After They Had Left Egga, The Banks Of The River Assumed A Pleasing
Appearance, And Were Adorned With Numerous Villages.
The Landers observed
a number of canoes, built in the same manner as those of the Bonny and
Calabar rivers, which confirmed them in the opinion that they were
approaching the sea.
The natives of one village, when they saw them,
sounded their war-cry, and flew to arms; but their hostility was speedily
exchanged for friendship, when the object of the travellers was
explained. Their next halting-place was Kacunda, which consists of four
large villages, at a considerable distance from each other. The river
here changes its direction to the N.N.E., which the main branch keeps
till it reaches the sea. About forty miles below Kacunda, its volume is
increased by the influx of the Tshadda; at the place of the junction the
river is about three or four miles in breadth, and the Landers saw
numerous canoes floating upon it. They passed a large city, but neither
landed, nor held any communication with the inhabitants; they were
afterwards told that it was called Cuttumcurafee, and was a place of
considerable traffic.
Some days afterwards the apprehension of a storm induced them to land,
and to erect an awning of mats under the shade of a palm-tree. No
habitation was seen, but the place had evidently been resorted to by a
great number of people. Three of the men, however, who had gone in search
of firewood, suddenly came upon a village, but saw only some women, who
fled in terror from the strangers, and alarmed their male relatives, who
were at work in the fields.
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