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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It Was A Low, Marshy, And
Unwholesome Spot; And Although A Village Was Not Many Miles Ahead,
Yet They Were Unable To Walk To It.
Under these circumstances, they
had no other alternative than to rest there for the night, and they
had made
Fires of dried wood and fallen leaves, and had prepared to
repose for the night under a canopy of trees, and were in fact
actually stretched at full length on the turf for that purpose, when
they were agreeably surprised by the arrival of four of their men
from the village with hammocks, for although sleeping in the open
air, with Heaven for their canopy, in a dark wood, may be all very
romantic and pretty in description, yet in reality nothing could be
more disagreeable, for the crawling of ants, black worms, &c., over
their faces was sufficient to dispel every delightful fancy, which
might have been engendered in the brain. These hammocks were highly
acceptable, and they were lifted into them with very grateful
feelings. It was also exceedingly pleasant, after a long day's
journey on foot, to be carried along so easily, and to see the
parrots and other birds, with a number of grinning, chattering
monkeys, capering from the lofty branches of the trees, and making
the woods resound with their hideous screams.
After a charming journey of eight or ten miles, they entered the
large and populous town of Bidjie, where the Landers first crossed
Clapperton's route, and where Captain Pearse and Dr. Morrison fell
sick on the last expedition.
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