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 Will, However, Scarcely Be Believed, That
This Universal Dread Originates From A Few Borgoo Desperadoes, Who,
Although Only Armed With Powder And A Few Broken Muskets, Can Put A
Whole Legion Of The Timid Natives To Flight.
The inhabitants of the
town kept firing the whole of the evening, to deter their formidable
foe from scaling the wall and taking possession of their town.
On the night of Saturday May 8th, they were visited by thunder
storms, from which, however, they did not receive any great
annoyance. The natives as usual imputed the seasonable weather to
their agency alone, and in consequence, their arrival at many places
was hailed with transport, as the most fortunate thing that could
have happened.
Extraordinary preparations were made by the governor of Jaguta, to
ensure the safety of the travellers on the dreaded pathway; and a
horseman armed with sword and spear, in company with four foot
soldiers, who were equipped with bows, and several huge quivers full
of arrows, were in readiness to offer them their protection. The
horseman preceded the party, and played off a variety of antics to
the great amusement of the Landers. He seemed not a little satisfied
with himself; he flourished his naked sword over his head; brandished
his spear; made his horse curvet and bound, and gallop alternately;
and his dress being extremely grotesque, besides being old and torn,
gave him an appearance not unlike that of a bundle of rags flying
through the air. But with all this display of heroism and activity,
the man would have fled with terror from his own shadow by moonlight,
and it was really regretted by the travellers, that a few defenceless
women were the only individuals that crossed their path to put his
courage to the test, the formidable "war men" not being at that time
in that part of the country.
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