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.
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