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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He Received
Them With Great Civility, And Many Demonstrations Of Gladness, And
Desired Them To Draw Near His Person, That He Might Have A Better
Opportunity Of Looking At And Talking To Them.
He appeared, however,
unwilling for them to quit Lechee till the following day, and pressed
them strongly to remain
With him for the day, which, however, not all
his solicitations nor importunities could induce them to accede to.
After some trifling conversation, and a long and pithy harangue from
a Fellata, they took their leave of him and his people, and instantly
made their way back to the water side, where they waited in the grass
hut for the appearance of the canoe men, with whom the chief had
promised to supply them. After a considerable delay, a man for each
canoe could only be procured, so that two of their own people were
obliged to supply the place of others, as well as they could. Having
got into their canoes, they pushed off from the shore, and proceeded
at a good rate down the stream, along the side of a considerable
island, which was within gunshot of the town, and after passing a
large open village of respectable appearance, which was on the
western bank, they put in at a small town, a few miles below, also on
the Yarriba side of the river, where they were constrained to go in
quest of other canoe men, because those from Lechee, though they had
been with them only forty minutes, and had certainly not laboured
very hard, had refused to proceed with them any further, nor could
all their enticements induce them to forego the resolution which they
had taken. The Landers were detained in their canoes for an hour and
a half, exposed to a scorching sun, in order to obtain fresh canoe
men. They at last proceeded on their journey, and in the evening
arrived at a fishing town on a small island, which was called Madjie,
and belonged to the Noufanchie. Here they were received with
cheerfulness by the chief, who accommodated them with a roomy hut,
sent them a quantity of dressed provisions, and otherwise treated
them in the most hospitable manner.
At nine in the following morning, they landed near a small town to
procure a fresh supply of canoe men, and having obtained them, they
journeyed along the eastern side of the river, and in a few hours
afterwards, they perceived the smoke of the far-famed Rabba ascending
many miles before them. They stopped for a short time at a low, flat,
swampy island called Belee, and visited a mean, dirty-looking town,
where they were in a short time introduced to the chief, who,
according to the report of their messenger, was a great, rich, and
important personage. He informed them, that Mohammed, the magia's
son, who had left them at Patashie, had returned from his father, in
pursuance of his agreement, but instead of remaining at Rabba, as
they had expected, he had come over to Belee, and had been waiting
three days on the island in expectation of their arrival.
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