell of Yaoorie.

The following is the letter of the sultan of Yaoorie, as it was translated into English by A. O. Salame:

"Praise be to G.o.d, and blessings and salutations be unto that (prophet), since whom there has been no other prophet.

"To our friend in G.o.d, and his apostle (Mahommed), the prince of the English Christians; salutation and mercy, and blessings of G.o.d, be unto you, from your friend, the sultan of Yaouri, whose name is Mahommed Ebsheer. Perfect salutation be unto you, (and) may G.o.d cause your mornings and evenings to be most happy, with multiplied salutations (from us).

"After our salutation unto you (some) ostrich feathers will reach you, (as a present,) from the bounty and blessings of G.o.d (we have in our country), and we, together with you, thank G.o.d (for what he has bestowed). And salutation be unto your hired people, (your suite) and peace be unto our people, who praise G.o.d.

(Signed,) From the PRINCE OF YAOURI."

Of this letter, Mr. Salame says, that it is the worst of the African papers which he had seen, both as to its ungrammatical and unintelligible character. Indeed, his Yaourick majesty seemed to be sadly in need of words to make himself intelligible. It must be remarked, that the words between parentheses are not in the original, but supplied by the translator for the purpose of reducing the letter to some kind of meaning.

CHAPTER x.x.xVI.

Owing to the reputed badness of the path, that by which the Landers had entered Yaoorie, was rejected for a more northerly one, leading in almost a direct line to the river Cubbie. About mid-day they arrived at the walls of a pretty considerable town, called Guada, and halted near a small creek of a river flowing from Cubbie, and entering the Niger a little lower down. Here, as soon as they had taken a slight refreshment, they sent their beasts across the Niger to proceed by land to Boossa, and embarked in two canoes, which were each paddled by four men. On entering the Niger, they found it running from two to three miles an hour, and they proceeded down the river till the sun had set; and the moon was s.h.i.+ning beautifully on the water, as they drew near to a small c.u.mbrie village on the borders of the river, where they landed and pitched their tent. The inhabitants of many of the numerous walled towns and open villages on the banks of the Niger, and also of the islands, were found to be for the most part c.u.mbrie people, a poor, despised, and abused, but industrious and hard-working race. Inheriting from their ancestors a peaceful, timid, pa.s.sionless, incurious disposition, they fall an easy prey to all who choose to molest them; they bow their necks to the yoke of slavery without a murmur, and think it a matter of course; and perhaps no people in the world are to be found who are less susceptible of intense feeling, and the finer emotions of the human mind, on being stolen away from their favourite amus.e.m.e.nts and pursuits, and from the bosom of their wives and families, than these c.u.mbrie people, who are held in general disesteem. Thousands of them reside in the kingdom of Yaoorie, and its province of Engarski, and most of the slaves in the capital have been taken from them.

As they proceeded down the Niger by a different channel from that by which they had ascended it to Yaoorie, they had fresh opportunities of remarking the more striking features on its banks. The river, as might naturally be expected, was much swollen, and its current more impetuous, than when they pa.s.sed upon their voyage to Yaoorie. In the earlier part of the evening they landed at a small c.u.mbrie village, and their canoes were pulled upon a sandy beach for the night in security.

At seven o'clock on the following morning, they were once more upon the Niger, and about noon they observed a herd of Fellata cows grazing on the banks of the river, and a very short distance from them, they saw an immense crocodile floating on the surface like a long canoe, for which it was at first mistaken, and watching an opportunity to seize one of the cows, and destroy it by dragging it into the river. As soon as the terrific reptile was perceived by the canoemen, they paddled as softly as possible towards him, intending to wait at a short distance till the crocodile should have accomplished his object, when they agreed to pull rapidly towards the sh.o.r.e, and reap the fruit of the reptile's amazing strength, by scaring him off from his prey, or destroying him with harpoons, for the skin of the crocodile is not in this country considered impenetrable. Their intentions were, however, frustrated by the sudden disappearance of the crocodile, which dived the moment he perceived the canoe so near him, making a loud plas.h.i.+ng noise, and agitating the water in a remarkable manner in his descent. They waited some time, in hopes he would rise again, but they were not again gratified with the sight of the monster.

A short time afterwards, they landed at Warree, which is the most celebrated market town in the dependency of Engarski, and consists, of several cl.u.s.ters of huts, encircled by a dwarf clay wall. The market was attended by many thousands of people from different parts of the country. Vast numbers of canoes, filled with people and goods, were pa.s.sing from one side of the Niger to the other, and the countenances of both buyers and sellers betrayed a very anxious and business-like expression. As soon as the curiosity of the Landers was fully satisfied, they crossed over to the Boossa side of the river, and landed at a small walled town called Garnica.s.sa, which was inhabited by the c.u.mbrie people, and situated about five miles north of Boossa. At no great distance from this place, and within sight of it, all the branches of the Niger meet, and form a beautiful and magnificent sheet of water, at least seven or eight miles in breadth, and it excited the surprise of the Landers, to know what became of so extraordinary a body of water, for at Boossa, the river is no more than a stone's throw across, and its depth is in proportion to its narrowness, but about an hour's walk from thence, it again becomes a n.o.ble river, and maintains its width, it was reported, even to Funda.

This singular fact favours the opinion, that a large portion of the waters of the Niger is conveyed by subterraneous pa.s.sages from the town of Garnica.s.sa to a few miles below Boossa.

The travellers pursued their journey along the banks of the Niger, although the path was filled with water, and broken up by the force of the rains. After an hour's ride they drew near to the walls of Boossa, and soon arrived at the drummer's house, which had been their former residence. Here they found the midiki on her knees to receive and welcome them back again to Boossa in the name of the king, but they were not permitted to enter and take possession of their old apartments, for the queen conducted them to other huts, which formed part of the cl.u.s.ter inhabited by the Fellatas. In the evening they were visited by the king, who said, he had been apprehensive that they required a little repose and quietness after their journey, and therefore he did not like to intrude on them before. They were not long domiciliated in their new dwelling, before they were informed that the drummer's wife had excited the envy of the queen, by wearing round her neck a smart gilt b.u.t.ton, which had been given to her, and that was the only reason why they were not allowed to occupy their former lodgings in her house. Yet to be even with her _fair_ rival, the queen had extracted from her little sheep-skin box, wherein they had been confined for a quarter of a century, a small number of round and flat golden ornaments, with which she adorned her sable bosom, and thereby totally eclipsed the transitory splendour of the b.u.t.ton belonging to the drummer's wife.

In a conversation with the king, he intimated to them that it would be necessary for them to visit Wowow, previously to their going to Funda, because the prince of that state had already made war on Kiama on their account, and captured a few of the people. The king, himself, repeated to them the promise which he had made to their messenger, that he would furnish them with a canoe sufficiently large to contain the whole of their people and themselves; but still some doubts arose in their minds, and should a canoe be denied them, after all that the monarch had said, it was their determination to take a canoe of their own accord, and steal away from Boossa by night. The king expressed his fears that the personal safety of the travellers would be endangered by the Fellatas, who resided on each side of the river; but Pascoe answered his majesty by telling him, that the English were the G.o.ds of the waters, and no evil could befal them in boats, even though all Africa, or the whole world should fight against them. "I will, however," said the king, in reply, "go down and ask the _Becken ronah_ (dark or black water, which the Niger is every where emphatically styled) whether it will be prudent and safe for the white men to embark on it or not, and I will be sure to acquaint you and them of my success, be it good or bad."

The following day the king intended to question the Niger, and the great hope of the Landers was, that the river would return a favourable answer.

The Landers were not ignorant that a present to an African king will generally effect wonders, it will even make the Niger return a favourable answer to an inquiry which, but for the present, would have been adverse. They therefore acted politically, and sent the king as a present, one of those beautiful silver medals which were cast during the American war, to which, was attached a large and valuable chain of the same metal; a.s.suring the sable king at the same time, that he might now consider himself as the king of England's most particular friend, and that he could not make a more suitable return, than by a.s.sisting them them in their plan of journeying to the salt water by way of the Niger.

The present had the desired effect, for on the following day the king came to them with great joy, and informed them that he had been down to the Niger with his mallam, and that the result of his visit was highly favourable to their wishes as well as to his own, the river having promised to conduct them in safety its termination.

The Landers during their stay at Boossa, had to depend in great measure upon their own resources for their maintenance, their chief food consisting of guinea fowls and partridges, for their stock of articles, wherewith they could barter for provisions, was nearly exhausted. The market was already overstocked with b.u.t.tons, needles were unsaleable; all their bits of coloured cloth were disposed of, and indeed almost every thing that _would_ sell, reserving to themselves a few articles of some value as presents to the different chiefs along the banks of the Niger. Amongst other trifles disposed of, were several tin cases, which contained worthless and unpalatable portable soups, &c. These were labelled with slips of tin, which though rather dull and dirty, nevertheless attracted the admiration of many, and they were highly diverted to see one man in particular walking at large, and strutting about with "concentrated gravy,"

stuck on his head in no less than four places. He appeared quite proud of these ornaments, and was simpering with pleasure wherever he went.

The travellers left Boossa on the 11th August, and directed their course for Wowow, and having travelled a few miles, they crossed in a canoe a branch of the Niger, forming a pretty little river, and running nearly west, and is said to encompa.s.s the whole of Wowow.

After a journey of about twelve miles, they entered the city of Wowow through the western entrance, and by desire, they galloped swiftly towards the king's residence, and fired off a couple of pistols as a signal of their arrival. The customs of this monarch were the most singular that had been yet observed in Africa. He came out to welcome the travellers, but it was contrary to etiquette for him to speak, or to enter into any kind of conversation, nor is any foreigner permitted to speak, whatever might be his rank, unless in presence of the representative of the chief from whom he last came. In the wall on each side of the entrance of the town was a large niche, in one of which the king stood fixed and motionless, with his hands clasped under his tobe, and supported on his bosom; and round a pole, which had been placed erect in the other niche, a naked youth had entwined his legs, remaining in breathless anxiety to be a spectator of the approaching interview.

While the king remained in the above position, without moving a single muscle, and which lasted till the Boossa messenger made his appearance, a singing woman drew near the person of her sovereign, and began to exercise her vocation in a tone of voice that displayed any thing but sweetness or melody, and so loud and shrill as to frighten away the birds from the trees near the spot.

The Boossa messenger, who had been so anxiously expected, at length arrived, and the spell, which had bound every one to the spot was dissolved in a moment; they were then conducted to the king, and formally introduced to him, but the grave eccentric old man shook hands with them, without taking them from the tobe in which they had been enveloped, or even condescending to look in their faces, for he never made it a practice to raise his head above a certain height, fearing that he should discover the person to whom he might be conversing gazing full in his countenance, to which he had a very strange, but unconquerable antipathy; the interview lasted but a moment, and they were hastily conducted to the house which was occupied by the late Captain Clapperton.

On the following morning, Richard Lander carried the presents to the king. The monarch appeared well pleased and cheerful, and expressed himself perfectly satisfied, though in a few minutes afterwards he despatched a messenger to inquire if they had not brought any coral beads with them from England. In compliance with the request which Richard Lander made to him, the king informed him, that he would sell them a canoe with the greatest pleasure. He was convinced, he said, that they would return in safety to their country by way of the Niger, which did not contain a single rock from Inguazhilligee to Funda.

It was the earnest, and oft repeated desire of the chief of Wowow, while they resided in the town, that they should return from Boossa, and spend the approaching holidays with him, to which they thought proper to accede, indeed the old man had behaved so well to them, that they did not like to make an ungrateful return. But his sister, the midiki, was jealous of her brother, because they had given him so good a character, and she said, she was apprehensive he might obtain from them more than she was willing he should have, and, therefore, she not only set her husband's mind against the measure, but she slandered and defamed his character most shamefully. This despicable vice of slander is universal in Africa, the people all speak ill of each other, from the monarch to the slave. They now found that they should be compelled to remain in Boossa, till the period arrived for their final departure from the country.

The expected messenger arrived from Wowow, with full power to treat with the midiki for the purchase of the canoe, and although the Landers were the parties most concerned in the business, they were not allowed to say anything about it. The bargain was, however, soon concluded; they were to give both their horses for the canoe, and if the king of Wowow should fancy the animals to be more than equivalent to the value of the boat, he promised to send them the balance in money (kowries). This was infinitely better than they could have managed the business themselves, indeed they could not have contrived matters half so well, for they had previously made a present of the youngest of the horses to the king of Boossa, but most likely, owing to Pascoe's misrepresentation, or rather his misinterpretation, the monarch was not made sensible of the circ.u.mstance. The canoe was to be sent to them in a day or two, when they determined to prepare her for the water without delay.

On Wednesday, August 25th, they despatched one of their men, named Ibrahim, to Coulfo, with their a.s.s and a number of needles to sell.

The king also sent a messenger with him, who was commissioned to visit all the towns and villages on the Nouffie side of the river, as far as the Fellata town of Rabba, and to request their chiefs and governors, in the name of the king of Boossa, to suffer them to pa.s.s down the river without injury or molestation.

The following is a singular trait in the African character. Not having any good salt, they sent Pascoe's wife to the king to request the favour of a little unadulterated salt, because there were such a great quant.i.ty of ashes, and other spurious ingredients, mixed up with that which is publicly sold in the markets, that they never could eat it with pleasure. Both the king and queen embraced the opportunity of admiring the shape and beauty of the salt box, and spoke in rapturous terms of the l.u.s.tre of its appearance, and the ingenuity of its contrivance. "Allah! how wonderful," said they, "even the most trifling articles belonging to the white men, are fit for the use of the mightiest kings. Alas! Allah has given them all the glory and riches of the world, and its knowledge, and left none whatever for black men."

The king was affected! He thrust the vessel into the pocket of his tobe, smoothed it down with his hand, looked melancholy, and said, "How nicely it fits! what a beautiful thing! how convenient it would be in travelling." He then took it out again, turned it round and round, opened and shut it repeatedly, and then bestowing on it a last commendation, as outrageously as any of the former, it was returned filled with genuine salt. Who could not understand the meaning of all this? Now this handsome salt cellar was of latten, and was formerly a common round tinder box, and because they had nothing better for the purpose, they deprived it of the candlestick on its cover a short time before, and converted it to its present use. The tin, moreover, had been burnt off from many parts of it, and Pascoe's wife not being an admirer of cleanliness, it had lost much of its original brightness. The king's encomiums were nothing more than an indirect and ingenious solicitation of the article for his own use; which was further apparent by desiring the woman to relate to the Landers, no part of the conversation that had pa.s.sed between them: or in other words, that she should tell them every syllable. They could not help admiring the delicacy of the king, and sent back the tinder box to him immediately. The bearer was rewarded handsomely for his trouble, and they received as many thanks, as when he accepted the silver medal and chain which they had presented to him.

It is by such means as this, that the chiefs and rulers of this country, ashamed of making a direct application for any thing in the possession of the travellers, to which they may have taken a fancy, endeavour to obtain it. If, however, the hint does not succeed in making a visible impression, less delicate measures are presently resorted to, and when every other expedient fails, they cast aside the reserve and bashfulness which had influenced them at first, and express their meaning in language which cannot be misunderstood. In this respect, the chiefs and governors are all alike, from Badagry to the metropolis of Yaoorie.

On the 31st, a messenger with a canoe arrived from the king of Wowow, but it was so very small, that it was wholly inadequate for their purpose. This was a most provoking circ.u.mstance, because a larger canoe was to be procured, which could not be done without a considerable loss of time. In fact, between the chief of Wowow and his sister, the midiki, the travellers were completely taken in. The horses given in exchange to the prince of Wowow for this sorry canoe, were large, handsome, and superior animals, worth in England at least sixty pounds, and the article they got in exchange for them was not worth so many pence. They heard that boats of a considerable size were kept at a small town on the banks of the Niger called Lever, and thither they resolved to proceed as soon as the Boossa messenger should have returned from Rabba, and get a canoe prepared with as much expedition as possible.