"The
Inhabitants," Says Park, "Have Plenty Of Water, And Grass At All Seasons;
They Have Cattle Enough For Their Own
Use, and their superfluous grain
purchases all their little luxuries; and while the thunder rolls in awful
grandeur over their
Heads, they can look from their tremendous precipices
over all that wild and woody plain, which extends from the Faleme to the
Black River." This plain was about forty miles in extent; the lions
abounded in the plain, but none were seen among the hills. On the 18th
they had great difficulty in getting the sick forward, though all the
spare horses and asses were reserved for their use. The ass which bore
the telescope and several other articles of consequence was missing; but
was brought on the following day by one of the natives who had caught it.
Park now began to be "very uneasy about their situation;" half of the
party were on the sick list, among whom were Messrs. Anderson and Scott,
and he himself was by no means well. They rested for one day at Fankia.
On the 15th their road lay along a steep and rocky pass in the mountains
of Tambaura. During this toilsome march they were in a state of dreadful
confusion. There were few drivers for the asses, which were overburdened
with the sick and baggage. The natives, seeing their weak state, followed
them, seizing every opportunity for pillage. At Serimanna, two of the men
were left behind. At Gambia, the natives having heard that the white men
were sickly, rose up in arms, and attempted to plunder the caravan.
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