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
Officious Slaves Having Spread Mats For The Purpose, Directly In
Front Of Their Recess, Their Lady Visitor And Her
Associates,
together with their ill-natured host, who had by this time joined the
party, squatted themselves down in a
Circle, and under the
inspiration of the fermented juice, maintained a pretty animated
conversation, till the wine was all expended and sleep weighed their
eyelids down. For themselves they had little of any thing to say,
because the Landers were pretty nearly as ignorant of their language,
as they were of theirs, and interpretation is unfavourable to the
contagion of social felicity. Nevertheless, it was highly diverting
to watch the influence of the palm wine on their looks, language, and
ideas. The flushed countenance is invisible in a black lady, but then
she has the liquid and unsettled eye, the proneness to talk with
irresistible garrulity, the gentle simper, or the bursting laugh at
any trifle, or at nothing at all; and to wind up the list of
symptoms, she has that complaisant idea of her own good points, and
superior qualifications, which elicit her own approbation, without
exciting the applauses of her associates, and which distinguishes the
inexperienced male reveller in every part of the globe. All these
were observable in their talkative little friend, as well as in her
companions. It was also a relief to contemplate from their resting
place, the peace and harmony of the little party before them, so
entirely different from the boisterous one without; because it gave
them a comfortable sense of their own security, which they should not
certainly have entertained, had they been left to their own
reflections, and when, after a good deal of turning and restlessness
they at length fell into a disagreeable and unrefreshing dose, and
were attacked by that hideous phantom, nightmare, which was often the
case; starting up in fright from the assassin's knife, which they
could scarcely persuade themselves to be unreal; it was pleasant to
fix their eyes upon their comical little visitor, with her round
shining face, and her jolly companions; all apprehension of mischief
immediately vanished, and a truly pleasing effect was produced upon
their minds and spirits. The breaking up of the party on the outside,
was a signal for their friends also to depart. When rising from her
mat, the mistress, after shaking hands, wished them good night in a
thick tremulous tone, and waddled out of their yard in a direction,
which Hogarth denominates the line of beauty, she returned home to
her husband, who was a valetudinarian. Thus passed their evenings,
and thus much of their solitary Eboe friend.
CHAPTER XL.
In addition to the value of twenty slaves, which the king of Eboe
demanded from them, they now heard that King Boy required the value
of fifteen casks of palm oil, which is equal to fifteen slaves, for
himself, and as payment for the trouble he and his people will have
in conducting them to the English vessel. He said, that he must take
three canoes and one hundred and fifty people, and, therefore, it was
impossible that he could do with less. The chief then said, that if
they did not consent to give King Boy a book for all this money, he
should send them into the interior of the country to be sold, and
that they never should see the sea again. It was now seen that they
had no alternative, and they considered it most prudent to give him
the bill, not intending, however, on their arrival at the sea, to
give him more than twenty common trade guns, to pay this chief and
all other expenses. King Boy was to give Obie five pieces of cloth
and one gun as part payment; the remainder was to be paid on his
return, after having delivered them up to the brig. The Landers and
all their people were now in high spirits, at the prospect of leaving
this place and obtaining their freedom, for they had so much faith in
the character of the English, that they entertained not the slightest
doubt that the captain of the brig would most willingly pay the
ransom money.
Towards evening, Obie in his showy coral dress came barefooted to
their hut, for the purpose of inspecting their books and examining
the contents of their medicine chest. His approach was announced to
them by the jingling of the little bells which his feet. He appeared
greatly pleased with every thing they said, and looked aghast when
informed of the powerful properties of some of the medicines, which
ended in a fit of laughter. He expressed a strong desire to have a
little, especially of the purgatives, and there being no objection on
the part of the Landers, they supplied him with a good strong dose of
jalap, which had the same affect as it had had upon the sultan of
Yaoorie and family. Obie was evidently fearful of their books, having
been informed that could "tell all things," and appeared to shrink
with horror at which was offered him, shaking his head, saying, that
he must not accept it, for that it was good only for white men,
"Whose God was not his God." The visit was of very short duration,
On the following day, they found King Boy in the inner yard of the
king's house, and from his significant physiognomy, they conjectured
that he had something of consequence to communicate. Obie received
them with his accustomed politeness and jocularity, but instantly
directed his attention and discourse to King Boy, who maintained an
earnest and pretty animated conversation with him for some time. The
Bonny people were in attendance and weeping. As the Landers were
frequently pointed out and named, they had no doubt whatever that it
was chiefly concerning themselves, which opinion was soon after
confirmed. As if the parties had some secret to discuss, which they
did not wish either their attendants or those of the Landers to
overhear, they retired to the middle court, where having conversed
for a time by themselves, they returned with anxious looks to resume
their conversation.
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