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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Forday Is The Cause Of It, And He Displays All
The Artifice, Chicanery, And Low Cunning Of A Crafty And Corrupt
Mind.
Therefore, after a moment's reflection, I was not much
surprised at the step which King Boy has taken, nor
Can I be very
angry with him, and I am resolved to await with composure his return,
and consequently my release from this miserable place, though I have
begun to consider with seriousness, what will become of us, in the
event of Lake's refusal to honour the bill which we have sent him.
Besides, I am rather uneasy on our people's account, for during these
two or three days past, they have had scarcely any thing to eat, and
we are now left entirely destitute, nor do I know where to obtain
relief. The Damaggoo people are with us likewise, and they are
interested in my brother's return, equally as much as myself. Instead
of being our guides and protectors, these poor creatures have shared
in our calamity; their little all has either been lost or stolen, or
else expended in provisions, and like us, they are reduced to great
distress and wretchedness. They will remain here, in order to receive
the few things which we have promised them and their chief, but
should Lake object to part with his goods, we shall give them a note
to the master of any English vessel at Bonny, whither they are
destined to go, requesting him to pay the poor strangers their
demands.
"After a good deal of solicitation and importunity, we received this
morning four small yams from the wives of King Boy, who informed us
that the same number of yams will be given us daily. Our people
having nothing else to eat, made a kind of broth with this vegetable;
at first it was, of course, a most insipid mess, but with the
addition of a little salt, it is rendered more palatable. We sent to
King Forday in the afternoon, for a few plantains, or any thing that
could be eaten, but the gloomy old savage shook his head, folded his
arms, and refused.
"Nothing could exceed my regret and consternation on the perusal of
the letter which I received from my brother, and somehow, I almost
dreaded to meet with King Boy. Well knowing how much it would
influence his behaviour towards us, we had been careful to represent
to that individual, the thanks and cheering which he would receive
from our countrymen, the moment he should take us on board the
English brig, that he would be favoured and caressed beyond measure,
and receive plenty of beef, bread, and rum. His face used to shine
with delight on anticipating so luxurious a treat, and he had
uniformly been in a better humour, after listening to these promises
of ours, than any thing else could have made him. The contrast
between his actual reception on board Lake's ship, to that which his
own fancy and our repeated assurances had taught him to expect, was
too dreadful to think on even for a moment, and for this reason, as
much as any other, I looked forward with something of apprehension
and anxiety to an interview with this savage, because I knew, that
after the cutting disappointment which he had experienced, he would
be under the influence of strongly excited feelings, and stormy
passions, over which he exercises no control. I was convinced too,
that the whole weight of his resentment, and the fury of his rage,
would fall upon me, for I am completely in his power.
"The interesting moment at length arrived. We heard King Boy
quarrelling with his women, and afterwards walking through their
apartments towards ours, muttering as he went along. He entered it,
and stood still; I was reposing, as I usually do for the greater part
of the day, upon a mat which is placed on the seat of wet clay, but
on perceiving him, I lifted my head without arising, and reclined it
on my hand. He looked fixedly upon me, and I returned his glance with
the same unshrinking steadfastness. But his dark eye was flashing
with anger, whilst his upturned lip, which exposed his white teeth,
quivered with passion. No face in the world could convey more
forcibly to the mind the feeling of contempt and bitter scorn, than
the distorted one before me. It was dreadfully expressive, drawing up
the left angle of his mouth in a parallel with his eyes, he broke
silence, with a sneering, long-drawn 'Eh!' and almost choked with
rage, he cursed me; and in a tone and manner, which it is infinitely
out of my power to describe, he spoke to the following effect: 'You
are thief, man; English captain, no will! You assured me, when I took
you from the Eboe country, that he would be overjoyed to see me, and
give me plenty of beef and rum; I received from him neither the one
nor the other. Eh! English captain, no will! I gave a quantity of
goods to free you from the slavery of Obie; I took you into my own
canoe; you were hungry, and I gave you yam and fish; you were almost
naked, I was sorry to see you so, because you were white men and
strangers, and I gave each of you a red cap and a silk handkerchief;
but you are no good, you are thief, man. Eh! English captain, no
will; he no will. You also told me your countrymen would do this
(taking off his cap, and flourishing it in circles over his head,)
and cry hurra! hurra! on receiving me on board their vessel; you
promised my wife a necklace, and my father, four bars. But eh!
English captain, no will! he tell me he no will: yes, I will satisfy
your hunger with plenty more of my fish and yams, and your thirst I
will quench with rum and palm wine.
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