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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Of The Different Coloured Tobes
Worn By The Men, None Looked So Well As Those Of A Deep Crimson
Colour On Some Of The Horsemen; But The Clear White Tobes Of The
Mahommedan Priests, Of Whom Not Less Than A Hundred Were Present On
The Occasion, Were Extremely Neat And Becoming.
The sport terminated
without the slightest accident, and the king dismounting was a signal
for the people to disperse.
CHAPTER XXXV.
The travellers left Kiama on Saturday June 5th, and arrived at
Kakafungi, the halting place, shortly after ten o'clock in the
morning. The distance from Kiama was about ten miles. It was a
straggling, but extensive and populous town, and was delightfully
situated on an even piece of ground. The inhabitants were so clean
and well behaved, and their dwellings so neat and comfortable, that
before the Landers had spoken many words to one of them, they were
prepossessed in their favour. Nor was this opinion in any degree
lessened, when after they had been introduced into a commodious and
excellent hut, they received the congratulations of the principal
people. They came to them in a body, followed by boys and girls
carrying a present of two kids, with milk and an abundance of pounded
corn, and remained with them the greater part of the day.
John Lander was here taken seriously ill, and his fever was so severe
that he was obliged to lie on his mat till the carriers were ready to
depart, which took place at two p.m., their path lying through a
perfect wilderness, and presenting a greater degree of barrenness,
than any thing which they had hitherto met with. The length of the
journey, the insufferable heat of the sun, combined with the speed
with which they were obliged to travel, greatly increased the malady
of John Lander. He was occasionally obliged to dismount, and lie on
the ground for relief, being lifted off and replaced on his horse by
their attendants. The two Landers were far behind the rest of the
party, on account of the inability of John Lander to keep pace, and
they discharged a pistol every now and then as a signal to the
carriers of their approach. As each report echoed through the forest,
it was answered by the increased howlings of wild animals, till at
length, they gladly saw the gleam of a large fire, and arrived at the
encampment, which had been prepared for them. Here they took
possession for the night, of a few deserted huts, which were falling
to decay.
The rest which John Lander had obtained during the night, appeared to
have revived him, and he seemed in better spirits, with an abatement
of his fever. They accordingly proceeded on their journey, and after
bathing, crossed the Oly in a canoe, which they found tied to a tree.
During the whole of the day, they travelled under a burning sun, and
in the evening pitched their tent near a small stream. John Lander
was very ill, his fever having returned with increased violence.
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