No Trees Defended Them From The Burning Sun,
And They Could Scarcely Proceed From Weakness.
They saw the sun set
behind some magnificent clouds, whilst they had yet a great way to go;
and the narrow foot-path, overgrown with bushes and rank grass, was
hardly discernible by the light of the moon.
In the afternoon, all had
been silent in the forest; but at night the jackal, the hyena, and the
baboon had forsaken their retreats, and mingled their dismal howl with
the chirping of innumerable insects.
They reached Boussa on the 17th June. The appearance of the Niger at this
place disappointed them much. "Black rugged rocks rose abruptly from the
centre of the stream, causing strong ripples and eddies on its surface."
At its widest part, the Niger here did not exceed a stone-cast in
breadth. They sat on the rock which overlooks the place where the
intrepid Park was murdered. The Landers recovered from one of the natives
a robe, of rich crimson damask, covered with gold embroidery, which the
natives said had belonged to Mr. Park. The king's drummer, with whom they
lodged, told them, that there was in the country a book which had also
belonged to the white man. A few days afterwards, the king came to the
house, followed by a man, who carried under his arm a book wrapped in a
large cotton cloth. "Our hearts beat high with expectation, as the man
was slowly unfolding it, for by its size we guessed it to be Mr. Park's
journal; but our disappointment was great, when, on opening the book, we
discovered it to be an old nautical publication of the last century." It
consisted chiefly of tables of logarithms, and between the leaves were a
few loose papers of very little consequence.
In a few days, a canoe was ready for their voyage up the Niger to
Yaoorie. The canoe was of great length, and constructed of two blocks of
wood sewn together with a thick cord, under which a quantity of straw was
placed, both inside and out, to prevent the admission of water. Still it
was leaky and insecure. The direction of that branch of the river which
flows past Boussa is nearly east and west, and they had to descend the
stream for some distance, in order to get into its main branch, where
there was deeper water. The river then flowed from north to south,
through a fertile country, and its channel was more than a mile in width.
The branches of spreading and majestic trees almost met the water's edge;
ripe grain waved upon the banks; large villages were frequently seen; and
herds of spotted cattle grazed beneath the shade. Canoes, laden with
sheep and goats, and propelled by women, frequently passed them; and
aquatic birds skimmed over the smooth and glassy surface.
During the following day, the river gradually widened to two miles, and
though in many places shallow, was in other parts deep enough to float a
frigate. By the afternoon, however, the beauty of the scene was entirely
gone; the banks were composed of black and rugged rocks, and the course
of the river was frequently intercepted by sand-banks and low islands. On
the following morning, the channel became so much obstructed, that, at
one part, they were obliged to land in order to lighten the canoe, which,
after much trouble, was lifted over a ridge into deeper water. Though
they often struck upon concealed rocks and sandbanks, yet the canoe, from
its peculiar structure, seemed to sustain little damage. At length,
however, these difficulties were surmounted, and they came to the
termination of all the islands, beyond which they were assured there was
no farther danger to navigators. At this point, the river "presented its
noblest appearance; not a single rock nor sand-bank was perceptible; its
borders resumed their beauty, and a strong refreshing breeze, which had
blown during the whole of the morning, now gave it the motion of a
slightly agitated sea." They landed at a village about eight miles
distant from Yaoorie, where they found their horses and attendants
waiting for them. Here one of the Landers obtained from an Arab a gun
which had belonged to Mr. Park, in exchange for his own.
The walls of Yaoorie are between thirty and forty miles in circuit; but
this space encloses clusters of huts, with pasture grounds and corn
fields. The land is fertile, and produces excellent crops of rice. Yet it
must be very unhealthy, for it is in many places swampy, and exposed to
inundation. The sultan's residence is substantially built, and two
stories in height; most of the other houses are built in a circular form.
The place has rather a pleasing appearance, being adorned by many clumps
of trees. The soil is cultivated by a peaceable, industrious, half
servile tribe, called the Cumbrie, who are often subjected to much
oppression.
On the 1st August, they paid a farewell visit to the sultan before
proceeding on their return to Boussa. They were ushered into a large,
gloomy, and uncomfortable apartment, through which naked girls and boys
were constantly passing, carrying dirty calibashes in their hands, and
swallows flew about the room in all directions. The sultan sat upon a
platform covered with faded damask, and smoked a pipe of huge dimensions.
Next day they departed, travelling in a direct line towards the river
Cubbie. They embarked in two canoes, each about twenty feet long, and
constructed of a single log. After they had sailed for about four miles,
the Cubbie fell into the Niger. They took a different channel from that
by which they had before ascended, and reached Boussa on the 5th. They
now determined to proceed to Wowow, to purchase a canoe better fitted for
navigating the Niger. They arrived at Wowow on the 12th, and had a
favourable interview with the old chief. They then returned to Boussa to
complete their preparations, but the arrival of the vessel was delayed,
under various pretexts, until past the middle of September.
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