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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They Crossed Two Or Three Rivulets Of Cool Delicious Water, As
They Had Done On The Preceding Day, And Then Passed Through An
Insignificant Village, Whose Chief Sent Them A Calabash Of Bruised
Corn, Mixed With Water, To Drink.
At noon, they arrived at the foot
of a very elevated hill, and perceived a town perched on its summit,
and knew it to be the same to which they had been directed.
They
dismounted, and after a laborious ascent, which occupied them three
quarters of an hour, at length reached the top. Stones and blocks of
granite interrupted their path, so that it became a very difficult
matter to force the horses along before them; they fell repeatedly,
but without materially injuring themselves.
The name of the town was Chekki; their arrival was rather unexpected,
and therefore the governor was not prepared to receive them, and they
sat down under a tree, until they were tired of waiting. At length, a
man came to conduct them to his residence, which was but a little way
from the tree, under which they were reposing, when a tumultuous rush
was made by the inhabitants to precede them into the yard, and
notwithstanding the presence of their chief, they so surrounded the
travelling party as to prevent a particle of fresh air from reaching
them. The governor received them with bluntness, but not unkindly,
though without much demonstration of good-will. While in his yard, he
regaled them with water, and afterwards sent them a large calabash of
foorah sweetened with honey to their lodgings, which did not taste
unlike thick gruel or burgoo, as it is termed in Scotland.
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