This Worthy Person Had Undertaken A
Six Days Journey To Bambakoo, On Hearing That A Person Named Park, Who
Spoke The Mandingo Language, Was Leading A Party Of White Men Through The
Country; And He Brought With Him Three Slaves To Aid Them In Getting
Forward.
But not finding Park there, he had proceeded other two days
journey to meet him.
"He instantly recognised me," says Park, "and you
may judge of the pleasure I felt on seeing my old benefactor."
Mr. Scott had died of fever at Koomikoomi, and Mr. Anderson was only
brought on by being carried in a litter by negroes, whom Park had hired
for that purpose. Disease had done its work fearfully among the little
band that had departed high in hope of tracing out the mysterious Niger;
and it seemed as if the few who had survived the toilsome and dangerous
journey would soon follow their comrades. There were to be other victims
yet.
After having travelled twenty miles along a miserable road, they arrived
at Touiba on the 18th. Rain fell during the whole night, and as the
soldiers went to the village for shelter, Park had to keep watch alone.
The district abounded in corn, which rendered the task very troublesome,
for there is a law in Africa, that if an ass break a single stem of corn,
the proprietor may seize the animal, and if the owner refuse to indemnify
him for the loss, he may retain the ass, and though he cannot be sold or
employed, he may be killed and eaten - the people of Bambarra reckoning
ass-flesh a delightful repast.
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