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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John Lander's Horse Was Unable From Weakness And Exhaustion To Carry
Him Further Than Benikenny, So That He Was Obliged To Walk The
Remainder Of The Journey To Kiama, Which Was Full Six Miles.
About
eight o'clock, Kiama appeared before them, and in a few minutes they
entered the city, and rode directly to the king's house.
He came out
to receive them, after having waited outside a very short time, and
welcomed them with much satisfaction and good will. He was an elderly
man, almost toothless, and had a beard as white as wool. Nothing
remarkable was observed in his dress or appearance. His first
question was respecting the health of their sovereign, and his second
and last respecting their own welfare. He seemed to be exceedingly
well pleased at seeing Richard Lander again. They then took their
leave, and were conducted by one of his slaves to a hut, or rather an
assemblage of huts, adjoining his own residence. The huts, however,
were not entirely to their satisfaction, for many of them had only
one aperture in each, which was scarcely three feet square, so that
they could not get into them excepting on their hands and knees. They
were, besides, so very warm and close, that they found great
difficulty in breathing, and in consequence they preferred a hut
which was cooler and better ventilated, though it had the
inconvenience of a thoroughfare. No sooner were they securely housed,
than half a dozen of the king's wives introduced themselves with huge
calabashes of sour milk, fried pancakes, and beef stewed in rice, the
first they had yet seen.
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