Here Park Ascended A Hill, Which Commanded A Wide Prospect Of
The Course Of The Gambia, Distinguished By A Range Of Dark Green Trees,
Which Fringed Its Banks.
At this place the first disaster of the
expedition occurred.
John Walters, one of the soldiers, fell down in an
epileptic fit, and soon after died. They lay down to rest, apprehensive
of an attack from the natives, each man sleeping with his loaded musket
under his head.
For some days they travelled on a line with the banks of the river; they
then crossed the river Nerico, and on the 20th May, came to Bady, in the
territory of Tenda. The chief of that place behaved with great audacity
and violence; and some of his people having carried off the guide's
horse, and Isaaco demanding it in person, he was seized, flogged, and
detained as a prisoner. His disconsolate wife and child sat, in tears,
under a tree. It would, indeed, have been an easy matter for Park and his
companions to have set fire to the town in resentment for this ill usage,
but this would have brought destruction on the innocent, and might not
have produced the desired effect of the restoration of Isaaco. But they
determined next morning, should other means prove ineffectual, to employ
force. Early in the morning, however, Isaaco was sent back by the chief,
with the lame apology that he had no desire to quarrel with Park, and
merely wished the customary tribute to be paid him.
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