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 Breaking Up Of The Party On The Outside,
Was A Signal For Their Friends Also To Depart.
When rising from her
mat, the mistress, after shaking hands, wished them good night in a
thick tremulous tone, and waddled out of their yard in a direction,
which Hogarth denominates the line of beauty, she returned home to
her husband, who was a valetudinarian.
Thus passed their evenings,
and thus much of their solitary Eboe friend.
CHAPTER XL.
In addition to the value of twenty slaves, which the king of Eboe
demanded from them, they now heard that King Boy required the value
of fifteen casks of palm oil, which is equal to fifteen slaves, for
himself, and as payment for the trouble he and his people will have
in conducting them to the English vessel. He said, that he must take
three canoes and one hundred and fifty people, and, therefore, it was
impossible that he could do with less. The chief then said, that if
they did not consent to give King Boy a book for all this money, he
should send them into the interior of the country to be sold, and
that they never should see the sea again. It was now seen that they
had no alternative, and they considered it most prudent to give him
the bill, not intending, however, on their arrival at the sea, to
give him more than twenty common trade guns, to pay this chief and
all other expenses. King Boy was to give Obie five pieces of cloth
and one gun as part payment; the remainder was to be paid on his
return, after having delivered them up to the brig. The Landers and
all their people were now in high spirits, at the prospect of leaving
this place and obtaining their freedom, for they had so much faith in
the character of the English, that they entertained not the slightest
doubt that the captain of the brig would most willingly pay the
ransom money.
Towards evening, Obie in his showy coral dress came barefooted to
their hut, for the purpose of inspecting their books and examining
the contents of their medicine chest. His approach was announced to
them by the jingling of the little bells which his feet. He appeared
greatly pleased with every thing they said, and looked aghast when
informed of the powerful properties of some of the medicines, which
ended in a fit of laughter. He expressed a strong desire to have a
little, especially of the purgatives, and there being no objection on
the part of the Landers, they supplied him with a good strong dose of
jalap, which had the same affect as it had had upon the sultan of
Yaoorie and family. Obie was evidently fearful of their books, having
been informed that could "tell all things," and appeared to shrink
with horror at which was offered him, shaking his head, saying, that
he must not accept it, for that it was good only for white men,
"Whose God was not his God." The visit was of very short duration,
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