Travels Of Richard And John Lander Into The Interior Of Africa For The Discovery Of The Course And Termination Of The Niger By Robert Huish
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They Were Carried Over On
Men's Shoulders Without Much Difficulty, But The Horses Were A Long
Time In Getting Across.
Hence the path winded up a high and steep
hill, which they ascended, and entered the town of Afoora about
mid-day.
The governor gave them a hearty welcome, and said it made
him so extremely happy to see them, which was also expressed by the
joy and animation of his countenance. The best hut in the town, which
was the most airy and commodious of any they had seen, was presently
got ready for them, and shortly after they had taken possession of
it, they received a quantity of excellent provisions from the chief.
This was the first day of his government; his father, the late chief,
had been dead some time, but from motives of delicacy he refused to
take upon himself his authority until this morning. In honour of the
event, a large company of women were dancing, rejoicing, and making
merry all the evening, outside their hut. It appeared as rather a
strange circumstance to Richard Lander, that the chief or governor of
almost every town through which they had passed since leaving
Badagry, who was alive and well on his return to the coast three
years ago, had been either slain in war or had died from natural
causes. Scarcely one of them was alive on his present expedition.
On April 19th, an easy pleasant ride of three hours brought them to
the first walled town they had seen, which was called Assinara. The
wall was of clay and so diminutive, that a person might easily jump
over it; a dry ditch about eighteen inches deep, and three or four
feet in width also surrounds the town. Over this a single plank is
thrown, which answers the purpose of a draw-bridge, and is the only
means the inhabitants have of getting in and out of the place.
Assinara had also lately lost its chief in some battle, and all
business was transacted by a benevolent elderly man, who volunteered
his services till a successor should be appointed. From him the
Landers received the warmest reception, and the most hospitable
treatment.
The climate now began to have a most debilitating effect upon John
Lander, and from a state of robust health and vigour, he was now
reduced to so great a degree of lassitude and weakness, that he could
scarcely stand a minute at a time. Every former pleasure seemed to
have lost its charm with him. He was on this day attacked with fever,
and his condition would have been hopeless indeed, had his brother
not been near to relieve him. He complained of excessive thirst. Ten
grains of calomel were administered to him, and afterwards a strong
dose of salts. On the following day, April 20th, he was much better
and free from fever, but too weak to travel, their stay, therefore,
at Assinara was unavoidably protracted.
The acting governor visited them with a very long face, and entreated
the Landers to discover a certain wizard, whom he imagined to be
concealed somewhere in the town. By the influence of this sorcerer, a
number of people, it was said, pined away and died, and women with
child were more especially the object of his malevolence. These
victims dropped down suddenly, without the slightest warning, and the
deaths had lately been so numerous, that the old man himself was
grievously alarmed, and begged a charm to preserve him and his
family.
On the 23rd, John Lander finding himself considerably invigorated and
refreshed by a day's rest at Assinara, and sufficiently recovered to
pursue their journey, all hands were in readiness to start at an
early hour. The morning was cool and pleasant, and they travelled
onwards in excellent spirits. Without meeting any thing particular in
the path, or perceiving any object sufficiently interesting or novel
to demand attention, they entered the town of Accadoo in the
forenoon, having had an agreeable ride of a few hours duration only.
At this time John Lander seemed to be free from any kind of complaint
whatever, and enjoyed an unusual cheerfulness and buoyancy of
spirits, which led his brother to form the most flattering
anticipations. In the course of a few minutes, however, his body was
overspread with a burning heat, and he suffered under another attack
of fever, more violent than any of the former. He resorted to the
most powerful remedies, he could think of at the time. His brother
bled him, and applied a strong blister to the region of the stomach,
where the disorder seemed to be seated. It was swollen and oppressed
with pain, and he felt as if some huge substance lay upon his chest.
His mouth being dry and clogged, and his thirst burning and
unquenchable, he drank so much water that his body was greatly
swollen. Towards evening, his ideas became confused and he grew
delirious. He afterwards described to his brother the horrible
phantoms that disturbed him whilst in this state, and the delicious
emotion that ran through his whole frame, when the dreadful vision
had passed away. Tears gushed from his eyes, a profuse perspiration,
which had been so long checked, gave him immediate relief, and from
that moment his health began to improve.
During this illness of John Lander, the natives made a most hideous
noise by singing and drumming on the celebration of their fetish.
Richard went out with the hope of inducing them to be quiet, but they
only laughed at him, and annoyed them the more; having no compassion
whatever for the sufferings of a white man, and if they can mortify
him by any means, they consider it a praiseworthy deed. This day at
noon, the sun stood at 99 degrees of Fahrenheit.
Early on Saturday the 24th, a hammock was prepared for John Lander,
he being too weak to ride on horseback; and shortly wards they
quitted the town of Accadoo, in much better spirits, than
circumstances had led them to expect.
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