The Lions Are Here Very Numerous; The Gates Are Shut A
Little After Sunset, And Nobody Allowed To Go Out.
The thoughts of
seeing the Niger in the morning, and the troublesome buzzing of
mosquitoes, prevented me from shutting
My eyes during the night; and
I had saddled my horse, and was in readiness before daylight, but,
on account of the wild beasts, we were obliged to wait until the
people were stirring and the gates opened. This happened to be a
market day at Sego, and the roads were everywhere filled with people
carrying different articles to sell. We passed four large villages,
and at eight o'clock saw the smoke over Sego.
As we approached the town I was fortunate enough to overtake the
fugitive Kaartans, to whose kindness I had been so much indebted in
my journey through Bambarra. They readily agreed to introduce me to
the king; and we rode together through some marshy ground, where, as
I was anxiously looking around for the river, one of them called
out, Geo affili! ("See the water!") and, looking forwards, I saw
with infinite pleasure the great object of my mission - the long-
sought-for majestic Niger, glittering in the morning sun, as broad
as the Thames at Westminster, and flowing slowly to THE EASTWARD. I
hastened to the brink, and having drunk of the water, lifted up my
fervent thanks in prayer to the Great Ruler of all things for having
thus far crowned my endeavours with success.
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