The Appearance At
This Season, And At The Spot Where I Saw It, Was Very Beautiful; All The
Acacia Trees Were In Blossom, Some With White Flowers, Others With
Yellow, Forming A Contrast With The Small Dusky Leaves, Like Gold And
Silver Tassels On A Cloak Of Dark Green Velvet.
I observed some fine
large fish leaping in the lake.
Some of the troops were bathing, others
watering their horses, bullocks, camels and asses: the lake was as smooth
as glass, and flowing around the roots of the trees. The sun, on its
approach to the horizon, throws the shadows of the flowery acacias along
its surface, like sheets of burnished gold and silver. The smoking fires
on its banks, the sounding of horns, the beating of their gongs or drums,
the braying of their brass and tin trumpets, the rude hut of grass and
branches of trees rising as if by magic, everywhere the cries of Mohamed,
Abdo, Mustafa, &c. with the neighing of horses, and the braying of asses,
gave animation to the beautiful scenery of the lake, and its sloping
green and woody banks."
The army, amounting to 50,000 men, under the sultan's command, surrounded
the walls of Coonia. The account which Clapperton gives of the action
which then took place is curious, "After the midday prayers, all except
the eunuchs, camel drivers, and such other servants as were of use only
to prevent theft, whether mounted or on foot, marched towards the object
of attack, and soon arrived before the walls of the city.
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