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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The Drummer Therefore Recommended Them To
Persevere In Their Inquiries, For He Had No Doubt That Something To
Their Satisfaction Would Be Elicited.
At his own request, they sent
him to the king immediately, desiring him to repeat their former
statement, and to assure the king, that should he be successful in
recovering the book they wanted, their monarch would reward him
handsomely.
The king desired the drummer to inform them, that he
would use every exertion, and examine the man, who was reported to
have the white man's book in his possession.
On the following day, the king came to see them, followed by a man
with a book under his arm, which was said to have been picked up in
the Niger after the loss of their countrymen. It was enveloped in a
large cotton cloth, and their hearts beat high with expectation, as
the man was slowly unfolding it, for by its size they guessed it to
be Mr. Park's journal, but their disappointment and chagrin were
great, when on opening the book, they discovered it to be an old
nautical publication of the last century. The title page was missing,
but its contents were chiefly tables of logarithms. It was a thick
royal quarto, which led them to conjecture that it was a journal.
Between the leaves they found a few loose papers of very little
consequence indeed; one of them contained two or three observations
on the height of the water in the Gambia; one was a tailor's bill on
a Mr. Anderson, and another was addressed to Mr. Mungo Park, and
contained an invitation to dine. The following is a copy of it:
"Mr. and Mrs. Watson would be happy to have the pleasure of Mr.
Park's company at dinner on Tuesday next, at half past five o'clock.
An answer is requested.
Strand, 9th Nov. 1804."
The king, as well as the owner of the book, looked as greatly
mortified as they themselves did, when they were told that the one
produced, was not that of which they were in quest, because the
reward promised would not of course be obtained. As soon as their
curiosity had been fully satisfied, the papers were carefully
collected and placed again between the leaves, and the book as
carefully folded in its envelope as before, and taken away by its
owner, who valued it as much as a household god. Thus all their hopes
of obtaining Mr. Park's journal or papers in the city of Boossa were
entirely defeated.
At an early hour of Wednesday June 23rd, the king and queen paid the
travellers a farewell visit, when the former particularly cautioned
them against poison. They then expressed their acknowledgements to
both the royal personages for all their favours and an hour or two
after they had taken their departure, the Landers rode out of the
city, accompanied by two horsemen as an escort, and a foot messenger
to the sultan of Yaoorie. They journied along the banks of the Niger
at an easy pace, and two hours afterwards entered a pleasant little
walled town called where they were desired to halt until the
following day the governor of Kagogie had been made acquainted with
their intention, no less than three days before their arrival, yet no
canoe had been got ready for their use, and when they expected to
embark, "the king of the canoe," as the person who has the care of
it, is ridiculously styled, informed them with the utmost unconcern,
that it was out of repair, and that it would not be fit for their
reception for some hours at least. In the course of the afternoon
they repaired to the side of the river, for the purpose of
endeavouring to encourage and hurry the workmen in their labour about
the canoe. Promises and threats were employed to effect this object,
but the men would neither be coaxed nor intimidated - they would not
overwork themselves, they said, for all the riches in their
possession, so that they were obliged to leave them and exercise
their patience. The branch of the Niger which flows by Kagogie, is
about a mile in width, but it is rendered so shallow by large sand
banks, that except in one very narrow place, a child might wade
across it without difficulty.
About mid-day the workmen having finished the canoe, the luggage was
presently put into it, and between twelve and one they embarked with
their people, and were launched out into the river. The direction of
this branch was nearly east and west, and they proceeded some
distance down the stream for the purpose of getting into the main
branch of the Niger, where there was deeper water.
Having encountered a dreadful storm, which threatened to swamp the
canoe, and which obliged them ultimately to take refuge on land, for
the purpose of sheltering themselves from the violence of the
tornado, they came to a place, where, a short distance from the
water's edge, the country was thickly studded with clusters of huts,
which altogether are called the village of Sooloo. They took up their
quarters in a large hut, which was nearest the landing place. They
were treated with much hospitality by the natives, who did all in
their power to render their short stay as agreeable as possible. The
old chief of the village accompanied them to the water's edge, when
they quitted their hut for the purpose of embarking, and enjoined
"the king of the canoe," to be particularly careful of his charge.
"Careful," answered the man, "to be sure I will, do I not know that
white men are more precious than a boat load of eggs, and require as
much care to be taken of them." The Landers entreated the same man a
short time afterwards, to be more active and diligent in the
management of his canoe, for he was rather inclined to be lazy, and
suffered every canoe to go before their own, but he replied gravely,
"Kings do not travel so fast as common men, I must convey you along as
slowly as possible."
About eleven a.m. on the following day, they landed at the foot of a
small village, on the east bank of the river, where the horses and
men had arrived before them.
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