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
- Page 415 of 587 - First - Home
They Seemed To Have No Social Tenderness, Very Few Of Those
Amiable Private Virtues, Which Could Win Their Affection, And None Of
Those Public Qualities That Claim Respect Or Command Admiration.
The
love of country is not strong enough in their bosoms to invite them
to defend it against the
Irregular incursions of a despicable foe;
and of the active energy, noble sentiments, and contempt of danger,
which distinguish the North American tribes, and other savages, no
traces are to be found amongst this slothful people; regardless of
the past, as reckless of the future, the present alone influences
their actions. In this respect they approached nearer to the nature
of the brute creation, than perhaps any other people on the face of
the globe. Though the bare mention of an enemy makes the
pusillanimous Mansolah, and his unwarlike subjects tremble in every
limb, they take no measures to prevent whole bands of strangers from
locating in the finest provinces of the empire, much less do they
think of expelling them after they have made those provinces their
own. To this unpardonable indifference to the public interest, and
neglect of all the rules of prudence and common sense, is owing the
progress, which the Fellatas made in gaining over to themselves a
powerful party, consisting of individuals from various nations in the
interior, who had emigrated to this country, and the great and
uniform success which has attended all their ambitious projects. At
the time of the visit of the Landers, they were effectually in the
heart of the kingdom, they had entrenched themselves in strong walled
towns, and had recently forced from Mansolah a declaration of their
independence, whilst this negligent and imbecile monarch beheld them
gnawing away the very sinews of his strength, without making the
slightest exertion to apply a remedy for the evil, or prevent their
future aggrandizement. Independently of Raka, which is peopled wholly
by Fellatas, who have strengthened it amazingly, and rendered it
exceedingly populous, another town of prodigious size, had lately
sprung into being, which already surpassed Katunga in wealth,
population, and extent. It was at first resorted to by a party of
Fellatas, who named it Alorie, and encouraged all the slaves in the
country to fly from the oppression of their masters, and join their
standard. They reminded the slaves of the constraint tinder which
they laboured; and tempted them by an offer of freedom and
protection, and other promises of the most extravagant nature, to
declare themselves independent of Yarriba. Accordingly, the
discontented; many miles round, eagerly flocked to Alorie in
considerable numbers, where they were well received. This occurrence
took place about forty years ago, since which, other Fellatas have
joined their countrymen from Sockatoo and Rabba; and notwithstanding
the wars, if mutual kidnapping deserves the name, in which they have
been engaged, in the support and maintenance of their cause, Alorie
is become by far the largest and most flourishing city in Yarriba,
not even excepting the capital itself.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 415 of 587
Words from 218291 to 218791
of 309561