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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His People, However, Who Had Assembled In
Extraordinary Numbers, Were Of A Different Opinion, And When They
Heard Their Chief Draw The First Sound From The Little Instrument,
"Shouts Of Applause Ran Rattling To The Skies."
A traveller in England, who enjoys the goodness of the roads, does
not often murmur at the demands which are
Made upon his purse by the
turnpike-keepers, but in Africa the frequency of the turnpikes on the
road from Badagry to Bidjie, was a matter of some surprise to the
Landers. Human beings carrying burthens are the only persons who pay
the turnpikes, for as to a horse or a carriage passing through them,
it would be a scene of the greatest wonder. The Landers, however,
enjoyed the same privilege as the royal family of England, for being
under the protection of the government, they as well as all their
suite and baggage passed toll free.
On Sunday, April 4th, they arose at sunrise to make the necessary
arrangements for leaving Bidjie, which was no easy task, and shortly
after they sent to signify their intention to the chief. He expressed
a desire to see them as soon as they could conveniently come,
accordingly after breakfast, they repaired to his habitation, which
was contiguous to their own. After being conducted through a number
of yards and huts, inhabited only by goats and sheep, which were
tethered to posts, and a number of tame pigeons, they perceived the
object of their visit squatting on a leopard's skin, under a decent
looking verandah.
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