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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The King Himself Went In Quest Of A Dwelling House, And Conducted
Them To One Of The Best Which The
Island afforded; it was, however,
miserably bad, for as the town was built on a marsh, every hut in it
Had the disadvantage, during the whole of the rainy season, of soft
damp floors, and uncomfortable roofs. Their own hut had positively
pools of water springing up out of the ground. The walls of the hut
were built of mud from the river, strengthened and supported by
wooden pillars, and ribs of the same materials; however, these do not
prevent them from cracking in a hundred different places, and large
chinks, admitting wind and rain, may be observed in the walls of
every hut. They have all a very dirty and wretched appearance,
although their inmates, generally speaking, were understood to be
clean, opulent, and respectable. Having conducted them to the hut,
the chief of the island shook hands with them very heartily, and
assured them they should want for nothing. He soon provided them with
doors of bamboo for their hut, and a number of mats to spread on the
floor, which made it tolerably comfortable. In the evening, four
large calabashes of stewed rice with fowls, and no less than ten
gallons of petto or country beer were sent them.
About seven in the evening, messengers arrived from Rabba, to inform
them that they should come early in the morning for the presents
intended for their chief. They said that the king would not put them
to the trouble of going to see him, as the town was full of Arabs,
whose begging propensities would be very inconvenient to them. The
Landers were much pleased with this intelligence, knowing very well
the character of the Arabs, and they sent back word, that they would
be still more obliged to him, if he would dispense with their going
to the sansan, or camp, at a short distance from the town, to visit
the king of Nouffie.
Rabba stands in an opposite direction to Zagozhi, and appears at the
distance of about two miles, to be an immensely large, populous, and
flourishing town. It is built on the slope of a gentle hill, and on a
spot almost entirely bare of trees; the Niger here flowed in a
direction to the south of east.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
According to their announcement on the preceding day, the messengers
from the chiefs arrived, bringing with them two fine sheep and a
great quantity of rice, and it appeared that they would be required
to give presents to nine people, before they should be able to get
away from the place.
Having prepared the presents, the messengers were collected, and
Richard Lander laid before each of them those that were intended for
their masters, and in order to make them some reward, and secure
their good will, he gave something to each of them, and dismissed
them.
On the following morning they were visited by two young men, Arabs,
from Rabba, one of whom was very eager to claim acquaintance with
Richard Lander, and to bring to his memory certain scenes which had
taken place on his former journey to Houssa.
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