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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This Was Repeated Twice, After Which, As It Was
Subsequently Understood, Obie Briefly Related In A Loud Voice The
Result Of This Extraordinary Conference, And All Present, Except The
Men Of Bonny, Shouted Simultaneously The Monosyllable "Yah," As A
Token Of Their Approbation.
In the mean time, from anxiety to be made acquainted with what had
transpired respecting themselves, they felt rather impatient and
uneasy, the answer of King Boy to their repeated interrogations
having been only "Plenty of bars," the meaning whereof they were
grievously puzzled to define.
But shortly after the termination of
the palaver, how transported were they to hear the last mentioned
individual explain himself in broken English to this effect: "In the
conversation, which I have just had with Obie, I have been induced to
offer him the goods, which he demands for your ransom, on the faith
that they be hereafter repaid me by the master of the brig Thomas,
which is now lying in the first Brass, River, and that the value of
fifteen bars or slaves be added thereto in European goods, and
likewise a cask of rum, as a remuneration for the hazard and trouble
which I shall inevitably incur in transporting you to Brass. If you
consent to these resolutions, and on these only will I consent to
redeem you, you will forthwith give me a bill on Captain Lake, for
the receipt of articles to the value of thirty-five bars, after which
you will be at liberty to leave this place, and to go along with me,
whenever you may think proper, agreeably to the understanding at
present existing between Obie and myself."
This was delightful news indeed, and they thanked King Boy over and
over again for his generosity and nobleness, for they were too much
elated at the time to reflect on the exorbitant demands which had
been imposed upon them. Without hesitation they gave him a bill on
Mr. Lake; indeed there was not anything which they would not have
done, rather than lose the opportunity of getting down to the sea,
which seemed so providentially held out to them.
Obie perceived by the great and sudden change in their countenances,
the joy which filled their breasts, and having asked them whether
they were not pleased with his arrangements, in the fullness of their
hearts, he exacted from them a promise, that on returning to England,
they would inform their countrymen that he was a good man, and that
they would pay him a visit whenever they should come again into the
country.
When King Boy came for his book, it was given to him, and he wished
to send it down to the brig, to know if it was good. This was no more
than what was to be expected, so he was informed, the book would be
of no use, unless they were sent along with it, and that the captain
would not pay it, before he had taken them on board, on which he put
the bill into his pocket-book. They then bade him farewell, and he
took leave of them in a kind and cordial manner.
Fearing that something might yet occur to detain them, and ultimately
to change the king's resolution altogether, they were most eager to
get out of the reach of him and his people as quickly as possible.
Therefore they lost not a moment in hastening to their lodgings, and
having sent their people on board Boy's canoe, they hurried after
them immediately, and embarked at three in the afternoon, and thus
terminated four of the most wretched days of their existence. They
were unable to take along with them their own old leaky and shattered
canoe, as it would detain them very much, from being so heavy to move
along. The Damaggoo people accompanied them in their own canoe, and
every thing was arranged for their departure at an early hour on the
following day. The Brass canoe, which was now become their dwelling,
was extremely large, and heavily laden. It was paddled by forty men
and boys, in addition to whom there might be about twenty
individuals, or more, including a few slaves and themselves, so that
the number of human beings amounted altogether to sixty.
Like Obie's war canoes, it was furnished with a cannon, which was
lashed to the bow, a vast number of cutlasses, and a quantity of
grape and other shot, besides powder, flints, &c. It contained a
number of large boxes or chests, which were filled with spirituous
liquors, cotton, silk goods, earthenware, and other articles of
European and other foreign manufactures; besides abundance of
provisions for present consumption, and two thousand yams for the
master of a Spanish slaver, which was then lying in Brass River. In
this canoe three men might sit abreast of each other, and from the
number of people which it contained, and the immense quantity of
articles of various descriptions, some idea of its size may be
formed. It was cut out of a solid trunk of a tree, and drew four feet
and a half of water, being more than fifty feet in length. It was,
however, so deeply laden, that not above two inches of the canoe were
to be seen above the water's edge. With its present burden, it would
have been impossible for her to sail on any river less smooth than
the Niger, and even as it is, when it comes to be paddled, some
danger exists of its being swamped. It was really laughable to
reflect that the canoe was supplied with two speaking trumpets,
which, considering the stentorian lungs of the men of Brass, were
entirely superfluous, and that she was commanded by regularly
appointed officers, with sounding titles, in imitation of European
vessels, such as captain, mate, boatswain, coxswain, &c. besides a
cook and his minions. These distinctions are encouraged by King Boy,
whose vanity and consequence even in the most trifling concerns, were
irresistibly diverting.
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