Initial commit of ebook 78092 filesHEAD main

author: www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> 2026-03-02 05:36:52 -0800
committer: www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> 2026-03-02 05:36:52 -0800
commit: 6090e288ace40aa0b41726a129dc8bf07be7c8fb (patch)
tree: c639e25bd500c3b6d38aba48a99caa1004cba789 /78092-h/78092-h.htm
1 files changed, 7180 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/78092-h/78092-h.htm b/78092-h/78092-h.htm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c3ca7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/78092-h/78092-h.htm
@@ -0,0 +1,7180 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+<head>
+<title>Records of Captain Clapperton's last expedition to Africa,
+Vol. 2 (of 2) | Project Gutenberg</title>
+<meta charset="utf-8">
+<link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover">
+<style>
+body {
+    margin-left: 10%;
+    margin-right: 10%;
+}
+h1
+{
+  text-align: center;
+  font-size: 100%;
+  font-weight: normal;
+  margin-top: 1.5em;
+  line-height: 2;
+  margin-bottom: 1em;
+  clear: both;
+}
+h2 {
+  font-size: 100%;
+  text-align: center;
+  font-weight: normal;
+  line-height: 1.1;
+  margin-top: 2em;
+  page-break-before: always;
+  clear: both;
+}
+h2.nopb {
+  page-break-before: avoid;
+  margin-top: 1em;
+}
+h3 {
+  font-size: 85%;
+  text-align: center;
+  font-weight: normal;
+  line-height: 1.1;
+  margin-top: 1.5em;
+  margin-bottom: 1em;
+  page-break-before: avoid;
+  clear: both;
+}
+h3.normal-size {
+  font-size: 100%;
+}
+hr.chap {
+    color: Gray;
+    background-color: Gray;
+    width: 65%;
+    margin-top: 1em;
+    margin-bottom: 2em;
+    margin-left: auto;
+    margin-right: auto;
+    clear: both;
+}
+hr.decor {
+    margin-left: auto;
+    margin-right: auto;
+    clear: both;
+}
+hr.spaced2 {
+    margin-top: 1em;
+    margin-bottom: 1em;
+}
+.link2:after {
+  content: '↗';
+}
+.pb {
+   page-break-before: always;
+}
+.x-ebookmaker hr.chap { display: none; visibility: hidden; }
+.spaced2 {
+  line-height: 2;
+}
+.spaced15 {
+  line-height: 1.5;
+}
+.space-above2 {
+  margin-top: 2em;
+}
+.space-above15 {
+  margin-top: 1.5em;
+}
+.space-below1 {
+  margin-bottom: 1em;
+}
+.space-below2 {
+  margin-bottom: 2em;
+}
+.letter-spaced {
+  letter-spacing: 0.05em;
+}
+.letter-spaced01 {
+  letter-spacing: 0.1em;
+}
+.letter-spaced02 {
+  letter-spacing: 0.2em;
+}
+.letter-spaced02 {
+  letter-spacing: 0.2em;
+}
+.word-spaced4 {
+  word-spacing: 0.4em;
+}
+.word-spaced6 {
+  word-spacing: 0.8em;
+}
+.word-spaced10 {
+  word-spacing: 1.6em;
+}
+.tb {
+  text-indent: 0;
+  text-align: center;
+  word-spacing: 2em;
+}
+.nind {
+  text-indent: 0;
+}
+.ind3 {
+  text-indent: 3em;
+}
+.hang1 {
+    text-indent: -1em;
+    padding-left: 1em;
+    }
+.publisher {
+  margin-top: 1em;
+  font-size: 100%;
+  line-height: 1.5;
+  text-align: center;
+  text-indent: 0;
+}
+p {
+    text-align: justify;
+    text-indent: 1.5em;
+    line-height: 1.2;
+    max-width: 1200px;
+    margin: auto;
+    margin-top: .51em;
+    margin-bottom: .49em;
+}
+.xxlarge  {
+    font-size: 150%;
+}
+.xlarge   {font-size: 125%;}
+.large   {font-size: 110%;}
+.less    {font-size: 95%;}
+.med    {font-size: 85%;}
+.med-size    {font-size: 85%;}
+.small  {font-size: 75%;}
+.bold { font-weight: bold;}
+.strike {
+  text-decoration: line-through;
+}
+.sc {
+    font-variant: small-caps;
+    }
+.sc2 {
+    font-variant: small-caps;
+    font-size: 80%;
+    }
+.center {
+    text-align: center;
+    text-indent: 0;
+    }
+.pad2 {
+    padding-left: 2em
+    }
+.pad3 {
+    padding-left: 3em
+    }
+.pad-right2 {
+    padding-right: 2em
+    }
+.pad-right3 {
+    padding-right: 3em
+    }
+.pad-right5 {
+    padding-right: 5em
+    }
+.pad-right12 {
+    padding-right: 12em
+    }
+.right {
+    text-align: right;
+    }
+.csum {
+    text-indent: -1em;
+    padding-left: 1em;
+    font-size: 90%;
+    margin-bottom: 1.5em;
+    }
+.footnotes {
+   border: dashed 1px;
+   max-width: 1200px;
+   margin: auto;
+}
+.footnote {
+   margin-top: 0.5em;
+   margin-left: 10%;
+   margin-right: 5%;
+   font-size: 90%;
+}
+.footnote .label  {
+   float: left;
+   margin-left: -12%;
+   text-align: right;
+}
+.fnanchor {
+    vertical-align: super;
+    font-size: .8em;
+    text-decoration: none;
+    font-style: normal;
+    font-weight: normal;
+}
+.pagenum {
+    position: absolute;
+    left: 92%;
+    font-size: small;
+    text-align: right;
+    font-style: normal;
+    font-weight: normal;
+    font-variant: normal;
+    letter-spacing: normal;
+    color: silver;
+    text-indent: 0;
+}
+.linegrp-container {
+    text-align: center
+    }
+.linegrp {
+    display: inline-block;
+    text-align: left;
+    font-size: 90%;
+    }
+.linegrp .group {
+    margin: 1em 0 1em 0
+    }
+.line {
+    padding-left: 3em;
+    line-height: 1.4em;
+    }
+.indent0 {
+    text-indent: -3em
+    }
+.indent2 {
+    text-indent: -2em
+    }
+.indent4 {
+    text-indent: -1em
+    }
+.indent6 {
+    text-indent: 0
+    }
+ul.sign1 {
+  list-style-type: none;
+  max-width: 12em;
+  text-align: left;
+  margin-right: 2em;
+  margin-left: auto;
+}
+ul.simple1 {
+  list-style-type: none;
+  padding: 0.5em;
+  text-align: left;
+  max-width: 30em;
+  margin: auto;
+}
+ul.simple1 > li {
+  padding-top: 0.1em;
+  text-indent: -1em;
+  padding-left: 1em;
+  font-size: 90%;
+}
+div.margins {
+  width: 1200px;
+  max-width: 100%;
+  margin: auto;
+}
+div.quote {
+  margin-top: 1.5em;
+  margin-bottom: 1.5em;
+}
+div.titlepage {
+  text-align: center;
+  page-break-before: always;
+  page-break-inside: avoid;
+  margin: auto;
+  margin-top: 4em;
+}
+@media screen and (max-width: 1500px) {
+div.titlepage {
+  font-size: 85%;
+}
+}
+.x-ebookmaker div.titlepage {
+  font-size: 80%;
+}
+.transnote {
+     background-color: #E6E6FA;
+     color: black;
+     font-size:smaller;
+     padding:0.5em;
+     font-family:sans-serif, serif; 
+}
+table {
+    margin-left: auto;
+    margin-right: auto;
+    font-size: 100%;
+}
+table.toc {
+    max-width: 40em;
+    font-size: 90%;
+}
+table.toi {
+    width: 30em;
+    max-width: 100%;
+    font-size: 90%;
+}
+.x-ebookmaker table.toi {
+    width: 100%;
+}
+table.toc td {
+    padding-top: 0.25em;
+    padding-bottom: 0.25em;
+    padding-right: 0.4em;
+}
+table.toi td {
+    padding-top: 0.15em;
+    padding-bottom: 0.15em;
+}
+table.vocab {
+    width: 40em;
+    max-width: 100%;
+}
+.x-ebookmaker table.vocab {
+    width: 100%;
+}
+table.vocab td {
+  width: 50%;
+  text-align: left;
+  vertical-align: top;
+  padding-left: 1em;
+  text-indent: -1em;
+  padding-right: 2em;
+  padding-top: 0.5em;
+}
+.x-ebookmaker table.vocab td {
+  font-size: 90%;
+}
+table.vocab td.tdc {
+  text-align: center;
+  padding-left: 0;
+  text-indent: 0;
+}
+table td.sect {
+    padding-top: 1em;
+}
+th {
+    font-size: 90%;
+    font-weight: normal;
+    text-align: center;
+}
+td, td > p {
+    margin-top: 0.25em;
+    line-height: 1.1em;
+}
+.tdl {
+    text-align: left;
+    }
+.tdl-top {
+    text-align: left;
+    vertical-align: top;
+    }
+.tdr-bot {
+    text-align: right;
+    vertical-align: bottom;
+    }
+.tdr      {text-align: right;}
+.tdc      {text-align: center;}
+.width-full {
+  width: 100%;
+}
+.width10 {
+  width: 10em;
+}
+.width8 {
+  width: 8em;
+}
+.width6 {
+  width: 6em;
+}
+.width5 {
+  width: 5em;
+}
+.width4 {
+  width: 4em;
+}
+div.figcenter   {
+    margin: auto;
+    margin-top: 1em;
+    margin-bottom: 1em;
+    text-align: center;
+    max-width: 100%;
+}
+div.figcenterplate   {
+    margin: auto;
+    margin-top: 2em;
+    margin-bottom: 2em;
+    text-align: center;
+    max-width: 100%;
+    page-break-before: always;
+}
+figure {
+    display: inline-block;
+    margin: 0 auto;
+    text-align: center;
+    max-width: 100%;
+}
+figure p {
+    text-indent: 0;
+    margin-top: 0;
+    margin-bottom: 0;
+    margin-left: auto;
+    margin-right: auto;
+    }
+figure p.cp1 {
+    margin-top: 0.3em;
+    text-align: center;
+    font-size: 90%;
+}
+figure p.cp2 {
+    margin-top: 0.5em;
+    text-align: center;
+    font-size: 100%;
+    font-variant: small-caps;
+}
+table.ipub td {
+    font-size: 65%;
+}
+img {
+   width: inherit;
+   max-width: 100%;
+}
+.iw1 { width: 600px; }
+@media screen and (max-width: 1500px) {
+.iw1 {
+    width: 350px;
+}
+}
+.x-ebookmaker .iw1 {
+    max-width: 70%;
+}
+.iw2 { width: 600px; }
+@media screen and (max-width: 1500px) {
+.iw2 {
+    width: 500px;
+}
+}
+</style>
+</head>
+<body>
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78092 ***</div>
+<div class="margins">
+<div class="transnote x-ebookmaker-drop">
+<p class="center">Large-size versions of illustrations are
+available by clicking on them.</p>
+
+<p class="center"><a class="link2" href=
+"https://www.gutenberg.org/files/78091/78091-h/78091-h.htm">Vol.
+1</a>
+</p>
+</div>
+
+<p class="x-ebookmaker-drop space-above2">
+</p>
+
+<div class="titlepage">
+<h1><span class="xlarge letter-spaced">RECORDS</span><br>
+<span class="small">OF</span><br>
+<span class="xlarge letter-spaced">CAPTAIN CLAPPERTON’S</span><br>
+LAST EXPEDITION<br>
+<span class="small">TO</span><br>
+<span class="xxlarge bold letter-spaced02">AFRICA:</span></h1>
+
+<p class="center spaced15"><span class="sc">By</span> RICHARD
+LANDER,<br>
+<span class="small">HIS FAITHFUL ATTENDANT, AND THE ONLY
+SURVIVING<br>
+MEMBER OF THE EXPEDITION:</span></p>
+
+<p class="center spaced15"><span class="small">WITH THE</span><br>
+<span class="med">SUBSEQUENT ADVENTURES OF THE AUTHOR.</span>
+</p>
+
+<hr class="decor spaced2 width6">
+
+<p class="center spaced2"><span class="less">IN TWO
+VOLUMES.</span><br>
+VOL. II.</p>
+
+<hr class="decor spaced2 width10">
+
+<p class="publisher"><span class=
+"letter-spaced01">LONDON:</span><br>
+<span class="less">HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY,</span><br>
+<span class="med">NEW BURLINGTON STREET.</span><br>
+<span class="less">1830.</span>
+</p>
+</div>
+
+<p class="space-above2">
+</p>
+
+<hr class="decor width8">
+
+<p class="center"><span class="small">J. B. NICHOLS AND
+SON,</span><br>
+<span class="med">25, Parliament Street.</span>
+</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2 class="spaced2"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_iii">[iii]</span><a id="toc"></a><span class=
+"large">CONTENTS</span><br>
+<span class="less">OF THE SECOND VOLUME.</span>
+</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<table class="toc">
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><a href="#c10">CHAPTER
+X.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>
+</td>
+<td class="tdr med">Page</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">Character of the Africans in general —
+Their social qualities considered — Succinct remarks on the Natural
+History of the Interior — Yam Yams — Arabs — Falatahs — War of the
+latter people with Bornou and Fundah</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">1</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><a href="#c11">CHAPTER
+XI.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">The Author resumes his Narrative —
+African huts — Recreations and evening amusements of his Master and
+himself — Illness of Captain Clapperton — His sufferings — Perfect
+resignation under them — His death — Burial — Character</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">57</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><a href="#c12">CHAPTER
+XII.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">The Author’s severe indisposition and
+distress of mind — Conduct of Bello — Departure from Soccatoo — The
+Author almost perishes of thirst in the<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_iv">[iv]</span> “Goober Bush,” where he is deserted by the
+faithless Pasko — The King of Jacoba — Horrid death of that
+monarch’s slaves — The Author’s arrival at Kano</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">82</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><a href="#c13">CHAPTER
+XIII.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">Pasko — The Author pays his respects to
+the Governor, and leaves Kano — Chooses, near Bebajie, the road to
+Fundah — Almena mountain — The Author is seen and recognised by
+horsemen from Zeg Zeg — Arrives amongst the people of Bowchee —
+Their manners — A girl’s lamentation on being sold by her mother —
+The Author enters the immense plain of Cuttup — Anecdote of an old
+woman</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">100</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><a href="#c14">CHAPTER
+XIV.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">The Author overtaken at Dunrora by four
+armed horsemen from Zeg Zeg, who force him to accompany them back
+to Zaria — His reflections — Arrives in Zaria — Treatment of the
+King and his son towards the Author — His entrance into Coulfo in
+Nyffé — Revisits Wow Wow — The noted widow Zuma</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">128</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><a href="#c15">CHAPTER
+XV.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">The Author becoming entangled, whilst
+crossing a river, in the stirrups of his horse’s saddle, is
+thrown<span class="pagenum" id="Page_v">[v]</span> from its back,
+and narrowly escapes drowning — Arrival at Khiama — Eccentric
+conduct of the Prince of that State — Anecdote of his messenger —
+Pasko’s thieving propensities turned to account — The Author enters
+Katunga, the capital of Yariba — His reception by Mansolah, its
+monarch — Song of five hundred of his Wives — Fetish-hut</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">176</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><a href="#c16">CHAPTER
+XVI.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">Ebo the celebrated fat Eunuch — The
+Yaribeans not very delicate in the choice of what they eat — Dress
+of the different people in the interior — Treatment of invalids —
+Tattoo marks of different nations — The Author is urged to become
+Son-in-law to Mansolah, Generalissimo of his forces, and Prime
+Minister of State — Names of Towns — Departure from Katunga —
+Anecdote of a gang of robbers — Mungo Park’s son — Arrival at
+Badagry</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">201</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><a href="#c17">CHAPTER
+XVII.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">Novel method adopted by Europeans for
+conveying slaves on board their vessels — Conduct of the Portuguese
+Merchants, resident at Badagry, towards the Author — The White
+Negroes — Manners and ceremonies of the Badagrians — Horrid
+indifference with respect to the Shedding of Human Blood — Murder
+of two of the King’s wives by moonlight</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">238</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_vi">[vi]</span><a href="#c18">CHAPTER XVIII.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">The Fetish-huts and tree at Badagry —
+Owing to the insinuations of the Portuguese the Author is examined
+by the Priests of the Fetish, and compelled to swallow bitter
+water, being the only European that ever underwent that dreadful
+ordeal — His thoughts when informed of the circumstance —
+Astonishing preservation from an expected cruel death — Sacrifices
+of human beings under the branches of the Fetish-tree, exceeding in
+atrocity any thing heard of before — Song of the inhabitants, with
+Adólee at their head, on the occasion — The Author, on his visit to
+a Portuguese pirate, discovers the sacred Fetish-tree of the
+Badagrians growing in the heart of the forest, and covered with
+dismembered corpses of human beings — The Portuguese</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">252</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td colspan="2" class="tdc large sect"><a href="#c19">CHAPTER
+XIX.</a>
+</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdl-top hang1">Captain Laing, of the Brig Maria, of
+London, hearing that an Englishman was at Badagry, comes from
+Whydah to fetch the Author — His reflections on leaving Badagry,
+and on reaching the British vessel — The Maria sails for Cape
+Coast, where the Author lands, and is taken on board the Esk sloop
+of war, which Vessel sails for England — The Turtles — Arrival in
+England, &amp;c.</td>
+<td class="tdr-bot">276</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<p class="center spaced2 pb"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_1">[1]</span><span class=
+"large letter-spaced01">WANDERINGS</span><br>
+<span class="small">IN</span><br>
+<span class="large"><span class=
+"letter-spaced01">AFRIC</span>A.</span>
+</p>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<h2 class="nopb"><a id="c10"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2>
+
+<p class="csum">Character of the Africans in general — Their social
+qualities considered — Succinct remarks on the Natural History of
+the Interior — Yam Yams — Arabs — Falatahs — War of the latter
+people with Bornou and Fundah.</p>
+
+<p><span class="sc">The</span> character Plutarch gives of the
+Athenians is strictly applicable to the people of Africa in
+general, <em>in times of peace</em>:—“They are easily provoked to
+anger, and as easily induced to resume sentiments of benevolence
+and compassion.” This we found to be true in numberless instances;
+particularly amongst the gentler sex, whose apprehensions are
+quicker and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[2]</span> more
+lively, and whose finer feelings more easily excited than those of
+their male companions. We not unfrequently observed persons
+quarrelling and fighting in one moment, with all the bitterness of
+angry and elevated passions, and in the next as gentle as lambs,
+and the most cordial friends in the universe; forgetting their
+previous noisy dispute in the performance of reciprocal acts of
+kindness and good nature.</p>
+
+<p>The African, ceaselessly engaged in sleeping, warfare, drinking,
+&amp;c. takes little, if any, delight in his own family circle. His
+is no <em>domestic</em> life: his children never prattle round his
+knee; his eye never glistens with tenderness on receiving their
+innocent caresses; his numerous wives, who are valued as a distinct
+and inferior order of beings, weaken his affections and blunt his
+feelings; and he regards them with looks of indifference or
+contempt. With him,</p>
+
+<div class="linegrp-container">
+<div class="linegrp">
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">“All claims that bind and sweeten
+life,”</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="nind">are, indeed, unknown; and, provided his wants be
+supplied, unless aroused from his stupor by any particular event,
+he journeys calmly on, with the most listless indifference
+imaginable,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span> scarcely
+deigning to bestow a solitary thought either on his country, or his
+wives and children. He holds the dead, however, in the greatest
+veneration, hardly venturing to let the name of a deceased relative
+escape his lips; and if, when engaged in contentious bickerings,
+his opponent alludes to them in a disrespectful manner, he
+interrupts him with this energetic expression: “Curse <em>me</em>;
+slay <em>me</em>, if thou wilt; but do not rake up the ashes of the
+dead. Let them rest in peace, or thou thyself shalt follow them to
+the grave.”</p>
+
+<p>The natives are passionately fond of storytelling, and listen
+for hours after the setting of the sun, with a gravity truly comic,
+to the recital of tales of the most wonderful and incredible
+description, in which they repose implicit belief. The following
+was told me with an air of great solemnity, and with a full
+conviction of its truth, by a native of Goober:—</p>
+
+<p>“Doncasson, Prince of that province, ordered a number of men to
+build houses at the distance of three miles from Coonia, the
+capital, which they undertook to finish within a given
+number<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span> of days. The
+workmen, contrary to their expectation, could find no water in the
+neighbourhood of the spot, nor, indeed, at a shorter distance than
+Coonia; and having no vessels large enough to convey a sufficient
+quantity within the time specified, they were put to their wits’
+end, in what manner to act, fearing that in the event of the
+non-fulfilment of their engagement a dreadful punishment would
+await them. In this dilemma they applied for advice to a female
+fortune-teller, residing in the city, who, having accompanied them
+to the scite of the intended hamlet, ordered an immense heap of
+earth, sufficient for the walls of the buildings, to be thrown up;
+when the old woman immediately supplied them with the water
+required, in the same manner as Gulliver extinguished the dreadful
+fire that threatened to destroy the capital of the kingdom of
+Lilliput, on his visit to that country; and thus the buildings of
+Doncasson were finished a week earlier than was expected.”</p>
+
+<p>The persons of the Africans, of both sexes, are perfectly
+well-formed. I never saw an individual in the whole country with a
+hump on his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span> back, or
+any other species of deformity whatever; and this will appear the
+more strange when it is considered that no people in the world pay
+less attention to their offspring in their tender years. We
+frequently saw individuals with only one hand, the other having
+been amputated as a punishment; but never met with a person that
+had lost a leg. The people used to deride us when we affirmed that
+some of our countrymen were furnished with <em>wooden</em> legs in
+lieu of natural ones, believing that a person could never survive
+the loss of so important a member.</p>
+
+<h3>NATURAL HISTORY.</h3>
+
+<p>Of the natural history of the regions we traversed I can say but
+little, my very limited and imperfect acquaintance with that
+interesting study, in either of its branches, incapacitating me
+from giving any thing like a description of the various productions
+of the soil, or of the numerous animals that inhabit the woods or
+the rivers.</p>
+
+<p>Magnificent forests of tall trees are scattered over the face of
+the country from Badagry to Soccatoo, and afford, in their gloomy
+solitudes,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span> shelter to
+numerous species of reptiles and wild beasts. The palm, the cocoa,
+the tamarind, the banana, the fig, the date (a species of palm),
+the butter, and other trees, are indigenous; and several varieties
+of plum grow in woods of Yariba, as well as a tree bearing a fruit
+similar in size and appearance to our “love apple,” and in flavour,
+to the <em>cashew</em> apple of the West Indies. Stunted orange,
+lemon, and lime trees, bearing fruit of inferior quality, may also
+be found growing wild in that region, but are made little use of by
+the natives, who know not how to improve them; the people have
+likewise water-melons, guayavas, papaws, &amp;c. &amp;c. The cotton
+plant, indigo, rice, wheat, yams, maize, Guinea corn, dourra, six
+or seven other varieties of corn, the plantain, sweet potatoes,
+onions, and cassada, are cultivated to a great extent in the
+interior countries.</p>
+
+<p>Reptiles are exceedingly numerous, but the bites of few of them,
+as far as I was able to learn, are attended with fatal effects. We
+frequently saw in the woods of Borghoo and Houssa a large species
+of snake swinging in the sun-beams,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_7">[7]</span> with its tail encircling the branch of a tree;
+but on the approach of a human creature, it would attain the summit
+in an instant, and look from its elevation on the head of the
+person beneath. The boa constrictor we rarely met with alive; on my
+journey from Kano, however, I espied one of them, of about the
+bigness of a man’s thigh, coiled up like a rope, and partially
+concealed by fallen branches and leaves of trees. I watched the
+monster attentively for a moment or two, being within a few yards
+of the spot: but at length observing me, it attempted to hide
+itself, when I immediately discharged my piece at its head, and in
+all probability wounded the animal, although it eluded a rigorous
+search that I caused to be made after it. The beautiful reptile
+called at the Cape of Good Hope the puff-adder, is unknown in the
+central parts of the continent; but a slender green snake,
+elegantly variegated with black, which is sometimes met with in the
+former country, is seen in almost every inhabited place of the
+latter. I have frequently observed, on awaking in the morning, one
+or more of these reptiles, gliding from<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_8">[8]</span> underneath the mat on which I had been
+sleeping, towards the door of the hut, and so making their escape.
+The bite is speedily mortal. Another snake, about two feet long, of
+a greyish colour, whose bite is also fatal, is found in many parts
+of the country. Pasko snatched up an adder of this description one
+day, thinking it to be a bit of decayed wood, covered with lichen,
+which it greatly resembles; but feeling the reptile twisting itself
+round his fingers, he cast it from him before it had power to bite,
+and immediately fainted from excess of fear. The natives hold all
+poisonous snakes in the greatest dread, and can never be induced to
+touch them, even after they are destroyed, believing that, although
+there be no cut on the hand by which it could so enter, their venom
+yet attaches itself to the skin, and insinuates itself into the
+blood of the person that seizes it.</p>
+
+<p>Of insects the most formidable are the ant, the locust, the
+mosquito, the centipede (a peculiarly hideous animal), and the
+scorpion. The bites of the two latter are attended with danger; but
+although they frequently visited us in our tents<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span> and huts, we never had the
+ill-fortune to suffer from their attacks.</p>
+
+<p>Wild animals, in incredible numbers, abound in the woods;
+amongst which are the lion, elephant, tiger, tiger-cat, panther,
+leopard, hyena, wolf, and hog. The camel is found in a wild state
+in Houssa; and that beautiful animal the giraffe, or cameleopard,
+also inhabits the forests of the same country. I saw three of them
+in my travels between Zaria, Kano, and Soccatoo; they are
+excessively timid, and are rarely, if ever, caught by the natives.
+Although the tremendous roar of the lion, which made the woods
+tremble, could be heard by us when travelling at all hours of the
+night; yet I never saw but two of those ferocious animals, a male
+and female; which incident has already been mentioned in a
+preceding part of my narrative.</p>
+
+<p>The elephant is annually becoming more shy and scarce in the
+interior. The country people say that they have been taught the
+value of their tusks, and therefore studiously avoid, as often as
+possible, the haunts of man, by penetrating<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_10">[10]</span> more deeply into the bosom of their
+ancient forests. Be this as it may, they are not so frequently seen
+in Houssa as formerly, and less often slain; and although numerous
+traces of them were perceptible in the woods, we never met with a
+considerable number at one time in all our journeyings. Elephants
+are more numerous in the deep woods on the borders of the Quorra,
+near the island of Boussa, than in any other place whatever. This
+may be accounted for by the king of that country having interdicted
+his subjects, under dreadful penalties, from slaying them. The
+fetish of the same monarch is a white elephant; and it is believed
+that he can assume the form of that animal whenever inclination or
+necessity may prompt him to disguise himself. Hence elephants are
+held in considerable veneration by all ranks in Boussa; and the
+figure of a <em>white</em> one is worshipped as a god in that
+kingdom.</p>
+
+<p>I have often heard it remarked, that the elephant is as sluggish
+in his motions as he is unwieldly in appearance; but this is by no
+means the case. In proportion to his size, he is as<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span> fleet as other animals, which I
+learnt to my cost in South Africa; for on going out shooting one
+day I disturbed a huge elephant, which, unobserved by me, was
+standing at a very short distance. The animal immediately pursued
+me; but it being a few seconds before he could disentangle his legs
+from the thick underwood that grew on the spot, I was considerably
+in advance before he got into open ground. The beast ran much
+faster than I, and would have overtaken me in a few minutes, if a
+dog that was with me had not made an alarm which drew our party out
+of their encampment, fixed at no great distance, who came to my
+assistance, and drove the animal back. As it was, I was almost
+frightened to death, and resolved never again to come to such close
+quarters with an elephant, bulky as he might be; since that quality
+does not prevent him from using his gigantic legs with elegance and
+dispatch.</p>
+
+<p>Of all untamed animals in Central Africa, hyenas are most to be
+dreaded; they are astonishingly bold and ferocious, and commit
+great depredations on the domestic animals of the<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span> natives. The howl of these
+creatures is truly terrific, and their demoniacal laugh is enough
+to appal the stoutest heart; hundreds of them used to pass and
+repass our tent in the woods by night, our fires alone preventing
+them from commencing an attack on our persons. The wild hog also
+does a great deal of mischief; they visit the plantations in
+immense droves, and destroy the corn, or whatever else may be
+growing on them. They inhabit the woods of Houssa, but more
+particularly those in the vicinity of Soccatoo, where they are
+found in considerable numbers; but no pains are taken by the
+inhabitants of that city to exterminate them; in fact the
+Mohammedan portion of the community would rather embrace a leper
+than touch the skin of one of these abhorred animals; and there
+cannot be a greater affront than to give a Falatah the epithet of
+“pork-eater.”</p>
+
+<p>The domestic animals are the camel, horse, ass, ox, pig, goat,
+sheep, &amp;c.; turkeys, ducks (the Muscovy kind), geese, the
+Guinea and common fowl, are also tamed. The turkey is no where to
+be met with after leaving Yariba; nor is the<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_13">[13]</span> camel seen in that or any other country
+between it and the coast. Although the pig is detested by the
+Falatahs, the Mohammedan negro feasts on its flesh without the
+slightest reluctance, as do likewise the Pagan natives
+indiscriminately. The large species of ox with the hump, was first
+brought into Houssa, Nyffé, Borghoo, Yariba, Cuttum Cora, Cubbé,
+&amp;c. by the Falatahs, the native breed being diminutive, and
+without the hump. The beef of both kinds is always dry, and tough
+as leather; and as by reason of the heat it never gets perfectly
+cool, or solid, it is very indifferent eating. The sweetest and
+most palatable animal food, is the flesh of kids, which is publicly
+sold in the markets at a reasonable rate.</p>
+
+<p>The native horse of the countries above enumerated, is
+particularly small and shaggy; it is generally of a mouse colour,
+with hair as soft and fine as silk; and, like the ass, has a black
+streak placed transversely on the back and shoulders. The finest
+horses are imported from Bornou, which country supplies every other
+in the interior with that useful animal; and these are
+handsome,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span> powerful
+beasts. The ass is common in the interior, and for size, speed,
+strength, and beauty, surpasses any animal of its kind I have ever
+seen, not even excepting the most approved of the famous Spanish
+breed. They are highly valued by the natives, and in some instances
+are preferred to the horse. Sheep and goats are plentiful, but are
+of very inferior description; none of the former are to be found
+with the enormous tail of fat which so peculiarly distinguishes
+that animal at the Cape; but, as in all tropical countries, they
+have hair instead of wool. Dogs and asses are eaten in Yariba, and
+their flesh is much sought after.</p>
+
+<p>Of the feathered tribe, there are various species, of rich and
+brilliant plumage. Parrots, Guinea fowls in a wild state, and a
+variety of doves, are seen in the branches of the beautiful trees,
+and by their chattering and cooing, impart a grateful animation to
+the spot near which they may happen to take up their abode. The
+golden pigeon is sometimes to be seen; its ground colour is a rich
+and vivid blue, and the feathers on the breast and under the wings
+are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span> tinged with a
+glittering yellow, whence it takes its name. The grey pelican
+abounds on the margins of rivers and streams in Houssa; it is much
+less than the white pelican, and the beak in particular is
+considerably smaller than that of the latter species. The former
+are found in immense numbers, more especially at a place called
+Zulamee, and build their nests close to the water’s edge, near to
+which they always stand to feed their young. The eggs are esteemed
+as a delicacy by the natives; but the flesh of the bird is of so
+offensive a flavour that it cannot be eaten. It is somewhat
+singular that the opinion of the pelican feeding its young with its
+blood is as general in Houssa as it is amongst the lower class of
+people in Europe; and to this belief I must acknowledge myself a
+proselyte! I have stood for a long while together by the side of
+this stupid animal, watching its motions, and seeing it bending its
+head for its offspring to extract their nourishment. The young ones
+thrust their beaks into a small round aperture at the lower part of
+the back of the neck of their parent, and they swallow the
+substance<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span> that flows
+freely through. If it be not blood that issues from the old bird,
+it is a red liquid so closely resembling it, that the difference
+cannot be perceived. I took a sketch of a pelican feeding its young
+in this manner, in Houssa, which is now in my possession; and I
+should not have said so much on the subject, if my assertions had
+not been questioned by several of my countrymen.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter iw2">
+<figure id="i2"><a href="images/i2.jpg"><img src='images/i2.jpg'
+alt="Pelicans feeding their young" title=
+"Pelicans feeding their young"></a>
+</figure>
+</div>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span>I met with few of
+the species of birds to be found in Southern Africa, in the more
+central parts. A rook having a white ring round its throat, is the
+same in both regions, as is also a small bird called in the former
+country <em>finy fink</em>, and in the latter the “harvest-bird.”
+Its feathers are fine, soft, and silky; but retain their splendid
+colour only whilst the corn is in the ground, changing its plumage
+to a russet brown as soon as the grain is fairly housed, which is
+just about the period that its young are able to take wing. There
+are two varieties of this beautiful bird, the colours of the one
+being yellow and black, and those of the other a bright scarlet, or
+red and black.</p>
+
+<p>The rivers swarm with fish, which, generally speaking, are not
+very delicious eating; and the consumption of them is confined
+chiefly to the lower orders of the community. Crocodiles in
+incredible numbers infest the rivers and streams from Badagry to
+Soccatoo, and are held in considerable dread. I never saw any of
+these amphibious monsters of such exceeding length and enormous
+dimensions as I have heard spoken of;<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_18">[18]</span> the largest I saw measuring no more than from
+fourteen to eighteen feet in length, and of proportionate bulk.
+They sometimes attack the human species; but such instances of
+their ferocity are not so often displayed as the natives would wish
+strangers to believe, for, being fond of the terrible, they magnify
+the most trifling incident in the world to one of excessive horror.
+The eggs of the crocodiles are eaten by the people, and greatly
+esteemed; they are certainly preferable to their hen’s eggs, which
+are rarely more than half hatched, and when dressed look and taste
+like water and curdled milk. They are also superior in flavour to
+the eggs of the penguin, and although larger, closely resemble them
+in appearance when boiled, the yolk in both being of a pale yellow,
+and the more liquid part of a delicate blue. The former are used as
+charms by the natives of Yariba and Borghoo, not only to deter
+crocodiles from visiting their villages, but likewise to avert the
+“Evil Eye.”</p>
+
+<h3><span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span>THE YAM YAM.</h3>
+
+<p>The Yam Yam, in his most conspicuous traits, is alike different
+from the Falatah, the Arab, and him that claims a Bornou descent,
+resembling, as nearly as possible, the Caffre of the southern
+interior. The same open, manly countenance—the same jetty blackness
+of skin—the same noble but restless eye—the same advantageous
+stature, and athletic, powerful form, are observable in both
+savages; and they have a like fondness for pastoral pursuits; but
+the Yam Yam differs from the Caffre in being a cannibal. He is
+accused by every nation of the revolting crime of eating his own
+species; yet the united testimony of every nation might be
+questioned as arising from prejudice or dislike, if he did not
+confess it himself. A Yam Yam told me at Kano, deliberately and
+seriously, that his countrymen not only devour the bodies of their
+enemies taken in battle, but feed on the flesh of their friends and
+companions, purchased from human shambles!</p>
+
+<h3><span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span>THE ARABS.</h3>
+
+<p>This ancient and extraordinary people are spread like locusts
+over the central parts of the continent; and, like locusts also,
+have left marks of their devastating qualities wherever they have
+appeared. Both Saracen and Moor fall under the general denomination
+of <em>Arab</em>; and although it is said that the former made an
+irruption and settled in the northern parts as early as the seventh
+or eighth century, and the Arabs three or four centuries
+subsequently to that era, there does not appear at this time to be
+the least difference in the persons or manners of the whole. At
+whatever period they crossed the desert, however, it is certain
+that the wild and fanatical religion of Mohammed accompanied them,
+and that they preached it with zeal and energy amongst the natives,
+making innumerable converts to the new and strange doctrine.</p>
+
+<p>The Arabs in Houssa and other parts have, unhappily, lost all
+trace of their ancient splendour, as well as the characteristic
+features of their countrymen. Like the Jews in Barbary, monopolize
+not only all the trade, but likewise all<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_21">[21]</span> the money concerns of the state and people;
+degenerating from a restless, but high-minded and imaginative race,
+to the vilest and most grovelling on the face of the earth. They
+pluck the ignorant and superstitious aborigines of their substance
+with impunity, and perpetrate the most revolting crimes for the
+bare love of gain. Some of them are observed straggling from one
+end of the African continent to the other, practising, like
+wandering quacks, the most shameful impositions in the different
+towns and villages through which they may happen to pass. An Arab
+mallam selling the small balls of tin to a native chief, which has
+been already mentioned, is a proof of this; and hundreds of other
+examples might be adduced, if necessary, as a further corroboration
+of the truth of my assertion. They also tell fortunes, and by
+various incantations pretend to discover the authors of robberies
+or mischief of any kind that may have been effected. Some again
+remain stationary in cities and in courts, ever ready to take
+advantage of circumstances to cheat and embezzle, and to enrich
+themselves at the expense of the<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_22">[22]</span> prince or the public; and, although they are
+so numerous in the interior, I do not believe there exists half a
+dozen honest men amongst them. Unacquainted with the brilliant
+achievements that shed so rich a lustre over his earlier history,
+the Arab of the internal districts of Africa ceases to retain the
+politeness, the gallantry, the lofty enthusiasm, and the love for
+the fine arts, which distinguished his ancestors under the Califs;
+and even the desire of collecting and preserving Arabic
+manuscripts, which for a long time prevailed amongst his
+countrymen, is now wholly extinct. Intolerant and bigoted in their
+religious principles, the Arabs look with invincible contempt on
+all those differing from them in opinion; and their dislike to
+Christians in particular is inveterate and deeply-rooted. They did
+their utmost to prejudice the minds of the rulers as well as the
+<em>canaille</em> of Africa against us, by propagating the most
+unfavourable rumours of our character and our motives; and
+partially succeeded in convincing them that we were either spies or
+robbers; insomuch that the term “Christian” became in
+disrepute<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span> with a
+large portion of all ranks, and a watchword for reproaches and
+indignities of every description. Jealous and malevolent, and
+fearful that through our means the great fabric of imposture they
+had reared with so much facility on the basis of superstition would
+be overthrown, as well as their lucrative trade with the natives
+ruined, they watched all our actions with distrust and alarm; and
+although they covered their faces with smiles on visiting us, or on
+accosting us in the streets, those looks of kindness were put on
+only to lull us into a security, and to impress us with the belief
+that they were our best friends. Their relentless malice at length
+displayed itself; for by repeatedly throwing out indirect
+insinuations on our integrity in the hearing of Sultan Bello, these
+Arabs succeeded in undermining our reputation in the eyes of that
+monarch; the consequences of which hastened the death of my valued
+master, together with the failure of the African Mission—for, to
+the perfidious endeavours of those scoundrels I must attribute our
+detention in Soccatoo, and all the misfortunes which attended that
+restraint.</p>
+
+<h3><span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span>THE
+FALATAHS.</h3>
+
+<p>The Falatahs, as a people, are perhaps not less extraordinary
+than the Arabs, whom they formerly resembled in their unsettled,
+wandering habits, and simple manners. No one can tell their origin,
+from what country they at first emigrated, or to what extent they
+have scattered themselves. They have overrun the continent from
+east to west, and are found tending their flocks and herds near the
+sea, and warring with success in the interior: some of them profess
+the Mohammedan religion, and some worship stocks and stones; but
+all speak the same language, and have the same ceremonies and
+amusements. The negroes who have travelled farthest have declared
+to me that Falatahs are every where to be met with, seldom mixing
+with the owners of the soil; but, like the gipsies of Europe,
+keeping themselves a peculiar and distinct people.</p>
+
+<p>When I was at Graham’s Town, Cape of Good Hope, in 1824, two
+copper-coloured men, who had incautiously separated themselves from
+their companions, were found wandering in the<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_25">[25]</span> woods in the vicinity of the place, and
+brought into it by a body of Caffres; they excited at the time a
+great deal of curiosity, and conjecture was afloat as to what
+particular nation they could have belonged to. For my part, from
+what I now know, I have every reason for believing that those very
+men were Falatahs; and I have a strong persuasion within my own
+breast that the tribe called in Southern Africa the <em>Red</em>
+Caffre, and the Falatah of the eastern and central parts, are one
+and the same people! I do not affirm that they <em>are</em>
+actually the same; I only state it as my decided conviction that
+they have sprung from one common source. I know nothing of the
+language of the Red Caffre, but he certainly does not differ from
+the Falatah in personal appearance; and by all accounts the
+manners, customs, and ceremonies of both are precisely the same. It
+would be a truly magnificent undertaking to traverse the unexplored
+regions between Leetakoo and the (so called) Mountains of the Moon;
+and every way worthy the courage and enterprise of an Englishman. I
+really believe that a person acquainted with the genius
+and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span> usages of the
+natives, and possessing a persevering, undaunted spirit, with an
+unruffled temper, would find no insurmountable difficulties against
+accomplishing this object, stupendous as it may at first appear; he
+might soon and easily accommodate himself to the manners of the
+Africans, which are generally mild and simple, and do not differ,
+in many very essential points, from the Cape to Bornou; and leaving
+gradually, and almost imperceptibly, the healthy for the
+insalubrious climates, his frame would be prepared, by such
+degrees, to encounter the transition.</p>
+
+<p>At one time the Falatahs never resided in towns, but rambled,
+with their flocks and herds, from place to place, as pasturage and
+water might invite their steps. They journeyed in companies, having
+no particular chief, or regular form of government; and their
+numbers were at first too contemptible to excite the notice, still
+less the fears, of the aborigines. Into Houssa they stole
+insensibly by “ones and twos,” and finding that fertile and
+beautiful country much to their liking, they took up a permanent
+abode<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span> in the woods at
+no great distance from the spot on which Soccatoo now stands.</p>
+
+<p>By some secret intelligence or correspondence, hordes of their
+straggling countrymen soon gathered around them, and they at length
+built a town in the province of Goober, in Houssa, and chose for
+themselves a chief, named Danfodio. This man was well versed in the
+religion of Mohammed, and had derived from the figurative language
+and splendid diction of the Koran, a visionary and romantic turn of
+mind, which prompted him to undertake novel and daring exploits,
+not unworthy that great legislator whose work he had so intently
+studied. He began at first to meddle with the polity of the ruling
+prince of Goober, and adopted the language of dictation to that
+imbecile monarch, which not being altogether agreeable to the royal
+mind, the newly built Falatah town was levelled with the dust, and
+the chief himself, with all his people, driven out of the country
+into the woods, wherein they erected another town; and the Falatahs
+from the east and west flocked, in considerable numbers, to the
+standard<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span> of their
+countryman. Finding his strength daily and hourly increasing,
+Danfodio divided his men into bands, or companies, and nominating a
+captain to each fifty, bade them go forth and conquer in the name
+of the Prophet, for that God had given them the lands and houses of
+the natives. He also embraced the opportunity of impressing upon
+the minds of the leaders, with admirable eloquence, the most
+prominent features of the religion they professed; and artfully
+insinuated the exalted and unfading happiness which those who fell
+in the cause of Mohammed would be entitled to in the other world.
+The captains, filled with ardour and enthusiasm, found little
+difficulty in the accomplishment of the task imposed upon them by
+their crafty leader. With a handful of men the flourishing and
+important city of Kano was taken and pillaged; and other parties
+overran the country and subjugated the people, telling them that
+the Almighty had given them their possessions for an inheritance;
+and that they themselves, with their offspring, must ever after be
+their slaves and bondsmen. The stupid natives<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_29">[29]</span> were palsied with fear, and understanding
+little or nothing of the Koran, knew not what to think of the
+strange doctrines of the Prophet sprung up so suddenly and
+unexpectedly amongst them. Danfodio’s pretensions, therefore, were
+seldom disputed; the Houssans have often declared to me that the
+strength and inclination to “shake the spear!” were denied them;
+they had no will of their own,—their hands fell powerless by their
+sides, and they felt as if they had been touched by the finger of a
+god, or were under the influence of an eastern talisman. Abandoning
+their wives and children to the mercy of the invaders, they
+consented to lose their liberty, and fell, like “silly sheep,” into
+the snare that had been laid for them with so little art; not even
+attempting to struggle with their oppressors; or if so, making
+efforts as puny and ineffectual as the fluttering of a fly in a
+spider’s web. Of all the provinces in Houssa, Goober alone made a
+show of resistance; its monarch invested Danfodio in his own town,
+but being repulsed with loss, made a precipitate retreat to Coonia,
+the capital<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span> of his
+kingdom. He was pursued thither with slaughter by the Falatahs,
+who, in their turn, surrounded his town, and succeeded in slaying
+him in a sally, when the inhabitants, deprived of a leader,
+immediately capitulated, and bowed their necks to the yoke of the
+Falatah chieftain. All Houssa was now in subjection; Bornou was
+attacked with success; the dynasty of that ancient kingdom tottered
+to its foundation, and its monarch trembled on his throne. The
+Falatahs pushed their almost bloodless conquests to Nyffé, and
+conquering part of that country with the whole of Cubbé and Youri,
+had the audacity to enter Katunga, the metropolis of Yariba, which
+being an idolatrous city, was set on fire; but the inhabitants,
+recovering from the panic into which they had been so suddenly
+thrown, rallied, and turning upon the incendiaries, compelled them
+to make a precipitate, and disgraceful retreat. For some reason,
+which I could never exactly comprehend, Danfodio hastily recalled
+his victorious soldiers, and concentrating his power in Houssa,
+founded the city of Soccatoo, somewhere about<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_31">[31]</span> the year 1798, which he resolved should be
+the metropolis of his usurped empire. Here he lived in peace for
+many years, uniting in his own person, like his celebrated
+prototype, the sacerdotal and kingly offices; and ruled his people
+with candour, equity, and justice. As soon as the Arabs were made
+acquainted with these sudden and important changes, they hastened,
+with well-timed speed, to do homage to the success of his arms and
+the wisdom of his councils; and ingratiated themselves so
+effectually into the favour of the conqueror, by flattering his
+self-love with artful and well-directed encomiums, that he loaded
+them with benefits, and intreated them to remain for ever in his
+newly-acquired territory. He also presented them with horned
+cattle, camels, and slaves, and offered them the most fertile lands
+in Houssa, if they would consent to teach his subjects to read the
+Koran, and give them an acquaintance with the Arabic language and
+literature.</p>
+
+<p>In the midst of these proceedings, the terrible Danfodio, at
+whose name thousands of<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_32">[32]</span> negroes trembled, became religiously mad, and
+was often seized with paroxysms of remorse, for having erected a
+throne, by the shedding of so much Mussulman blood. In his lucid
+intervals, a melancholy preyed upon his mind, and he delivered his
+conscience into the hands of the Arab emirs who surrounded him.
+These hungry and insatiable adventurers plied the fanatical prince
+unceasingly for more valuable presents, as the only means of
+appeasing the wrath of offended Heaven; in which object they were
+eminently successful; but this failed in alleviating the malady
+that afflicted Danfodio, and he expired in great anguish in one of
+his fits about the year 1816, to the infinite joy of his conquered
+subjects, and the sincere regret of the interested Arabs, and the
+aspiring Falatahs. Amongst all people, however, he bore the
+reputation of being one of the most extraordinary men that had ever
+existed in the interior of Africa; and his enterprizing spirit,
+artful stratagems, and perfect acquaintance with the African
+character, which the whole tenor of his conduct evinces, show that
+the honor he had<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span>
+acquired was not founded on popular clamour, or national prejudice;
+but that his mind was greatly superior to those of the
+semi-barbarians that surrounded him. He had made great and
+important changes in the laws and government of the people he had
+subjugated to his sway, and created on the ruins of the most
+flourishing and beautiful kingdom in the interior, a new dynasty
+which is likely to become, in time, the most formidable power in
+the whole continent.</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed Bello, the present Sultan, and eldest son of Danfodio,
+ascended the throne, by the unanimous voice of the Falatahs,
+shortly after his father’s decease; but the government of the
+conquered territory to the westward of Houssa, was awarded to
+Mohammed Ben Abdallah, his cousin. Atego, a younger brother of
+Bello, attempted to raise a rebellion in furtherance of his own
+ambitious projects in opposition to the rightful heir, but being
+completely defeated in a pitched battle, by the partizans of Bello,
+was taken prisoner, and liberated after a year’s imprisonment in a
+common dungeon. He is now on a friendly footing with his
+brother,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span> but is a
+contemptible fellow, and appears to have sunk the dignity of the
+prince in the meanness of the man.</p>
+
+<p>On receiving intelligence of the death of the Sultan of the
+Falatahs, the people of Goober, and many of those of the other
+conquered provinces, impatient of the galling yoke which they had
+been compelled, much against their own inclinations, to bear, rose
+simultaneously into an open and general revolt, and put to death,
+indiscriminately, every Falatah that had located himself in their
+country. Then, forming themselves into a confederacy, with a
+variety of leaders at their head, they for a long time waged an
+exterminating war with the successor of Danfodio; but their
+movements being unconnected and irregular, and anarchy having the
+ascendancy in their councils, Bello had reconquered several of the
+mutinous districts at the period of our arrival, and made a great
+slaughter of the miserable inhabitants. The towns whose gates were
+not instantly opened to their summons, the Falatahs surrounded, and
+intercepting all communication between the people residing in them
+and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span> those of the
+neighbouring country, prevented any provisions being obtained by
+the besieged, and in a manner starved them into capitulation. The
+insurgents had made, however, for Africans, a gallant defence; and
+well knowing what they had to expect from their sanguinary
+adversaries, would not surrender till all their domestic animals
+had been consumed, and they themselves reduced to the extremity of
+feeding on decoyed vultures, which, next to human flesh, they most
+cordially abhor. Having obliged them at length to open the gates,
+the Falatahs rushed in, and pouncing upon the emaciated and
+unresisting inhabitants, made dreadful havoc of them, putting the
+old men and councillors to the edge of the sword; thrusting a sharp
+stake into their bodies, and exhibiting them on the tops of the
+walls and other conspicuous places, as melancholy trophies of their
+success, and as a spectacle of horror for their shuddering
+countrymen to profit by. In this situation the ghastly corpses were
+exposed, till they had fallen to pieces by the action of the air,
+or been devoured by birds of prey. The old women, and young people
+of both sexes, who<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span>
+had escaped the general massacre, were driven in triumph to
+Soccatoo, and retained as slaves by their imperious conquerors.
+This was the dismal fate of the inhabitants of Coonia, the capital
+of Goober, the prince of which country, named Doncasson, with other
+young men, laboured as a slave till a year or two before Captain
+Clapperton’s first arrival at Soccatoo, (about 1822,) when,
+effecting his escape, with the most determined of his countrymen,
+he was elected their captain, and being joined by numbers of the
+disaffected, marched forthwith to the metropolis of the kingdom of
+his ancestors, and vigorously assaulting it by surprise, the
+Falatahs, in their turn, after a short and ineffectual resistance,
+surrendered to the infuriated Gooberites.</p>
+
+<p>The merciless Doncasson retaliated upon the inhabitants the
+dreadful cruelties which they had so inhumanly inflicted upon his
+countrymen not long before; in addition to which, the left hand of
+every young woman in the town, in spite of their cries and tears,
+was amputated; after which, being set at liberty, they returned
+with their mutilated bleeding members, to Soccatoo.<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span> I saw several of the unfortunate
+creatures in that city who had undergone this barbarous operation;
+the hand had been cut off at the wrist, and the wound being left to
+nature for a cure, several of the young women had bled to death on
+the road.</p>
+
+<p>Sultan Bello meantime had not been an unconcerned or inactive
+spectator of the exploit of Doncasson; he immediately assembled a
+strong force, and made repeated attacks on Coonia, but was repulsed
+with loss in all his attempts. The belligerents likewise fought two
+pitched battles, in which the Falatahs were discomfited, and their
+Sultan wounded by a poisoned arrow; by this means the Falatahs were
+no longer considered as invincible by the original natives; and,
+foiled in all their manœuvres, they returned crest-fallen and
+defeated to Soccatoo. Bello soon recovered from the effects of his
+wound, but was ever after so excessively afraid of the
+<em>Towayahs</em>, as Doncasson’s followers were called, that,
+unless protected by a strong escort, neither he nor his people
+dared to venture near their territories.</p>
+
+<p>The Gooberites, at the period of my departure from Soccatoo, had
+received a considerable<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_38">[38]</span> reinforcement of cavalry from the Sheikh of
+Bornou, and were daily becoming stronger and more formidable to the
+Falatahs. Numerous bands of their young men infested the Goober, or
+<em>Gondamie</em> “bush,” through which the road to Kano lay. Here
+they hid themselves in caves and unfrequented places; but on
+receiving intelligence from their scouts of the approach of a body
+of the enemy, less powerful than themselves, they would suddenly
+emerge from their concealment, and springing upon the ill-fated
+Falatahs, generally contrived to capture or destroy them. Hence the
+rapidity with which we travelled through the dreaded bush—a
+rapidity that, in one instance, had nearly cost me my life; and
+hence the exclamation of “O, the Goober Bush!” so general amongst
+the Falatahs.</p>
+
+<h3>WAR WITH BORNOU.</h3>
+
+<p>The war between the Bornouese and Falatahs, which has been
+already mentioned as raging at the time of our arrival in Kano, and
+which had caused the Arabs in that city great uneasiness,
+originated from the following cause:—A famine<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_39">[39]</span> having impoverished the natives of the
+former country, and threatened them with utter destruction, the
+Sheikh sent a number of handsome horses, for which his kingdom is
+celebrated, as presents to the Governor of Kano, and the chiefs of
+other Falatah towns. The animals were delivered to the care of the
+ambassadors, who depicted to the receivers of them, in lively
+colours, the destitute condition of the people of Bornou; and
+intimated a wish that the Falatahs would relieve their wants, by
+returning as much corn and other provisions as they could readily
+spare, without putting themselves to an inconvenience. The custom
+of giving and receiving presents is of very ancient standing in
+Africa, and sanctioned by universal adoption. Instead of acceding
+to the reasonable desires of the Ruler of Bornou, the Chiefs of all
+the towns, excepting the Governor of Kano, kept indeed the horses,
+but followed the example of many rude nations of antiquity, as well
+as that of more modern times<a id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href=
+"#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> and sent back the
+ambassadors to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span> their
+monarch, with bundles of sharp-pointed spears, hinting by these
+hieroglyphics, that if the Sheikh wanted corn, he was to come and
+fight for it. The Governor of Kano, however, went even a step
+beyond this, for he not only retained the horses sent him, but
+bound the unsuspecting ambassadors hand and foot, and taking them
+to the market-place, the pitiless Falatah publicly butchered them
+in cold blood. The consummation of this atrocious act, to which I
+was myself a spectator, elicited a universal murmur of
+disapprobation from the slaves, who form by far the major part of
+the inhabitants of the city; and it was generally feared, from
+their deep but not loud execrations, that they would have risen
+into open revolt, and revenged the murder of the Bornouese, by
+wreaking their vengeance on the head of the perpetrator of the
+abominable crime. This effervescence of the public mind,
+nevertheless,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span> had
+subsided at the period of my departure for Soccatoo, without
+producing any of the effects so much dreaded by the free population
+of Kano; and the recollection of the revolting and sanguinary
+action of the Governor was swallowed up in other and more important
+incidents.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the news of this melancholy catastrophe reached the
+ears of the Sheikh of Bornou, who was then at Kouka, the capital of
+his empire, he was so violently exasperated, that he swore by the
+Prophet he would have an immediate and ample revenge of the
+Falatahs for the insult they had offered him; and for this purpose,
+instantly assembling a numerous and powerful army, he hastened to
+chastise his relentless enemies. The inhabitants of every Falatah
+town opened their gates to the Sheikh till he reached Murmur, (the
+place in which Dr. Oudney died and was buried by my lamented
+master, in the former journey,) where the people who refused to
+follow the example set them by their countrymen; and prepared to
+defend themselves to the last extremity. The Bornouese, being
+unwilling<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span> to lose so
+much time as the investment of the town, in a formal manner, would
+inevitably occasion, contrived to ensnare a number of vultures, by
+baiting a crooked bit of iron, sharpened at the extremity, and
+resembling in shape a small sized English fish-hook, with pieces of
+putrid beef. These instruments, to which a long string was
+attached, were eagerly seized by those voracious birds, which by
+this means were caught with little difficulty. The soldiers of the
+Sheikh had no sooner obtained as many as they fancied would be
+necessary, by this stratagem, than they tied pieces of burning
+cotton to the claws or tails of the vultures, and so set them at
+liberty. The affrighted birds instantly flew into the town, and
+alighting on the thatch of the dwellings, of course set them on
+fire, and a general conflagration was the almost immediate
+consequence.</p>
+
+<p>This unlooked for calamity distracted the attention of the
+besieged; and all flew to arrest the progress of the flames, and to
+snatch their children from their burning habitations; whilst the
+Bornouese, taking advantage of the general<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_43">[43]</span> consternation that prevailed in the town,
+made a sudden rush on the massy gates or doors, (which are made of
+the bark of the date tree, fastened and strengthened with iron
+clasps,) and so desperate was the assault, that in less than a
+minute’s time they had entered the place, and were engaged in their
+work of death and slaughter amongst the inhabitants.</p>
+
+<p>The infuriated Bornouese pursued their way through the burning
+streets, amidst the crackling huts of the people, and the general
+devastation and ruin—respecting neither party, but frequently
+overwhelming both themselves and their enemies in one common
+destruction. The male Falatahs were marked out as peculiar objects
+of the vengeance of the victorious troops, one only escaping to
+tell the dismal tale to his countrymen; but not yet satiated with
+blood, the pagan soldiers in the army of the Sheikh captured all
+the unoffending females who were running about in every direction,
+with their offspring in their arms, or on their breasts; and, as
+with the Gooberites, after amputating one of their hands, ejected
+them from their town, snatched their children from
+their<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span> embraces, and
+compelled the poor creatures to wander without protection, and
+almost dead with grief and intense suffering, to other towns and
+villages, before arriving at which many of them were released by
+death.</p>
+
+<p>Several other Falatah towns were treated in a similar dreadful
+manner by the Bornouese, who marched hastily towards Kano; but when
+about a day’s journey from that city, were intercepted by the
+troops of the king of Jacoba, and other allies of Bello, and coming
+to an engagement, the latter were utterly routed by the Sheikh,
+after a short but sanguinary contest. The Bornouese obtained
+immense booty by this victory, and on drawing near the walls of
+Kano, the governor went out to meet them with the joint forces of
+that city and the province of Zeg Zeg, when the Falatahs again
+suffered a mortifying defeat, and were obliged to flee back into
+Kano, the immense wall of which, with its ponderous doors, alone
+prevented the victorious Sheikh, flushed with success, and glutted
+with revenge, from following them into the town, and annihilating
+every soul; in which he<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_45">[45]</span> would undoubtedly have been assisted by the
+murmuring slaves.</p>
+
+<p>Bello, meantime, was gathering together an immense army to
+attack the Sheikh, who, being made acquainted with the
+circumstance, in order more effectually to secure the booty he had
+already required, having fulfilled to the letter his terrible
+denunciation on the insolent Falatahs, thought proper to raise the
+siege of Kano, and return to his own kingdom, laden with provisions
+and spoil; nor did the Gooberites leave it in the power of Bello to
+make reprisals on his triumphant adversaries; so that they were
+suffered to retreat unmolested to Bornou.</p>
+
+<p>The old coffee-pot, tent, and drum, which the disappointed
+Falatahs boasted, amongst other things, they had captured from the
+Bornouese, and which were publicly exhibited as trophies of a
+victory they had never won, were owned, the day before I left
+Soccatoo, by the discomfited king of Jacoba, as his property, and
+restored to that monarch immediately. The prince informed me that
+the soldiers of the Sheikh were<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_46">[46]</span> so loaded with articles of greater value,
+that they did not think it worth while to have the trouble of
+conveying an old worn-out tent, coffee-pot, &amp;c. to Bornou, and
+therefore left them behind for the use of their opponents.</p>
+
+<p>I could hardly forbear laughing to see the animosity which the
+Falatahs evinced against the unconscious coffee-pot, and the
+dreadful punishments they inflicted upon it, on all occasions, as
+if this inanimate vessel could satisfy their thirst for vengeance
+on their enemies. I have heard of boys in England, during the
+period of the war with France, desperately lopping off the tops of
+thistles with a walking-stick, and exclaiming, with appropriate
+gesticulation, “Oh, if you were Frenchmen, we would behead you in
+this manner!” The expression of the Falatah, with regard to the
+coffee-pot, was very similar. I have seen him lift his spear in a
+transport of rage, and while his eyes flashed fire, cry out with
+dreadful vehemence: “Oh, if you were the Sheikh of Bornou, thus
+would I pierce your vile body!” accompanying his words and gesture
+by making, with all the fury of excitement and disappointed
+revenge, a valorous thrust at<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_47">[47]</span> the ill-used breakfast-preparer of the king
+of Jacoba. When it came to be understood, however, that the
+coffee-pot did not actually belong to the Bornouese monarch, but
+was the property of one of their most faithful allies, they were
+overwhelmed with shame and chagrin; but hushed up the matter as
+well as they were able, vowing, that as soon as the Gooberites
+should give them a short respite, they would be amply revenged on
+their spirited and successful antagonists.</p>
+
+<h3>WAR WITH FUNDAH.</h3>
+
+<p>Fundah was described to me as being a large and populous city,
+the capital of a kingdom of the same name, and situated on the
+banks of the Niger. It is defended by a high wall, except the part
+facing the sea; and canoes are continually plying up and down the
+river, between the town and the bight of Benin. The inhabitants,
+having received a quantity of European fire-arms from the coast by
+this water-conveyance, no sooner heard of the Falatah conquests,
+than they perforated the wall of Fundah with innumerable little
+holes, barely large enough to<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_48">[48]</span> admit the barrels of muskets, and light for
+the soldiers to distinguish objects without. The city never was
+invested in Danfodio’s time, that prince wisely contenting himself
+with the subjection of Houssa, &amp;c.; but Bello, his successor,
+having cast an envious eye on so rich and flourishing a kingdom,
+had long premeditated the conquest of dominions that lay so near
+and so commodious for the accomplishment of his ambitious views;
+and attempted to carry his well-matured design into execution a few
+weeks only after Captain Clapperton had quitted Soccatoo on his
+former journey (1824).</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan accordingly, assembling all his forces, marched with
+a formidable army towards the devoted Fundah; and halting about a
+half mile from that city, sent the following singular and
+characteristic message to the king:—</p>
+
+<p class="center med space-above15 space-below1">BELLO’S
+MESSAGE.</p>
+
+<p>“Ruler of Fundah! deliver up your country, your riches, your
+people, and your slaves, to the beloved of God, Mohammed Bello,
+king of all the Mussulmans, without reluctance on<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span> your part; for if you do not
+suffer him quietly and peaceably to take possession of your
+kingdom, in order to propagate the religion of the only true
+Prophet in it, he will shed your blood, and the blood of your
+children, and the blood of your household; not one shall be left
+alive: while your people he will bind with fetters of iron, to be
+his slaves and bondsmen for ever—God having so spoken by the mouth
+of Mohammed!”</p>
+
+<p class="center med space-above15 space-below1">KING OF FUNDAH’S
+ANSWER.</p>
+
+<p>“Sultan of the Falatahs! The king of Fundah does not know you or
+your Prophet; he laughs your boastings to scorn, and despises your
+impotent threats. Go back to your country, and live in peace with
+your people; for if you persist in the foolish attempt to invade
+his dominions, you will surely fall by his hands; and instead of
+his or his subjects being your vassals and bondsmen,—your slaves
+shall be his slaves, and your people his people. Your chiefs and
+warriors, and mighty men, will he slaughter without mercy, and
+their blood shall be sprinkled<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_50">[50]</span> on the walls of his town; while even your
+mallams and emirs will he thrust through with spears, and cast
+their bodies into the woods, to be devoured by lions and birds of
+prey!”</p>
+
+<p>This insulting and contemptuous message to the beloved of God,
+the high-minded Bello, irritated the choler of the Falatah monarch
+to so great a degree, that he immediately ordered his cavalry to
+advance to the very walls of Fundah; and the conquest of that
+important city was already effected in his imagination;—the glory
+and fame he was about to acquire filled him with pride of heart,
+and the brightest visions of aggrandizement floated in his fancy.
+The cavalry were dressed in flowing white tobes; and as they drew
+near, the mallams, preceding the horse, read aloud sentences from
+the Koran, as they were wont to do, till, approaching within a few
+yards of the fatal wall, they made a simultaneous pause for the
+infantry to come up. The mallans then embraced the opportunity of
+reading a few Mohammedan prayers in Arabic, which no one understood
+or cared about; and the army unconcernedly prepared to make
+the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span> attack. They were
+quite easy as to the result of it; and contrary to the solemnity of
+the Moslam character, laughed, joked, and made merry amongst
+themselves, playing all manner of antics, just like a fool shaking
+his bells before the mouth of a cannon about to sweep him to
+destruction.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the king of Fundah had not been idle. Anticipating
+what was actually taking place, he had prepared to meet the shock
+of his powerful antagonist by every means that could be devised in
+so pressing an emergency, rallying the drooping spirits of his
+people, and dissipating the dread that even the <em>sound</em> of
+the Falatah name could not fail of inspiring. The apertures already
+mentioned as being formed in the wall, the prince caused to be
+filled with muskets; and placing a soldier at each, watched
+attentively the motions and advances of his enemies. He waited
+till, as it has already been remarked, the foe, by a strange
+indifference, began to play the fool almost close to the walls.
+Another moment—and a thousand Falatah jaws were extended to shout
+the war-cry of their countrymen, “Allah<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_52">[52]</span> Ackbar!” previously to making the
+premeditated assault; but before they had uttered the first
+syllable of the sentence, their mouths were suddenly closed by the
+salute of a volley of musketry from the fatal wall, which did
+dreadful execution amongst them. Hardly knowing what to make of
+this rough and ungracious reception, so entirely different from
+what they had ever before experienced, they were petrified to the
+spot, and could neither fly, nor prosecute the assault against the
+town; but kept their stupid eyes foolishly staring into each
+other’s countenance, as if to ask the meaning of what had taken
+place.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst the Falatahs were in this state of horrid suspense, and
+before they could have time to recover their presence of mind,
+another well-directed discharge of fire-arms from the holes in the
+wall, completed the general consternation, broke the charm that had
+bound them to the soil, and away scampered the heroic Mohammedans
+in all directions—Bello, the beloved of God, and king of all the
+Mussulmans! being the first to set them the example. At that
+instant the men<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span> of
+Fundah, rushing from the gates, accelerated the flight of the
+invaders, who were terror-stricken on hearing the war-cry of their
+pursuers, a loud, wild yell, close at their heels; many of them
+were killed, and many taken prisoners, not one of them daring to
+make the shadow of resistance, or even venturing to look behind
+him. Being loaded with booty, the successful people of Fundah
+discontinued the carnage, and returned in triumph to their
+city.</p>
+
+<p>In this disastrous affair, the Falatahs left five hundred of
+their best troops dead on the field, besides a vast number of
+prisoners and wounded; two hundred of the finest horses in their
+empire also fell into the hands of the conquerors, so that the
+threat of the Fundah monarch was more than partially accomplished.
+This, in African warfare, was considered as a sanguinary contest:
+indeed Bello himself was so severely humbled at the decisive and
+signal overthrow, that, for a long season afterwards, he was
+ashamed to show himself to his people. What surprised the Falatahs
+and their prince was the death of so many mallams, who,
+being<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span> placed in front
+of the horsemen, were consequently more exposed to the fire of the
+enemy, and the first victims to the Fundah musketry; but the
+greatest wonder of all was the loss of an Arab emir, who received
+two shots in his breast, and fell dead from the side of the sultan.
+These men were supposed to have a charmed life, and in all
+probability believed themselves that they were invulnerable; but
+the result proved on what a fragile tenure they had held their
+pretensions to impenetrability, and opened, in some measure, the
+eyes of the multitude to their abominable deceptions.</p>
+
+<p>The preceding information was first furnished to me by the king
+of Jacoba; and afterwards corroborated in all its particulars by
+Mohammed, a Houssa man, and servant of mine, who accompanied me to
+Dunrora. He had been himself a spectator of the bloody scene he
+described; and fought with the cavalry in the Falatah army, in
+their memorable exploit before the walls of Fundah.</p>
+
+<p>Bello, it was asserted, would not risk the dangers of a second
+campaign, the first having<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_55">[55]</span> given him a <em>quietus</em>, which, it was
+generally believed, would effectually damp his ardour for conquest
+during his lifetime. The Falatahs, a proud, conceited people, and
+excessively vain of their national spirit, carefully exclude from
+their conversation even an allusion to a defeat; whilst their
+victories are always made the most of, and repeated a thousand
+times in every company.</p>
+
+<p>The great eagerness and anxiety which Bello displayed on Captain
+Clapperton’s former visit to Soccatoo, to maintain a friendly
+intercourse with the English nation, arose undoubtedly from the
+expectation, that by the assistance he should derive by that means,
+he would find little difficulty in overcoming his enemies: a
+universal despotism which he had attempted, singly and unprotected,
+to erect over the minds and persons of every Pagan nation in the
+interior, being a desideratum with him, towards the accomplishment
+of which his thoughts and actions were unceasingly directed.</p>
+
+<h3><span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span>FOOD OF THE
+NATIVES.</h3>
+
+<p>In Houssa, and, generally speaking, in every country in the
+interior (except Yariba), the natives have but two meals a-day, one
+before sunrise, and the other after sun-set. The breakfast of the
+higher classes consists either of rice and milk, or flour and milk,
+boiled with honey, and butter manufactured from cow’s milk. The
+supper, which is considered the principal meal, is made of a small
+quantity of meat stewed in butter, and poured over a bowl of tuah.
+Poorer people breakfast on flour and water only; and their
+evening’s repast is composed simply of flour boiled in water till
+it attains the consistence of pudding, seasoned with a sauce made
+from a certain herb, which to the palate of an European would be
+most disgusting stuff indeed. With this, however, they are
+perfectly contented; and, indeed they are infinitely happier than
+the same class of people in Europe.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span><a id=
+"c11"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="csum">The Author resumes his Narrative — African huts —
+Recreations and evening amusements of his Master and himself —
+Illness of Captain Clapperton — His sufferings — Perfect
+resignation under them — His death — Burial — Character.</p>
+
+<p><span class="sc">My</span> master and myself enjoyed tolerable
+health for some weeks after my arrival in Soccatoo, I say
+<em>tolerable</em>, for <em>perfect</em> health we felt not even a
+single day in Africa. We variously employed our leisure hours as
+inclination or circumstances might guide our choice. We each went
+a-shooting repeatedly: this was Captain Clapperton’s favourite
+amusement, and almost the only out-of-door exercise he was at all
+eager to cultivate. He frequently went out with his gun at an early
+hour in the morning, and returned not till the evening was pretty
+far advanced. On all of these occasions the Captain<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span> was dressed in the costume of
+the country, which consisted, besides other articles, of a large,
+flowing tobe, and a red cap with a white muslin turban: the tobe
+was confined to his waist by a broad belt, in which a brace of
+pistols and a short dagger were stuck;—thus accoutred, my master
+looked more like a mountain robber setting out on a predatory
+excursion, than a British naval officer. His beard, also, which he
+had permitted quietly to grow, had undisputed possession of his
+chin, and was of a truly patriarchal length, extending even below
+his breast. This imparted to his countenance a venerable
+expression, and to his general appearance a degree of dignity, that
+excited the envy and admiration of the Arabs and Falatahs, who
+attach great importance to large bushy beards, which they all
+strive to obtain by various means.</p>
+
+<p>The hut in which we resided was a round building, about thirty
+yards in circumference, having so small an entrance that we were
+obliged to stoop on going into it, and its appearance very much
+resembled an immense bee-hive. It<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_59">[59]</span> had no window or other aperture whatever,
+besides the door-way already alluded to, so that light was admitted
+only from that channel; and the heat of the apartment was from the
+same cause rendered almost insupportable, being nearly ten degrees
+higher than in the shade outside. The hut was inclosed in a square
+yard, at one end of which the horses were confined, and the camels
+at another; and sheds were erected close to it, as sleeping
+apartments for the servants and slaves.</p>
+
+<p>For the erection of the walls of their huts, the natives use
+clay and earth, without hair, or any other substance. The mortar is
+made into round masses, somewhat larger than a skittleball, which
+being dried and hardened in the sun, are fit for use, and placed in
+tiers like bricks in England. As soon as the walls are raised to
+the usual height, the roof is constructed and placed on them; and
+the interstices between the tiers of balls and the balls themselves
+being filled up with moistened clay, the whole surface is plastered
+over with the same material by the hands of the workman, which,
+like the tail of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span>
+beaver, is his only tool, and the hut is then fit to be
+inhabited.</p>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p>Before retiring to rest of an evening, cigars we had brought
+from England with us were generally produced; and we inhaled their
+grateful fragrance oftentimes for an hour or two. This was the only
+luxury left us; our tea and sugar had been consumed long before,
+and we fared in every respect like the Falatahs themselves.
+Squatted on mats in our huts, we spent the lingering hours in
+reading aloud, or chatting of our respective homes, and reciting
+village anecdotes; and it is really incredible to believe to what a
+ridiculous consequence the most trivial incident in the world was
+magnified in these our solitary conversations; and how often we
+laughed at jests which had been laughed at a thousand times before.
+But this can only be felt in an equal degree by persons similarly
+circumstanced with ourselves; every other avenue to enjoyment had
+been effectually blocked up; nor could we derive any pleasure from
+the society of the treacherous Arab or interested Falatah.</p>
+
+<p>Sometimes, although neither of us was gifted<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span> with a voice of much power or
+compass, we attempted to sing a few English or Scotch tunes; and
+sometimes I played others on my buglehorn. How often have the
+pleasing strains of “Sweet, sweet Home,” resounded through the
+melancholy streets of Soccatoo? How often have its inhabitants
+listened with breathless attention to the music of the white-faced
+strangers? and observed to each other, as they went away, “Surely
+those Christians are sending a blessing to their country and
+friends!” Any thing that reminded my master of his native Scotland
+was always heard with interest and emotion. The little poem, “My
+native Highland home,” I have sung scores of times to him, as he
+has sat with his arms folded on his breast opposite to me in our
+dwelling; and notwithstanding his masculine understanding, and
+boasted strength of nerve, the Captain used to be somewhat moved on
+listening to the lines:</p>
+
+<div class="linegrp-container">
+<div class="linegrp">
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">“Then gang wi’ me to Scotland dear,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">We ne’er again will roam;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">&nbsp;And with thy smile, so bonny,
+cheer</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">My native Highland home!</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_62">[62]</span>“For blithsome is the breath of day,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">And sweet ’s the bonny broom,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">&nbsp;And pure the dimpling rills that
+play</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Around my Highland home.”</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>Thus our lonely evenings were spent; and when the time, the
+place, and the thousand other circumstances, are considered, the
+puerility of our amusements may surely be pardoned us. Such
+entertainments could not fail of awakening melancholy but pleasing
+associations within us; and to picture to our imaginations when in
+the bosom of Africa, and surrounded by wretches who sought our
+destruction, our own free and happy country, its heathy hills and
+flowery fields, and contrast them with the withering aspect of
+existing scenes, afforded us many an hour of delight and sorrow,
+gladness and gloom—although filling us with hopes that proved
+delusive, and expectations that we found, by fatal experience, to
+be in the highest degree visionary;—for, like the beautiful apple
+said to grow on the borders of the Red Sea, our hopes wore a fair
+and promising outside, but produced only bitter ashes.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span>For two months our
+manner of living and occupation were nearly unvaried. The Sheikh of
+Bornou had entered Houssa, during this period, with a multitude of
+men, and was reported to have laid siege to Kano, after the fall of
+which city he was to march to Soccatoo. This news terrified the
+inhabitants of the latter place to so great a degree, that every
+individual of consequence in it fled to the more secure and remote
+town of Magaria; and we were obliged to follow their example; but,
+events not turning out agreeably to anticipation, we returned to
+Soccatoo in about a week or fortnight afterwards.</p>
+
+<p>On the 12th of March all thoughts of further enjoyment ceased,
+through the sudden illness of my dear kind master, who was attacked
+with dysentery on that day. He had been almost insensibly declining
+for a week or two previously, but without the slightest symptoms of
+this frightful malady. From the moment he was first taken ill,
+Captain Clapperton perspired freely, large drops of sweat
+continually rolling over every part of his body, which weakened him
+exceedingly; and, being unable to obtain any one, even<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span> of our own servants, to assist,
+I was obliged to wash the clothes, kindle and keep in the fire, and
+prepare the victuals with my own hands. Owing to the intense heat,
+my master was frequently fanned for hours together: indeed, all my
+leisure moments were devoted to this tedious occupation; and I have
+often held the fan till, from excessive weakness, it has fallen
+from my grasp.</p>
+
+<p>Finding that, from increasing debility, I was unable to pay that
+unremitting attention to the numerous wants of the invalid which
+his melancholy state so peculiarly demanded, I sent to mallam Mudey
+on the 15th, entreating him to lend me a female slave to perform
+the operation of fanning. On her arrival the girl began her work
+with alacrity and cheerfulness; but soon becoming weary of her
+task, ran away, and never returned to our hut. I was therefore
+obliged to resume it myself; and, regardless of personal
+inconvenience and fatigue, strained every nerve, in order to
+alleviate, as much as possible, the sufferings occasioned by this
+painful disorder. My master daily grew weaker, and suffered
+severely<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span> from the
+intolerable heat of the atmosphere, the thermometer being, in the
+coolest place, 107 at twelve at noon, and 109 at three in the
+afternoon.</p>
+
+<p>At his own suggestion I made a couch for him outside our
+dwelling, in the shade, and placed a mat for myself by its side.
+For five successive days I took him in my arms from his bed to the
+couch outside, and back again at sunset, after which he was too
+much debilitated to encounter even so trifling an exertion. He
+expressed a wish to write once, and but once, during his illness,
+but before paper and ink could be handed to him, he had fallen back
+on his bed, completely exhausted by his ineffectual attempt to sit
+up.</p>
+
+<p>Fancying by certain suspicious symptoms, that my sick master had
+inadvertently taken poison, I asked him one day whether he thought
+that in any of his visits to the Arabs or Tuaricks in the city, any
+venomous ingredient had been secretly put into the camel’s milk
+they had given him to drink, of which he was particularly fond. He
+replied, “No, my dear boy, no such thing has been done, I assure
+you. Do you remember,”<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_66">[66]</span> he continued, “that when on a shooting
+excursion in Magaria, in the early part of February, after walking
+the whole of the day, exposed to the scorching rays of the sun, I
+was fatigued, and for some time lay under the branches of a tree?
+The soil on that occasion was soft and wet, and from that hour to
+the present I have not been free from cold. This has brought on my
+present disorder, from which, I believe, I shall never
+recover.”</p>
+
+<p>For twenty days the Captain remained in a low and distressed
+state, and during that period was gradually but perceptibly
+declining; his body, from being strong and vigorous, having become
+exceedingly weak and emaciated, and, indeed, little better than a
+skeleton. There could not be a more truly pitiable object in the
+universe than was my poor dear master, at this time. His days were
+sorrowfully and ignobly wasting in vexatious indolence; he himself
+languishing under the influence of a dreadful disease, in a
+barbarous region, far, very far removed from his tenderest
+connections, and beloved country; the hope of life
+quenched<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span> in his
+bosom; the great undertaking, on which his whole soul was bent,
+unaccomplished; the active powers of his mind consumed away; and
+his body so torn and racked with pain, that he could move neither
+head, hand, nor foot without suppressed groans of anguish; while
+the fire and energy that used to kindle in his eye had passed away,
+and given place to a glossy appearance—a dull saddening expression
+of approaching dissolution.</p>
+
+<p>In those dismal moments, Capt. Clapperton derived considerable
+consolation from the exercise of religious duties; and, being
+unable himself to hold a book in his hand, I used to read aloud to
+him daily and hourly some portions of the Sacred Scriptures. At
+times a gleam of hope, which the impressive and appropriate
+language of the Psalmist is so admirably calculated to excite,
+would pierce the thick curtain of melancholy that enveloped us;
+but, like the sun smiling through the dense clouds of a winter’s
+day, it shone but faintly; and left us in a state of gloomier
+darkness than before.</p>
+
+<p>Abderachman, an Arab from Fezzan, intruded<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_68">[68]</span> himself one day into our hut, and wished
+to read some Mohammedan prayers to my master, but was instantly
+desired to leave the apartment, with a request that he would never
+enter it again. This individual was the only stranger that visited
+him during his sickness.</p>
+
+<p>The Captain’s sleep was uniformly short and disturbed, and
+troubled with frightful dreams, in which he often reproached the
+Arabs with emphasis and bitterness; but being myself almost a
+stranger to the language (Arabic) I could not distinctly understand
+the tenor of his remarks.</p>
+
+<p>The unceasing agitation of mind, and exertion of body, which I
+had myself undergone in my unremitting duties, (never having in a
+single instance slept out of my clothes,) weakened me greatly; and
+a fever having come on me not long before my master’s death, hung
+upon me for fifteen days, and brought me to the very verge of the
+grave. Almost at the commencement of this illness, there being no
+other person to assist me in the manner I could wish, I obtained
+permission to take Pasko again into our service. As soon as he
+entered the hut, the repentant<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_69">[69]</span> old man fell upon his knees before the couch
+of his sick master, and intreated so piteously to be forgiven for
+the offences of which he had been guilty, that he was desired to
+rise, with a promise to overlook all that had passed, if his
+after-conduct should correspond with his apparent penitence.</p>
+
+<p>By this means, the washing and all the drudgery were taken from
+my shoulders, which enabled me to devote my whole time and
+attention to my affectionate master’s person; and, indeed, all my
+energies were required to bear me up under the pressure that almost
+bowed me to the dust. I fanned the invalid nearly the whole of the
+day, and this seemed to cool the burning heat of his body, of which
+he repeatedly complained. Almost the whole of his conversation
+reverted to his country and friends, although I never heard him
+regret his having left them; and he was patient and resigned to the
+last, a murmur of disappointment never escaping his lips.</p>
+
+<p>On the first of April the patient became considerably worse;
+and, although evidently in<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_70">[70]</span> want of repose, the virulence of his
+complaint prevented him from enjoying any refreshing slumbers. On
+the 9th, Maddie, a native of Bornou whom my master had retained in
+his service, brought him about twelve ounces of green bark, from
+the butter-tree, recommended to him by an Arab in the city; and
+assured us that it would produce the most beneficial effects.
+Notwithstanding all my remonstrances, a decoction of it was ordered
+to be prepared immediately, the too-confiding invalid remarking
+that no one would injure him. Accordingly, Maddie himself boiled
+two basons full, the whole of which stuff was swallowed in less
+than an hour.</p>
+
+<p>On the following day he was greatly altered for the worse, as I
+had foretold he would be, and expressed regret for not having
+followed my advice. About twelve o’clock at noon, calling me to his
+bed-side, he said,</p>
+
+<p>“Richard! I shall shortly be no more; I feel myself dying.”
+Almost choked with grief, I replied,</p>
+
+<p>“God forbid! my dear master; you will live many years to
+come.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span>“Do not be so much
+affected, my dear boy, I intreat you,” rejoined he; “you distress
+me by your emotion; it is the will of the Almighty; and therefore
+cannot be helped. Take care of my journal and papers after my
+decease; and when you arrive in London, go immediately to my
+agents, and send for my uncle, who will accompany you to the
+Colonial office, and see you deposit them with the Secretary. After
+my body is laid in the earth, apply to Bello, and borrow money to
+purchase camels and provisions for crossing the desert to Fezzan in
+the train of the Arab merchants. On your arrival at Mourzuk, should
+your money be expended, send a messenger to Mr. Warrington, our
+Consul for Tripoli, and wait till he returns with a remittance. On
+your reaching the latter place, that gentleman will further advance
+you what money you may require, and send you to England the first
+opportunity. Do not lumber yourself with my books, but leave them
+behind, as well as my barometer and sticks, and indeed every heavy
+or cumbersome article you can conveniently part with; you may give
+them to mallam Mudey, who will<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_72">[72]</span> preserve them. Remark whatever towns or
+villages you may pass through, and put on paper any thing
+remarkable that the chiefs of the different places may say to
+you.”</p>
+
+<p>I said, as well as my agitation would permit me, “If it be the
+will of God to take you, Sir, you may confidently rely, as far as
+circumstances will permit me, on my faithfully performing all that
+you have desired; but I hope and believe that the Almighty will yet
+spare you to see your home and country again.”</p>
+
+<p>“I thought at one time,” continued he, “that that would be the
+case, but I dare not entertain such hopes now; death is on me, and
+I shall not be long for this world; God’s will be done.” He then
+took my hand betwixt his, and looking me full in the face, while a
+tear glistened in his eye, said in a tremulous, melancholy
+tone:</p>
+
+<p>“My dear Richard, if you had not been with me I should have died
+long ago. I can only thank you with my latest breath for your
+devotedness and attachment to me; and if I could live to return to
+England with you, you should<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_73">[73]</span> be placed beyond the reach of want; the
+Almighty, however, will reward you.”</p>
+
+<p>This pathetic conversation, which occupied almost two hours,
+greatly exhausted my master, and he fainted several times whilst
+speaking. The same evening he fell into a slumber, from which he
+awoke in much perturbation, and said that he had heard with
+peculiar distinctness the tolling of an English funeral bell; but I
+entreated him to be composed, observing that sick people frequently
+fancy things which in reality can have no existence. He shook his
+head, but said nothing.</p>
+
+<p>About six o’clock on the morning of the 11th April, on my asking
+him how he did, my master replied in a cheerful tone, that he felt
+much better; and requested to be shaved. He had not sufficient
+strength to lift his head from the pillow; and after finishing one
+side of the face I was obliged myself to turn his head in order to
+get at the other. As soon as he was shaved, he desired me to fetch
+him a looking-glass which hung on the opposite side of the hut; and
+on seeing the reflection of his face in it, observed<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span> that he looked quite as ill in
+Bornou on his former journey, and that as he had borne his disorder
+for so long a time, there was some possibility of his yet
+recovering. On the following day he still fancied himself to be
+convalescent, in which belief I myself agreed, as he was enabled to
+partake of a little hashed guinea fowl in the course of the
+afternoon, which he had not done before during the whole of his
+confinement, having derived his sole sustenance from a little fowl
+soup and milk and water.</p>
+
+<p>These flattering anticipations, however, speedily vanished, for
+on the morning of the 13th, being awake, I was greatly alarmed on
+hearing a peculiar rattling noise issuing from my master’s throat,
+and his breathing at the same time was loud and difficult. At that
+moment, on his calling out “Richard!” in a low, hurried, and
+singular tone, I was instantly at his side, and was astonished
+beyond measure on beholding him sitting upright in his bed (not
+having been able for a long time previously to move a limb), and
+staring wildly around. Observing him ineffectually struggling to
+raise himself on his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span>
+feet, I clasped him in my arms, and whilst I thus held him, could
+feel his heart palpitating violently. His throes became every
+moment less vehement, and at last they entirely ceased, insomuch
+that thinking he had fallen into a slumber, or was overpowered by
+fain tings, I placed his head gently on my left shoulder, gazing
+for an instant, on his pale and altered features; some indistinct
+expressions quivered on his lips, and whilst he vainly strove to
+give them utterance, his heart ceased to vibrate, and his eyes
+closed for ever!</p>
+
+<p>I held the lifeless body in my arms for a short period,
+overwhelmed with grief; nor could I bring myself to believe that
+the soul which had animated it with being, a few moments before,
+had actually quitted it.</p>
+
+<p>I then unclasped my arms, and held the hand of my dear master in
+mine; but it was cold and dead, and instead of returning the warmth
+with which I used to press it, imparted some of its own unearthly
+chillness to my frame, and fell heavily from my grasp. O God! what
+was my distress in that agonizing moment? Shedding<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span> floods of tears, I flung myself
+along the bed of death, and prayed that Heaven would in mercy take
+my life!</p>
+
+<p class="tb">* * * *</p>
+
+<p>The violence of my grief having subsided, Pasko and Mudey, whom
+my exclamations had brought into the apartment, fetched me water,
+with which I washed the corpse, and with their assistance, carried
+it outside the hut, laid it on a clean mat, and wrapped it in a
+sheet and blanket. After leaving it in this state nearly two hours,
+I put a large neat mat over the whole, and sent a messenger to make
+Bello acquainted with the mournful event, as well as to obtain his
+permission to have the body buried after the manner of my own
+country; and also to learn in what particular place the Sultan
+would wish to have it interred. The man soon returned with a
+favourable answer to the former part of my request, and about
+twelve o’clock on the morning of the same day, a person came into
+the hut, accompanied by four slaves, to dig the grave; and wished
+me to follow him with the corpse. Accordingly, saddling my
+camel,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span> the body was
+placed on the animal’s back, and throwing a British flag over it, I
+requested the men to proceed. Having passed through the dismal
+streets of Soccatoo, we travelled almost unobservedly, at a solemn
+pace, and halted near Jungavie, a small village, built on a rising
+ground about five miles south-east of the city. The body was then
+taken from the camel’s back, and placed in a shed, whilst the
+slaves were employed in digging the grave. Their task being
+speedily accomplished, the corpse was borne to the brink of the
+pit, and I planted the flag close to it; then, uncovering my head,
+and opening a prayer-book, amidst showers of tears, I read the
+impressive funeral service of the Church of England over the
+remains of my valued master—the English flag waving slowly and
+mournfully over them at the same moment. Not a single soul listened
+to this peculiarly distressing ceremony; for the slaves were
+quarrelling with each other the whole of the time it lasted.</p>
+
+<p>This being done, the flag was taken away, and the body slowly
+lowered into the earth; and I wept bitterly as I gazed, for a last
+time, on all that remained of my intrepid and beloved
+master.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span> The grave was
+quickly closed, and I returned to the village, about thirty yards
+to the eastward of it, and giving the most respectable inhabitants
+of both sexes a few trifling presents, entreated them to let no one
+disturb the ashes of the dead; and also offered them a sum of money
+to erect a shed over the spot, which having accepted, they promised
+to do.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter iw2">
+<figure id="i3"><a href="images/i3.jpg"><img src='images/i3.jpg'
+alt="Funeral of Captain Clapperton" title=
+"Funeral of Captain Clapperton"></a>
+</figure>
+</div>
+
+<p>Thus perished, and thus was buried, Captain Hugh Clapperton in
+the prime of life, and in the strength and vigour of his manhood.
+No one could be better qualified than he by a fearless, indomitable
+spirit, and utter contempt of<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_79">[79]</span> danger and death, to undertake and carry into
+execution an enterprise of so great importance and difficulty, as
+the one with which he was entrusted. He had studied the African
+character in all its phases—in its moral, social, and external
+form; and like Alcibiades accommodated himself with equal ease to
+good, as well to bad fortune—to prosperity, as well as to
+adversity. He was never highly elated at the prospect of
+accomplishing his darling wishes—the great object of his
+ambition—nor deeply depressed when, environed by danger—care,
+disappointment, and bodily suffering which hanging heavily upon
+him, forbade him to indulge in hopeful anticipations. The negro
+loved him, because he admired the simplicity of his manners, and
+mingled with pleasure in his favourite dance; the Arab hated him,
+because he was overawed by his commanding appearance, and because
+the keen penetrating glance of the British Captain detected his
+guilty thoughts, and made him quail with apprehension and fear.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Clapperton’s stature was tall; his disposition was warm
+and benevolent; his temper mild, even, and cheerful; while his
+ingenuous,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span> manly
+countenance, pourtrayed the generous emotions that reigned in his
+breast. In fine, he united the figure and determination of a man,
+with the gentleness and simplicity of a child; and, if I mistake
+not, he will live in the memory of many thousands of Africans,
+until they cease to breathe, as something more than mortal; nor
+have I the least doubt that the period of his visiting their
+country will be regarded by some as a new era, from which all
+events of consequence, that affect them, will hereafter be
+dated.</p>
+
+<p>The grave was dug on a naked piece of ground, with no remarkable
+object near it to invite attention;—no mournful cypress or yew
+weeps over the lonely spot—no sculptured marble shines above all
+that remains of heroic enterprize and daring adventure! But the
+sleeper needs no funereal emblem to perpetuate his name and
+actions, having erected for himself a nobler and far more
+imperishable mausoleum in the breasts of his countrymen and the
+civilized world, than all the artists in the universe could rear
+over his ashes.</p>
+
+<p>Returning, after the funeral, disconsolate and oppressed, to my
+solitary habitation, I leaned<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_81">[81]</span> my head on my hands, and could not help being
+deeply affected with my lonesome and dangerous situation. A hundred
+and fifteen days’ journey from the sea-coast; surrounded by a
+selfish and barbarous race of strangers;—my only friend and
+protector, and last hope, mouldering in his grave, and myself
+suffering dreadfully from fever: I felt as if I stood alone in the
+world, and wished, ardently wished, I had been enjoying the same
+deep, undisturbed, cold sleep as my master, and in the same grave.
+All the trying evils I had encountered—all the afflictions I had
+endured—all the bereavements I had experienced, never affected me
+half so much as the bitter reflections of that distressing period.
+After a sleepless night, I went alone to the grave, and found that
+nothing had been done to it, nor did there seem to be the least
+inclination on the part of the inhabitants of the village to redeem
+their pledge. Knowing it would be useless to remonstrate with such
+wretches, I hired two slaves in Soccatoo the next day, who went to
+work immediately, and the shed over the grave was finished on the
+15th.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span><a id=
+"c12"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="csum">The Author’s severe indisposition and distress of
+mind — Conduct of Bello — Departure from Soccatoo — The Author
+almost perishes of thirst in the “Goober Bush,” where he is
+deserted by the faithless Pasko — The King of Jacoba — Horrid death
+of that monarch’s slaves — The Author’s arrival at Kano.</p>
+
+<p><span class="sc">The</span> acute suffering, both in mind and
+body, and the ceaseless agitation and excitement in which I had
+been kept during the illness, and at the death and burial of my
+master, occasioned my disorder to increase rapidly on me; and on
+the 16th, being enabled with difficulty to crawl round the hut, I
+was obliged to lay myself on my mat, from which I had not strength
+to arise till the 27th; old Pasko, during that period, ministering
+to all my wants. Whilst I was thus confined, the weather was so
+dreadfully warm, that I was under the necessity of having a tub
+of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span> water at my side,
+into which, at intervals, I used to plunge my hands and arms,
+besides occasionally sprinkling my burning head and body. I had
+abandoned every hope of recovery from the effects of my complaint,
+and was prepared, in some measure, to undergo the last struggle,
+when, on the 26th, I found my health suddenly improve in a manner
+altogether as unexpected as strange; and on the following day I was
+enabled to sit erect on my mat. In the course of that day (27th)
+the Godado, mallam Mudey, and Side Sheikh abruptly entered my hut,
+with a commission from the Sultan to search my boxes, that prince
+having been informed, just before, that they were filled with gold
+and silver; although his sole intention, I well knew, was that of
+ascertaining what fire-arms were in my possession.</p>
+
+<p>Weak as I was, I remonstrated sharply with these ministers of
+the king’s will, whilst they were prosecuting the search; but it
+was of no avail—every thing was ransacked and turned
+topsy-turvy.</p>
+
+<p>They expressed the greatest astonishment on<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_84">[84]</span> finding not even sufficient money to
+defray my expenses to the sea coast; but, nevertheless, took an
+inventory of the contents of the boxes, and carried it to their
+sovereign. Foreseeing what would happen, I had taken the precaution
+to secrete about my person the gold watch intended for the Sultan,
+as well as the private watches of Captains Clapperton and Pearce.
+The Godado and his coadjutor returned a short time afterwards, with
+a command from their monarch to deliver up to them the following
+articles, viz.—a rifle and a double-barrelled gun, two bags of
+ball, a canister of powder, bag of flints, ream and half of paper,
+and six gold (gilt) chains; for which he promised to pay me
+whatever I might demand. I consequently charged him a quarter of a
+million of cowries for the goods, which I was to receive, on
+account of the Sultan, of Hat Sallah; and an order was given me to
+receive that sum in Kano, and what more I might require in my
+journey over the Desert.</p>
+
+<p>On the 28th I made Ben Gumso a present of four yards of blue,
+and the same quantity of scarlet damask, an unwritten journal-book,
+two<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span> pair of scissors
+and two knives. With these articles, which to him were invaluable,
+I endeavoured to get still further into the good graces of this old
+Arab emir, who, by a singular piece of good fortune, had just begun
+to exercise a powerful influence over the mind and actions of the
+superstitious Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>After escaping from the death he was threatened with at Katunga,
+which has already been related, this emir returned to Soccatoo;
+and, like his cheating countrymen, procured a handsome livelihood
+by writing charms, &amp;c. &amp;c. for the Falatahs. Ben Gumso
+accompanied Bello in his engagement with the Towayahs, when that
+monarch was pierced with a poisoned arrow. The Arab’s panacea was
+resorted to on this occasion; and having written his charm on a
+piece of wood, it was washed off, as usual, into a calabash of
+water, and hastily swallowed by the prince. By some means the venom
+never took effect, and the Sultan having recovered from his wound
+in a few days, attributed the cure solely to Ben Gumso’s specific.
+To display his gratitude for the good which had been
+done<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span> him, Bello
+admitted the fortunate charmer into his councils, and covered him
+with honors and emoluments.</p>
+
+<p>This being the case, I conceived a trifling present would be
+well timed; and therefore, after putting it into his hands,
+entreated him to use his interest with his royal master, in order
+to obtain his permission for my leaving Soccatoo, and making the
+best of my way homewards. Accordingly, Ben Gumso represented to the
+Sultan in lively colours the injustice, as well as impolicy, of
+detaining any longer in his dominions a subject of the powerful
+king of England; and advised him to hasten my departure as much as
+he could, insinuating, that if I were to die in Soccatoo, a report
+would be circulated and believed, that he had murdered both the
+white men, by which he would most certainly acquire a bad
+character.</p>
+
+<p>This artful reasoning overcame the scruples of the Falatah
+prince, and word was sent me almost immediately, to appear before
+him. Bello had the gravity of a Mohammedan about him on my
+entrance, and putting on all the dignity<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_87">[87]</span> he could assume, looked like Pluto trying a
+ghost for the sins it had committed on the earth. However, I did
+not tremble in his august presence; and after a little preliminary
+conversation, the Sultan asked me which route I should prefer in
+order to reach my own country.</p>
+
+<p>Now, although my master had intimated his wish for me to proceed
+with the Arabs to Fezzan, a few days only before his death, I much
+feared that the papers, &amp;c. entrusted to my care would be taken
+from me, and myself murdered, by that wily and treacherous race,
+whose behaviour to my master, after his arrival in Houssa was most
+abominable. I therefore disliked them—hated them; and would rather
+cast myself, unarmed and unprotected, upon the good faith of the
+natives, than go in their train. Under these impressions and
+prejudices, I answered the Sultan, that I wished to arrive in
+England in as short a time as possible, and the route through
+Boussa to Cubbé was most likely to accomplish that object. “It is
+impossible,” angrily rejoined the prince, “to travel in that
+direction; the rainy season is already set in; the rivers
+are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span> overflowed; the
+low lands are under water; and how do you think to reach the
+sea-coast in safety? It will be far better for you to go over the
+desert, with the Arabs; and to facilitate your progress, I will
+write to Hat Sallah to get a trustworthy person to accompany you;
+he will also furnish you with camels and provisions, and pay you
+the money I am indebted to you.” I simply replied, “Very well,
+Sultan.” He then wished to know whether Captain Clapperton had
+forgiven Pasko, <em>in his book</em>, for the robberies he had
+committed; and on my answering that, owing to the illness of that
+gentleman, he had been unable even to look into his Journal, the
+monarch observed, that on Pasko’s arrival in England, my king would
+undoubtedly behead him. I assured him, that if the man’s future
+conduct proved to be good, not one of my countrymen would think of
+punishing him; but this the Sultan was in no haste to believe, and
+said, imperatively, “I cannot suffer him to accompany you; he must
+stay here to <em>clean and repair my guns</em>!”—this latter
+consideration evidently possessed greater weight with him than
+Pasko’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span> safety, which
+he cared nothing at all about. Not in the least daunted, I besought
+Bello to permit him to accompany me as far as Kano, as interpreter;
+to which he rather reluctantly consented, on condition that I
+should procure him a horse to return, and pay him the sum of
+150,000 cowries, which, of course, I agreed to; and seeing that the
+Sultan had nothing more to say, I bowed profoundly, and retired.
+This was my last interview with the Falatah sovereign, and I saw
+him no more.</p>
+
+<p>On the evening of the 3d of May a person came with a message
+from the Sultan, who said that a camel and some provisions would be
+sent me in the course of the morning, and that I was to depart on
+the next day. Neither camel nor provisions, however, were
+delivered; and, rising early on the appointed morning, I bade a
+last farewell to Soccatoo, a town in which I had suffered so
+dreadfully; and, accompanied by a messenger from the kind old
+Godado, and Pasko and Mudey, we proceeded with our camels and
+horses to a large plain, five miles to the east of Magaria, where
+we arrived in the afternoon; and rested<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_90">[90]</span> for the night under the wide-spreading
+branches of a large tree growing on the margin of an insignificant
+lake. Mosquitoes were in such numbers, and so troublesome, that we
+could not sleep till morning, when a refreshing breeze springing
+up, drove them away.</p>
+
+<p>At this flat we joined a party of above four thousand people, of
+all ranks and of every nation; some going on a pilgrimage to Mecca;
+some to the sea-coast to purchase goora-nuts; many Tuarick
+salt-merchants returning to Kilgris; but all travelling in company
+for mutual protection, and bending their way towards Kashna, where
+merchants of every description meet, and disperse from thence to
+their different destinations. An infinite number of camels, horses,
+and bullocks, attended the party; and the king of Jacoba, with 50
+slaves, was also in their train. These poor creatures had been
+driven from his kingdom by the above prince to Soccatoo, as a
+present or tribute to Sultan Bello; but that monarch having learnt
+the dreadful losses he had sustained in men and cattle, in
+consequence of his war with Bornou,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_91">[91]</span> and the number of villages which had been
+plundered and burnt by the soldiers of the Sheikh, would not accept
+of the slaves, but desired the king of Jacoba to re-conduct them
+back to his own dominions.</p>
+
+<p>At eleven o’clock in the morning of the 4th of May a signal to
+depart was made by a loud blast from a thousand horns, producing a
+frightfully discordant noise; and in about an hour afterwards the
+whole party was in motion. On entering the dreaded “Goober Bush,” a
+wild and uncultivated tract of ground, covered with stunted trees,
+we were obliged to redouble our pace in order to escape the fangs
+of the merciless Towayahs. Boussa Jack (a horse so called from
+having been made a present of by the king of Boussa) I rode myself,
+on account of his swiftness and agility; but being unused to so
+violent an exertion, the little animal became much fatigued, and
+began to lag behind the others. The weather was at that time
+intolerably hot; vegetation shrank before the piercing rays of the
+sun, and the dust raised by the hoofs of the horses, &amp;c. arose
+in huge volumes in every<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_92">[92]</span> direction, entering my eyes, my mouth, my
+nostrils, and penetrating even the pores of my skin. Not a breath
+of air fanned the leaves of the trees; I was almost suffocated for
+want of it, but snuffed up only sand and dust. The camels were far
+a-head: I was faint and exhausted, and ordered Pasko to fly to them
+for a drop of water. The horse would, or rather could, proceed no
+further; I was obliged to dismount, and seat myself under a tree;
+there, holding the bridle of the poor animal in my hand, I begged,
+I prayed the thousands of Falatahs and Tuaricks that were passing,
+for a mouthful of water to quench my parching thirst; but the
+unfeeling, iron-hearted wretches mocked my misery, and scoffed at
+my piteous entreaties, observing, one to another, “He is a Kafir;
+let him die!”</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter iw2">
+<figure id="i4"><a href="images/i4_large.jpg"><img src=
+'images/i4.jpg' alt="Fainting Scene" title="Fainting Scene"></a>
+</figure>
+</div>
+
+<p>This cruel disappointment almost choked me; I was so hoarse that
+I could no longer be heard, and, falling flat on my back, let the
+bridle slip from my fingers, and, covering my face with my hands,
+tears came involuntarily into my eyes. At length a young Falatah,
+from Foota Toora, accidentally seeing me lying along
+the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span> earth with a
+horse standing listlessly by, came to the spot, and exclaimed, in a
+tone of kindness, “Christian, Christian, why don’t you go on?” On
+hearing him, I again sat up, and answered, “I am faint and sick for
+want of water; no one will relieve me; and how can I go
+on?”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span> On hearing this,
+the young man generously presented me with a small calabash full
+(about a pint), part of which I drank, and with the remainder
+washed the nostrils of Boussa Jack, and sprinkled a little into his
+mouth. His countrymen, who observed the compassionate Falatah
+performing this benevolent action, upbraided him in violent terms
+for having given water to the Christian; but my amiable preserver,
+showing them a double-barrelled gun, remarked that he had obtained
+it of my countrymen, who were all good men, and would do no harm.
+I, as well as the horse, was greatly refreshed with the small
+quantity of water thus taken, but soon becoming again weak and
+dispirited, I was nearly reduced to as bad a condition as before. A
+few hours afterwards my legs were swollen so prodigiously, that my
+boots split into fragments, and fell from my feet; and I
+experienced the most acute pain in every part of my body. At length
+I perceived Pasko, whom I had sent for water three or four hours
+previously, comfortably seated with Muley the camel-driver,
+under<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span> a tree,—my
+provision basket lying open before him, a calabash of the purest
+water gurgling down his throat, and him, with his sable companion,
+thoughtlessly enjoying himself with a zest that almost distracted
+me. I rode hastily up to the spot, and, pulling out a pistol, had
+more than half an inclination to send the heartless old savage to
+his long account, but suddenly checked myself. No! I could not take
+away the life of a fellow-creature, even in the height of
+excitement; and, replacing the pistol in my belt, I simply asked
+the reason of his brutal treatment of me. The old fellow answered
+with his usual demoniacal grin, and as composedly as if nothing was
+the matter, “I was tired.”</p>
+
+<p>The young Falatah to whom I owe my life came to me on the 7th,
+and informed me that the whole of the slaves of the King of Jacoba
+being missing, a party of horsemen had been sent in quest of them,
+and were just returned with the shocking intelligence of having
+seen thirty-five of their dead bodies lying along the road; and
+that hundreds of vultures were already hovering over them. The
+other fifteen<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span> could
+not be found; but were strongly suspected of having shared in the
+same fate. These unfortunate creatures had the task of carrying
+loads on their heads the day before, but, being unable to keep up
+with the rapid pace of the camels, were necessarily obliged to be
+left behind, and thus perished miserably of thirst and fatigue. I
+congratulated myself on my own good fortune, in having so narrowly
+escaped a fate so peculiarly frightful; and thanked the Almighty
+with fervor and sincerity for having snatched me from the very jaws
+of death. On his leaving me, I gave the Falatah a pair of scissors
+and twenty gun-flints, as a small recompense for the eminent
+service he had so cheerfully rendered me.</p>
+
+<p>On our road to Kano, the King of Jacoba became very sociable
+with me, and was my constant companion. After pressing me to visit
+his kingdom, in which he asserted he would make my stay agreeable,
+he told me that the Yam Yams, who inhabit the mountains contiguous
+to Jacoba, were anthropophagi, in which assertion he was borne out
+by two Yam Yams, who were slaves in Kano when I was in that city.
+The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span> Prince said
+further, that people of the same nation, who had assisted him in
+his war with Bornou, were surrounded, with some of his own troops,
+on a plain near Jacoba, by the Sheikh’s soldiers, and the carnage
+on both sides was dreadful. The fight lasted a whole day, when, in
+the evening, the Jacobeans, with their ferocious allies, were
+entirely routed, and the King himself, who commanded them, very
+narrowly escaped being taken prisoner. On the following morning the
+discomfited Yam Yams repaired to the field of battle, and bearing
+off a great number of dead bodies, roasted them before large fires,
+kindled for the purpose, and devoured them without yams, corn, or,
+indeed, any other provisions!</p>
+
+<p>Soon after our arrival at Markee, on the 19th, a spouse of the
+chief, a finely-formed and intelligent-looking young woman, came to
+me with tears in her eyes, and implored me to give her some
+<em>magonie</em> [medicine], as she had no child. I accordingly
+presented her with a couple of tea-spoonfuls of oil of cinnamon,
+and ordered her, with a suitable caution, to put two<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span> drops of the liquor into a pint
+of cow’s milk, which was to be swallowed three times a day till the
+whole was consumed; observing that, on my return to Markee, I had
+not the least doubt of seeing her the happy mother of a numerous
+progeny!</p>
+
+<p>The husband was no sooner acquainted with the circumstance than
+he came and thanked me in the heartiest manner for the good I had
+done, gave me abundance of fresh milk, fowls, rice, &amp;c. and
+told me at the same time that on my return from England, he would
+reward me with a large sum of money, which I dare say he will do.
+When I bade the happy couple adieu next morning, they squeezed my
+hand affectionately, and said, “Christian! God send you safely to
+your country, and may you speedily come back to Markee!”</p>
+
+<p>I arrived at Kano on the 25th of May, and instantly delivered
+Bello’s letter and orders to Hadje Hat Sallah; but the Arab, after
+perusing them, declared at first that he would have nothing to do
+with me. He had nearly lost his head, he said, on Captain
+Clapperton’s account on a previous occasion, and positively refused
+to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span> <em>lend</em> me a
+single cowry. “I have no objection,” he continued, “to let you
+have, in goods and a slave, the amount of your demand on the
+sultan, but I shall certainly do no more.” I accordingly received
+from Hat Sallah a strong female slave, and a quantity of unwrought
+silk, and scarlet caps, beads to sell on my journey. My weakened
+and diseased camels, which would be of no service to me, I parted
+with, and dismissed their keeper, Maddie.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span><a id=
+"c13"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="csum">Pasko — The Author pays his respects to the
+Governor, and leaves Kano — Chooses, near Bebajie, the road to
+Fundah — Almena mountain — The Author is seen and recognized by
+horsemen from Zeg Zeg — Arrives amongst the people of Bowchee —
+Their manners — A girl’s lamentation on being sold by her mother —
+The Author enters the immense plain of Cuttup — Anecdote of an old
+woman.</p>
+
+<p><span class="sc">Not</span> having sufficient money at my
+disposal to purchase fresh camels, or provisions and presents for
+the different chiefs of towns on the road to Fezzan, I was
+necessitated to take a different route, which I was not at all
+sorry for; and for that purpose purchased a horse and two asses.
+Bello had not forgotten to desire Hat Sallah, in his letter to him,
+to send back Pasko to Soccatoo the day after my arrival at Kano,
+and procure me a substitute. I begged of him, however, to suffer
+the Haussan to accompany me to<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_101">[101]</span> Coulfo in Nyffé, and promised to have him
+conveyed back to Kano on my arrival there. He at first refused to
+accede to my wishes, but the temptation of a present, the best
+argument in the world in such cases, made the old Arab smile an
+assent to my proposition; and calling Pasko into his presence, he
+gave him permission to attend me to Coulfo, but enjoined him to
+return the moment he had entered that city, on pain of having
+<em>Jerrub</em> (the Devil) sent after him. The old offender, who
+could be moved by nothing else, at the bare sound of
+<em>Jerrub</em> was flung into a violent fever, and hastened to me
+in great trepidation shortly after, every member of his body
+trembling like an aspen-leaf. After giving me to understand, as
+well as his agitation would allow him to do, the conversation he
+had had with Hat Sallah, and in consequence thereof his reluctance
+to quit Kano with me, I endeavoured to deride him out of his
+superstitious prejudices; but they had taken so firm a grasp on his
+mind that all my exertions were ineffectual; and he still
+persevered in his resolution of remaining behind. Knowing Pasko’s
+tender regard<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span> for
+the softer sex, however, I made this a means of accomplishing my
+object. I had consented he should take the slave that Hat Sallah
+had sold me, to wife, for he had forgotten the lovely Mattah, of
+tuah celebrity, and felt great loneliness in the absence of female
+converse; I therefore assured him that unless he would consent to
+accompany me, a separation should instantly take place. The event
+showed that I had touched the right chord; on hearing my decision,
+he trembled more violently than ever, and while rivers of tears
+flowed down his furrowed cheeks, exclaimed, in a tone of agony that
+rendered his expression almost inarticulate, “O, don’t—I—will—go.”
+This weighty point being decided, I made the necessary preparations
+for my departure.</p>
+
+<p>On the 29th, Hat Sallah hinted that it would be well for me to
+pay a visit to the governor of Kano, who was at Faniso. I agreed
+with the Arab in opinion, and waited on his Excellency in the
+course of the morning, who, on my leaving him, said, “When you
+return to your<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span>
+country, Christian, give the Falatahs a good name.”</p>
+
+<p>In the afternoon we left Kano, and travelling at a rapid rate,
+halted on the banks of the Kogie, four hours’ journey from that
+place, but the river being much swollen, we did not dare to cross
+it. To our infinite disappointment I found that the tent poles had
+been left behind, and was therefore obliged to send back one of the
+servants to fetch them, giving him a sword in proof that he was
+despatched by me. The scoundrel, however, never returned; and it
+being necessary for us to rest on the margin of the stream that
+night, I slung the tent to the branch of a tree, and fastened the
+lower part of it to the earth. In the evening the rain poured down
+in torrents, accompanied by awful and tremendous thunder, so that
+in the night, our tent being completely drenched, the bough to
+which it was appended broke with its increasing weight; and falling
+on us as we were reposing on our mats, we found it impossible to
+sleep, and were obliged to remain in that miserable plight till the
+next morning.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span>We arose at an
+early hour, and as soon as things were put in some kind of order, I
+sent Pasko to Kano, to endeavour to apprehend the fellow that had
+absconded with my sword, for I fancied that one rogue was better
+qualified to detect another, than an honest man: but the man not
+having been seen in the city, Pasko was unsuccessful in his search,
+and returned, very much down in the mouth, bringing with him the
+tent-poles. The river Kogie by that time was become fordable; but,
+in consequence of the strength and rapidity of its current, we
+crossed with extreme difficulty. No sooner was this object
+effected, and before we had time to clothe ourselves, than four
+armed slaves from Soccatoo hastened up to us, and demanded the four
+thousand cowries, which, it will be recollected Pasko had borrowed
+of Ben Gumso, to defray the expenses of his marriage with the
+accomplished, but hard-handed, Mattah Gewow. Pasko protested that
+he had left property in Soccatoo to the value of fifty thousand
+cowries, out of which Ben Gumso might satisfy himself. This answer
+by no means pleased the myrmidons of the illustrious
+Arab<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span> emir, who, for
+the sake of little more than a shilling of English money, had
+despatched four men to the distance of between two and three
+hundred miles to arrest the debtor; and they were about to take the
+affectionate lover away by force, when I thought it time to
+interfere, and paid them the money they demanded. The armed
+scoundrels then went their way, taking with them the whole of
+Pasko’s wearing apparel, which he had left on the opposite side of
+the stream; so that the every-way unfortunate man was obliged to
+have a rough mat tied to his waist, till I could procure him a more
+becoming garment. This little matter being adjusted, to the
+complete satisfaction of the husband of Mattah, we slept on the
+borders of the stream for the night, and pursued our journey on the
+morning of the next day. At two o’clock we arrived at a small
+walled town called Madubie, in which I erected my tent; and in the
+evening the chief’s daughter visited me with milk, and a huge bowl
+of beef and tuah, sufficient for the whole of us for supper.</p>
+
+<p>The weather had been violent during the<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_106">[106]</span> night, but clearing up early on the 1st of
+June, we dried the tent, and journeyed onwards till we arrived at
+the Gora, a narrow, but deep and rapid river. As on the former
+occasion, the men experienced considerable difficulty in attaining
+the opposite side, and I was greatly afraid they would be washed
+away and drowned by the swiftness with which the water rolled on;
+but, happily, after a world of exertion, they crossed in safety,
+and at one at noon, passing near the walled town of Bebajie, I
+desired them to proceed a-head. I myself followed alone at some
+distance, for I dreaded being seen by any of the straggling
+inhabitants, who, if they happened to recognize my features, would
+infallibly detain me amongst them. In half an hour we came to two
+other roads, the one leading to Nyffé, and the other to the
+far-famed Fundah.</p>
+
+<p>When Capt. Clapperton found himself dying in Soccatoo, he
+intimated to me that if I attempted to return through Nyffé and
+Yariba, the inhabitants of one of those countries, who must have
+heard of our having taken presents to their common adversary, would
+undoubtedly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span> put me
+to death; and this was the reason he wished to impress so strongly
+upon me the necessity of my accompanying the Arabs over the desert.
+I paused for an instant, as I looked on each of the said roads;
+but, feeling an earnest desire, which I could not repress, to visit
+Fundah, on the banks of the Niger, and trace that much-talked of
+river in a canoe to Benin; and, perhaps, fearing that my departed
+master’s observation was well-grounded, I did not hesitate a great
+while, but travelled on the latter road.</p>
+
+<p>About six in the evening we erected our tent near to Koofa, a
+small walled town, in which I was fortunate enough to obtain a
+little sleep for the first time since leaving Kano. The town is
+situated at the base of an immense rock, on which there is not the
+slightest trace of vegetation; and, although extremely populous, is
+no more than two miles in circumference. To the eastward of it is a
+range of high hills, stretching from north to south as far as the
+eye can reach; and their slopes being green and luxuriant, they
+wore a delightful appearance.</p>
+
+<p>On the three following days, we crossed several<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span> rapid streams, and passed
+through many insignificant walled towns. The country traversed on
+those days, although level, was picturesque and beautiful; and all
+nature was covered with a lively verdure.</p>
+
+<p>On the 4th of June we came to the foot of a high and craggy
+mountain, called Almena, rising abruptly from the plains. It
+consists of gigantic blocks of granite, fearfully piled on each
+other, and at a distance resembled the rocks in the vicinity of the
+celebrated logan-stone, in Cornwall. Mohammed, an intelligent
+mussulman, who was acquainted with the traditions of the whole
+country, seating himself on a mass of rock, gave me the following
+story:—</p>
+
+<p>“About five hundred years ago, a queen of the Fantee nation,
+having quarrelled with her husband about a golden stool, fled with
+it from her dominions, followed by a great number of her subjects;
+and built a considerable town at the foot of this mountain, which
+she called Almena. Her irritated husband pursued the queen with an
+army; but, losing a great part of his men from sickness and other
+causes, adopted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span> the
+language of a suppliant instead of the bearing of the general of an
+army, and prayed to be admitted into the town, and live in peace
+with his ambitious spouse. His petition was granted, and the
+newly-built town flourished under their joint government till about
+ten or twelve years afterwards, when the natives of the country
+rose against them, and putting the principal inhabitants, with
+their sovereign, to death, took the remainder into slavery, and
+levelled the ill-fated Almena with the dust.”</p>
+
+<p>The town, of whatever kind it might have been, was formerly
+surrounded by a wall, the ruins of which are yet visible.</p>
+
+<p>We halted at another walled town, called Gatas, in the
+afternoon, where I accidentally met with some Kano merchants from
+Cuttup. The inhabitants, discovering by some means that I was a
+Christian, came in crowds to see me; but behaved in an orderly and
+respectful manner. I invited the most respectable females into my
+tent, which they all greatly admired, and in return for this
+civility shortly afterwards presented me with milk and
+<em>foorah</em>. The inhabitants<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_110">[110]</span> of Gatas, as well as those of every other
+town I had passed through since leaving Kano, are natives of
+Houssa, and tributary to the Falatahs.</p>
+
+<p>We halted at the outside of Damoy on the 5th, the inhabitants of
+which informed me that the range of hills I have already mentioned
+as extending to the verge of the horizon, are inhabited by the
+terrible Yam Yams, whom they all declared to be confirmed
+cannibals. That singular people formerly carried on an extensive
+traffic with the natives of the surrounding country in elephants’
+teeth, which they exchanged for red cloth, beads, &amp;c.; but
+having about five years before assassinated and eaten a gaffle of
+merchants, all communication had, from that period, been cut off,
+between the savage mountaineers and their timid neighbours of the
+plains.</p>
+
+<p>We arrived at Nammaleek on the 7th: the town is defended by a
+mountain nearly perpendicular, and thickly covered with wood.
+Thousands of hyænas, tiger-cats, jackalls, monkeys, &amp;c. which
+exist on the latter, kept so terrific a noise during the night,
+that although much fatigued,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_111">[111]</span> I could not close my eyes. These animals
+are so bold and rapacious, that the poor inhabitants of Nammaleek
+cannot preserve a single bullock, sheep, or goat; in consequence of
+which no animal food was to be had in the town. The chief put us
+into a hut, and presented us with tuah, which being most
+unpalatable stuff, by reason of a little sauce, prepared from the
+juice of the monkey’s bread-fruit tree, which had been mixed with
+it, I could not taste a mouthful.</p>
+
+<p>I intended to have remained in the place for a few hours on the
+following day, in order to take medicine; for, having a slight
+fever on me, I felt extremely unwell; but the curiosity of the
+people not permitting me to embrace an opportunity of opening my
+medicine-chest, excepting in their presence, I felt no inclination
+to try the experiment. In the course of the day (7th) two
+messengers unluckily recognized me, and asked whither I was
+journeying. On my acquainting them, the horsemen instantly rode
+off, and, as I subsequently learnt, returned to Zaria, and informed
+the King of Zeg Zeg that the<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_112">[112]</span> Christian was on his way to Fundah, with
+two asses, loaded with riches, and a beautiful horse, as presents
+to the monarch of that kingdom.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving Nammaleek on the 8th, and keeping in a south-westerly
+direction, at the base of a range of mountains, we observed an
+opening through them, and rode to the opposite side. Our course
+then lay more easterly; and, having crossed one large and three
+small rivers, whose names I could not learn, we arrived at
+Fullindushie, the frontier town in Catica, or Bowchee, in the
+afternoon. On our journey we met, on their way to Soccatoo, as a
+tax paid to Sultan Bello from a neighbouring country, thirty
+slaves, men, women, and children, who were all ill with the small
+pox. The males were tied to each other by the neck, with thongs
+made of twisted bullock’s hide; but the women and children were
+unconfined: notwithstanding the loathsome disease that hung upon
+these poor wretches, they all appeared merry, thoughtless, and
+happy, as though they had been enjoying their freedom in perfect
+health.</p>
+
+<p>The inhabitants of Fullindushie were the first people in Africa
+I had seen that disdained to<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_113">[113]</span> confine their well-proportioned limbs in
+any kind of dress; they went perfectly naked, and laughed
+immoderately on seeing me; whilst I, on my part, made myself
+equally merry at the singularity of their appearance. Their sable
+locks were bedecked with huge lumps of red clay and grease—their
+bodies shone with a clammy unction, any thing but agreeable to the
+eye, or pleasant to the smell—a massy piece of blue glass hung from
+a hole in the upper lip—and from the lobe of the ear dangled a
+misshapen fragment of red wood, about the largeness of a man’s
+thumb.</p>
+
+<p>Their features do not resemble, in the slightest degree, those
+of the Negro, but are fine, regular and handsome, bearing a
+striking similitude to the European, such as impressed me at first
+sight;—yet, with all these pretensions to superiority over their
+jetty neighbours in personal appearance, they yield to them in
+cleanliness and decency; for, although an artless, good-tempered,
+social race, the Bowchee people are filthy in their habits, and
+disgusting in their manners; their sheep, goats, and poultry
+eat<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[114]</span> and sleep in
+the same room with them, and a most intolerable odour is exhaled
+from all their dwellings. When the females of Catica go to market,
+they wear a twig tied to the middle, and hanging down in front.
+Nothing can be more graceful or <em>picturesque</em> than a troop
+of these modest damsels proceeding to market bedizened in this
+manner; and I could hardly tell what to make of a body of about a
+hundred of them which met me near La Zumee. The Bowchee people
+appear to have no affection for their offspring—the gentle appeals
+of nature are unknown to them—parental tenderness dwells not in
+their bosoms; and they sell their children as slaves to the
+greatest strangers in the world, with no greater remorse of
+conscience than if they had been common articles of merchandize. As
+a proof of this strange and unnatural apathy on the part of a
+mother towards her child, the following touching scene took place
+at Fullindushie whilst I was in the town:—</p>
+
+<p>A travelling slave-dealer passing through the place, had
+purchased several of their children, of both sexes, from the
+inhabitants; and amongst<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_115">[115]</span> others, a middle-aged woman had an only
+daughter, whom she parted with for a necklace of beads. The unhappy
+girl, who might have been about thirteen or fourteen years of age,
+on being dragged away from the threshold of her parents’ hut, clung
+distractedly, like a shipwrecked mariner to a floating mast, round
+the knees of her unfeeling mother, and looking up wistfully in her
+countenance, burst into a flood of tears, exclaiming with vehemence
+and passion:—“O mother! do not sell me; what will become of me?
+what will become of yourself in your old age, if you suffer me to
+desert you? Who will fetch you corn and milk? Who will pity you
+when you die? Have I been unkind to you? O, mother! do not sell
+your only daughter. I will take you in my arms when you are feeble,
+and carry you under the shade of trees. As a hen watches over her
+chicken, so will I watch over you, my dear mother. I will repay the
+kindness you showed me in my infant years. When you are weary, I
+will fan you to sleep; and whilst you are sleeping, I will drive
+away flies from you. I will attend on you<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_116">[116]</span> when you are in pain; and when you die I
+will shed rivers of sorrow over your grave. O mother! my dear
+mother! do not push me away from you; do not sell your only
+daughter to be the slave of a stranger!”—Useless tears! vain
+remonstrance! The unnatural, relentless parent, shaking the beads
+in the face of her only child, thrust her from her embraces; and
+the slave-dealer drove the agonized girl from the place of her
+nativity, which she was to behold no more.</p>
+
+<p>Quitting Fullindushie, the day after our arrival, in the course
+of the afternoon, we halted at La Zumee, a small town with a good
+population. On entering it I observed two men, sitting under a
+date-tree, to which I instantly walked up, and accosted the one,
+whom, being neatly dressed, I conceived to be the chief; but was
+surprised to find that the person I addressed was a Kano merchant;
+and the individual by his side, a dirty contemptible old fellow,
+dressed in a filthy sheep skin, I was obliged to pay my respects to
+as the chief of La Zumee. Having pointed out an empty hut for my
+use, he disappeared,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_117">[117]</span> but returned in two hours after with an
+apology for not sending me provisions, saying that his wives were
+at work in his gardens; and on their leaving them he would remember
+me. Accordingly about three hours after the chief had left me, the
+industrious ladies brought me a couple of fowls, and tuah and rice,
+for which I gave them a pair of scissors and fifty needles; the
+latter articles, like cowries, being the circulating medium of the
+country. Surrounding the town is a remarkably broad and deep ditch,
+on the outside of which the country is well cultivated, and the
+soil appears to be rich and highly productive. On the 10th we slept
+at Coorokoo, a small walled town, and on the following day pitched
+our tent on the banks of a large river called Coodoonia, (flowing
+swiftly to the north-west, and entering, it is said, the Niger near
+Fundah,) where we lay without food till the next day.</p>
+
+<p>Arising at an early hour in the morning, we succeeded in
+crossing the water, which reached to our chins, and immediately
+proceeded towards <em>Cuttup</em>, where we arrived after three
+hours travelling.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[118]</span>
+Having heard on my route from Kano, so many different accounts of
+Cuttup, its wealth, population, and celebrated market, I was
+surprised and disappointed on finding it to consist of nearly five
+hundred small villages or hamlets, almost adjoining each other; for
+I had been given to understand, in the hyperbolical relations of
+the natives, that it was a magnificent and powerful city, the
+wealth and prosperity of its inhabitants rendering it of more
+importance than any other in the interior. The villages occupy an
+immense and beautiful plain, embellished with a variety of elegant
+trees, amongst which I observed, for the first time since I had
+left Yariba, the plantain, the palm, and the cocoa trees, all
+flourishing in vernal luxuriance. The sun shone brightly upon the
+numerous rural hamlets as I passed through them; the oxen and cows
+were chewing the cud in front of the tidy looking habitations;
+flocks of sheep bleated from the inclosures; fowls were clucking in
+the lanes; small birds were careering in the sky;—all bore an air
+of peace, loveliness,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_119">[119]</span> simplicity, and comfort, that delighted and
+charmed me.</p>
+
+<p>A considerable traffic is carried on at Cuttup, in slaves and
+horned cattle; the latter of which are bred by the Falatahs, (great
+numbers of whom reside there for no other purpose,) who sell or
+exchange them to the natives. Slaves, as well as bullocks and
+sheep, are exposed in the market, which is held daily; and also red
+caps, country cloth, gum, salt, goora nuts, trona, beads, tobacco,
+rings, needles, cutlery articles; and honey, rice, milk, &amp;c.
+People from the most remote parts resort to the market in vast
+numbers, to purchase these various articles of merchandize; and
+return with them to their respective countries. The chief or sultan
+as he is called, being a <em>very</em> great man, I thought it
+would not be amiss to give him a present worthy his dignity and
+exalted station, and accordingly took him eight yards of blue and
+scarlet damask, prints of my own gracious sovereign and the late
+duke of York, with several articles of minor value, in return for
+which I received a sheep,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_120">[120]</span> the humps of two bullocks, and stewed rice
+sufficient to satisfy the appetites of at least fifty hungry men. I
+was honoured by a visit from ten of the king’s wives two days after
+my arrival, who expressing the most rapturous delight on observing
+the gilt buttons on my jacket, I cut them off, and presented them
+to their sable majesties, who accepted them with a loud laugh of
+thankfulness, and sticking them in their ears, bade me farewell,
+and danced away.</p>
+
+<p>Unlike the princes of Houssa, Nyffé, Borghoo, &amp;c. the king
+of Cuttup gives his wives unrestricted liberty, which they are
+never known to abuse; but in other respects they are treated in
+much the same manner as the women of those sovereigns. During my
+stay in Cuttup I was never in want of a bullock’s hump, (by far the
+most delicate part of the animal, and frequently weighing from
+twelve to fifteen pounds,) the king invariably receiving as a
+tribute from the butchers, the hump of every bullock they
+slaughter; and one of these delicious oily excrescences was brought
+me daily by a person purposely despatched from the <em>queens</em>.
+Being<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[121]</span> much in want
+of money, I ordered it to be published in the market-place that I
+had needles and beads for sale, which brought a number of
+individuals into my hut, who purchased freely, giving at least
+eighty per cent more for my property than for the needles of the
+Arabs; but whether the buyers actually fancied mine were of more
+excellent quality than those they had been in the habit of using,
+or whether it arose from a spirit of curiosity to preserve
+something belonging to so rare a creature as “the white man,” I was
+at a loss to conjecture.</p>
+
+<p>An old woman came to me one afternoon, sobbing aloud and full of
+grief; telling me in a tone of peculiar dolefulness, that all her
+little savings, the accumulation of years of industry and
+frugality, had been stolen from a hole in her hut, in which she had
+concealed it a short time before, by some of her dishonest
+neighbours; and entreating me to favour her with a charm that would
+effectually prevent a recurrence of so ignominious an action in
+future. Being ever willing to oblige the simple-hearted Africans,
+and knowing also the profound veneration<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_122">[122]</span> in which a charm of mine would be held by
+all ranks, I gave the poor woman a teaspoonful of common sweet oil,
+and urged her to pour it on the money she intended hiding, stating,
+that if any person should dare to touch it without her permission,
+he would instantly be punished with suffering and death. I likewise
+desired her to give the virtues of the charm as extensive a
+circulation as possible amongst her acquaintances, who would be so
+awed by the terrible denunciation threatened by the charmer, that
+fear itself would deter them from exercising their pilfering
+propensities on her property. The countenance of the venerable
+matron brightened up at these expressions; and substituting tears
+of gratitude and pleasure for those of disappointment and sorrow,
+she fell on her knees before me, embraced my feet, and looking up
+with a mingled expression of <em>naïveté</em> and maternal
+tenderness, poured out a full tide of thanks and blessings on her
+protector, as she called me, which made me blush for the deception
+I had practised; but I was consoled with the reflection, that in
+consequence of the invincible<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_123">[123]</span> superstition—the ignorance—the
+unconquerable prejudices of the people, and the fear in which I was
+held, the very object aimed at by me, would in all probability be
+fully accomplished.</p>
+
+<p>On the 16th I paid my respects to the King of Cuttup and his
+amiable, laughter-loving consorts; and then pursuing my journey to
+Fundah in a more cheerful mood than I had felt for a long time,
+arrived at a small town called Coogie, in the middle of the
+afternoon. The journey, however, was not of the most agreeable
+description; the road at one moment winding over a sharp, rugged
+precipice, and in the next through pools of water and deceitful
+hollows; we were oftentimes up to the neck in filth and wet; to add
+to which, flies were innumerable, and so troublesome to the asses
+by their mischievous propensity to bite and sting, that the
+irritated animals, flinging off their riders in the mire, and
+playing all manner of wanton pranks, detained us a considerable
+time in the course of the forenoon.</p>
+
+<p>The next day our journey was not a whit<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_124">[124]</span> more pleasant or comfortable. The rain fell
+in torrents, and the water, roaring down the sides of the
+mountains, rolled in one mighty stream, with inconceivable
+impetuosity through the vallies, and carried every thing in its
+progress. This continued for hours, when the thick clouds
+dispersing, the sun broke forth in all his majesty, and the
+tumultuous elements were lulled into peace. We crossed a stream, or
+river, called Rary, in the course of the day, and slept at
+Dungoora, a small town, in which we found ourselves very hungry,
+but could get nothing at all to eat.</p>
+
+<p>We pursued our course on the 18th, and arrived at Dunrora, a
+paltry town, containing four thousand inhabitants, by six o’clock
+in the evening. Our route, for some part of the journey, lay over
+steep and craggy precipices, on the summit of one of which the
+horse that carried the portmanteaus struck himself against a sharp
+piece of rock jutting up out of the narrow foot path, and was
+precipitated a distance of eighty yards, the ropes which were
+fastened to the portmanteaus arresting his further progress.
+I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[125]</span> was filled with
+alarm on observing the helpless little animal tumbling head over
+heels down the frightful declivity, and expected at least that he
+would have been dashed to pieces before reaching the bottom; but,
+some stunted trees luckily growing on the side of the precipice, he
+became entangled in the manner which has just been related. We had
+been travelling about half an hour, after leaving the spot on which
+the accident occurred, when reaching a yet more elevated situation,
+an extensive and delightful prospect suddenly burst on our view;
+and several days’ journey might plainly be seen before us.</p>
+
+<p>I halted for a moment to gaze upon the fine and noble scene
+around me, which rivalled in magnificence and beauty the appearance
+of the landscape from the Kong mountains. About half a day’s
+journey to the east stood a lofty hill, at the foot of which lay
+the large city of Jacoba, the metropolis of a kingdom of the same
+name, to which, it will be recollected, I was invited a short time
+before, by its monarch; but not having felt any inclination to
+depart a step<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[126]</span> out
+of the direct road, had declined embracing the offer. Mahomet, my
+servant, declared that a river, called Shar, or Sharra, deriving
+its source from the lake Tschad, flows about half a mile from
+Jacoba; and that canoes can be paddled from the said lake to the
+Niger at any season of the year. The Sharra enters the latter river
+at Fundah, when, in conjunction with its sister streams, after
+laving its banks before the towns of Cuttum Currifee, Gattoo, and
+Jibboo, it joins the salt water; but at what particular place, my
+informant was ignorant, never having heard the word “Benin” till I
+mentioned it myself. Fundah lies due west of Dunrora.</p>
+
+<p>Not being aware that the chief of Dunrora was so <em>very</em>
+eminent a character, my present to him was of a trifling nature,
+consisting only of a pair of scissors and a few needles, which were
+returned to me shortly afterwards, with a contemptuous message,
+importing that I would be pleased to bestow it on a less exalted
+individual, or send something of greater value. On demanding the
+reason of such strange conduct from the people<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_127">[127]</span> who surrounded me, they answered that I
+had insulted the dignity of themselves and their chief by offering
+so insignificant a gift, he being a mighty man; but feeling no
+disposition to add any thing to it, I dismissed the messenger
+empty-handed to his <em>mighty</em> master.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[128]</span><a id=
+"c14"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="csum">The Author overtaken at Dunrora by four armed
+horsemen from Zeg Zeg, who force him to accompany them back to
+Zaria — His reflections — Arrives in Zaria — Treatment of the King
+and his son towards the Author — His entrance into Coulfo in Nyffé
+— Revisits Wow Wow — The noted widow Zuma.</p>
+
+<p><span class="sc">As</span> I was loading my beasts to depart on
+the morning of the 19th, I observed four armed men ride up at full
+gallop to the residence of the chief of Dunrora, whose horses were
+covered with foam. The great man was no sooner made acquainted with
+the nature of their errand, than he came hastily to me, followed by
+a multitude of people, and told me that I must instantly return
+with the horsemen to Zaria, the king of Zeg Zeg having despatched
+them purposely to escort me to that city. I was
+amazed—thunderstruck. It was in vain to remonstrate with
+a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[129]</span> chief whom I had
+unwittingly offended: “If I suffer you to proceed on your journey
+to Fundah,” said he, “I shall lose my head; you must submit.”
+Entreaty, cajolery, and persuasion, were alike useless; the orders
+of the armed men were imperative; they were backed by a thousand
+bows and arrows; and with a heavy heart and cruel reflections, I
+turned the head of my horse towards Cuttup.</p>
+
+<p>Thus was I obliged, after seventeen days’ perilous travelling
+from Kano, with a fair prospect of reaching the celebrated Fundah
+in twelve or thirteen more, from whence four days’ sail would bring
+me to the salt water—a new country opening before me, and my mind
+filled with the most lively anticipations of solving the
+geographical problem, as to whether the Niger actually joins the
+sea in that direction;—thus was I obliged to abandon my fondest and
+long-cherished expectations, and return to Zeg Zeg; thence to be
+transported the Lord knew whither! I felt depressed and miserable
+at this sudden and unexpected change in my<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_130">[130]</span> affairs; and was really indifferent as to
+my future proceedings; caring not whether I lived or died.</p>
+
+<p>On our arrival in Cuttup, I was attacked with dysentery, and,
+much against the inclination of my escort, obliged to remain there
+four days, suffering during that period, and indeed a long while
+afterwards, more dreadfully than I can or will describe. Finding me
+very tractable, and too ill to make the least exertion, the
+horsemen left me in Cuttup, and in their stead substituted two
+homely, peaceable men, who proceeded with me in a different
+direction, towards Zeg Zeg.</p>
+
+<p>The following day the asses were excessively troublesome through
+the attacks of forest flies, myriads of which swarm around and
+alight in great numbers on men and beasts. These insects bit the
+asses so severely that blood streamed copiously from their sides,
+and the animals at length became so restive, that Pasko and
+Mohammed, who rode on them, were frequently thrown to the ground;
+besides which the loads on their backs were seriously damaged by
+reason of the asses rolling themselves in the earth, and rubbing
+their backs against the trunks of<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_131">[131]</span> trees. We slept in our tent in the midst of
+a large wood, surrounded by vast numbers of bamboo, palm, and cocoa
+trees; and, although very ill, I found myself considerably
+stronger.</p>
+
+<p>At Cokalo, a Bowchee village, where we arrived on the 27th, the
+inhabitants were so poor, that they sent us nothing but corn; but
+the chief, in honor of our arrival, made a fetish, and having
+roasted a fatted dog, stewed a snake in oil and water, and boiled a
+quantity of corn. He then invited his people to a feast; and they
+partook of the good things set before them with peculiar relish.
+With a benevolence truly amiable, a small bowl of the corn so
+prepared, enriched with a portion of the reptile, and the liquid in
+which it had been dressed, was brought me from the chief’s table;
+and, supposing it to be fish swimming in oil, I ate a mouthful or
+two with a very good appetite. It had, however, a peculiar,
+although certainly not a disagreeable flavour with it, and I
+carelessly asked a person standing near, the name of the animal I
+was eating; but on his assuring me that it was part of a
+<em>land</em> fish, my appetite forsook me, and Pasko,
+who<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[132]</span> had been
+casting many a longing eye on the delicate morsel, devoured the
+remainder with looks of infinite delight, asserting that it
+equalled in goodness the best dried ling he had ever tasted.</p>
+
+<p>On the following morning we arrived on the banks of the river
+Coodoonia; but there it was broader, deeper, and more rapid than at
+Cuttup, insomuch that it was dangerous to cross it. In attempting
+to convey, on a small bamboo raft, one of the portmanteaus to the
+opposite side of the stream, I found that it would not bear its
+weight, and I snatched it from the sinking frame, a few feet only
+from the margin of the water. Being convinced, therefore, that it
+would be dangerous to cross till the river became shallower, I
+strenuously objected to the wishes of my guard, (who almost dragged
+me into it,) and insisted that I would risk neither my person nor
+property on so fragile and dangerous a conveyance as the one at the
+ferry. The men, finding me resolute in my determination, poured out
+a volley of abuse, and threatened in insolent terms to go
+immediately and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[133]</span>
+inform their sovereign of my refusal to accompany them. I desired
+the fellows to give my best respects to his majesty, and said that
+they were at liberty to go as soon as they pleased; and they left
+me in great anger, cursing me as they went, whilst I slowly
+returned with my horses and asses to the village we had left an
+hour before.</p>
+
+<p>Whether the messengers did or did not go to their king, I cannot
+tell, but they did not come back till nearly a fortnight
+afterwards; and during that time I was ill in the village, with
+nothing to eat but boiled Indian corn; for I by no means relished
+the huge luncheons of roasted dogs which were served up twice in
+the day. The inhabitants, who came in hundreds to see me, like
+their countrymen, were destitute of apparel of any kind, yet
+behaved with becoming decency; and I never had cause, in a single
+instance, to complain of the conduct of those simple-minded
+savages. The male portion of the community seemed to have no
+occupation or employment whatever, spending the whole of their time
+in lounging and loitering about their native<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_134">[134]</span> village; whilst the women were more
+laudably engaged in extracting an oil from a small black seed and
+from the guinea-nut.</p>
+
+<p>My escort returned on the 11th July, and in a tone of deep
+submission begged me to go along with them, urging as a reason that
+the king of Zeg Zeg would not give his permission to my proceeding
+a single step, unless I visited first at Zaria, the capital of his
+dominions. Accordingly, our beasts were loaded, and I followed them
+a second time to the banks of the Coodoonia, but found the river
+still too deep to ford; and one bamboo raft being insufficient to
+bear a heavy article without sinking, I caused two of them to be
+lashed together, which answered the purpose extremely well. The
+portmanteaus, &amp;c. were first taken over, and I, laying myself
+flat on my face, was next pushed across by the two messengers, who
+swam behind, and dexterously propelled the frame forward by their
+hands and feet. The horses and asses were not quite so fortunate,
+for the current being strong and swift, they were borne by it
+nearly a quarter of a mile down the stream, and<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_135">[135]</span> could scarcely stand from
+exhaustion for some time after they were dragged out of the water.
+Every thing being at length safely landed on the opposite side, we
+left the borders of the river, and pursuing a north-east course
+till sunset, pitched our tent on a rising ground, near to a small
+stream.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving our encampment at half-past six in the morning, we
+halted outside Accoran, the first walled town I had seen since
+quitting Nammaleek. The west end of it is defended by a gigantic
+naked rock, and the other parts by a mud wall and a spacious ditch.
+The inhabitants are Bowchees, but so miserably poor that not even a
+single goat or fowl could be procured in the town. We were again in
+motion on the 13th, and traversing an agreeable country intersected
+with shallow streams, arrived at Cowro in the afternoon. The palm
+and cocoa, which had been so numerous since leaving Dunrora,
+suddenly disappeared after we had passed Accoran, and we saw no
+more of those beautiful trees till we reached the kingdom of
+Yariba. We remained at Cowro three days,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_136">[136]</span> the beasts and their riders being equally
+fatigued; and its chief, a noble looking Houssan, behaved with the
+most studied civility towards his guests. He was neatly clad in a
+white tobe, trousers, and cap; but he wore no sandals, and his feet
+were stained with hennah. In return for the chief’s kindness, and
+the excellent provisions he supplied us with, I made him a present
+of an old piece of carpeting, a scarlet cap, white turban, and gilt
+chain, which he received with extraordinary demonstrations of
+gratitude.</p>
+
+<p>Having been ferried across a large river called Makkamee, we
+entered a town of the same name, situated at the distance of a
+quarter of a mile from its banks, where we slept; and on the
+following day, halting at Wautorah, a walled town, I shot a few
+pigeons, which so terrified the inhabitants that they did not
+approach me for some hours afterwards. The morning of the 19th was
+damp, foggy, and disagreeable; and Mahomet, who, with all his
+intelligence, was an idle scoundrel, wishing to have a holiday,
+refused to proceed any further with me. The messengers longed also
+for a similar indulgence,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_137">[137]</span> and fancying, no doubt, I should be unable
+to go on without them, followed my servant’s example; but, seeing
+through their design, I immediately ordered Pasko and his faithful
+wife to load the beasts, and so left the town without them.
+Unluckily, a path leading to the gardens of the inhabitants misled
+me; but having discovered my error after an hour’s travelling,
+instead of returning by the beaten track the way I had come, I
+crossed the country in the direction I conceived the main road to
+take. Owing, however, to the swampy nature of the soil, I did not
+attain it till four o’clock in the afternoon, when, after a journey
+of two hours, the beasts becoming exhausted, I pitched the tent by
+the road-side, and being greatly distressed for want of water,
+slaked my thirst with some, which, oozing from the fissures of a
+neighbouring rock, made a gentle gurgling noise, that drew my
+attention to the spot.</p>
+
+<p>We struck our tent on the morning of the 20th, and crossing a
+large river flowing to the southward at one o’clock, entered the
+spacious and handsome town of Eggebee an hour
+afterwards.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[138]</span> Eggebee
+is governed by one of the king of Zeg Zeg’s principal fighting men;
+and for its excessive cleanliness, the tidiness of its inhabitants,
+their prosperity and apparent happiness, yields only to Wow Wow;
+and strongly reminded me of my own far distant country. It is
+situated on a fine, highly-cultivated plain; and nothing can be
+more agreeable than the prospect of the country for miles round. I
+have seen many charming landscapes in Africa—many which come nearer
+to my ideas of the garden of Eden than any others I have beheld—but
+none so pleasingly, softly beautiful, as that near Eggebee. The
+earth, clad in simple and lovely magnificence, was embellished with
+superb trees filled with singing birds—plots of Indian corn waved
+in the wind—a luxuriant vegetation sprung up at every step—every
+living thing revelled in enjoyment—happiness, peace, and plenty
+dwelt on the enchanting spot. It was evening when I took a stroll a
+little way into the country—a calm cloudless, lovely evening. The
+earth had just before been refreshed by a shower, and the
+sun<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span> was setting in
+all his glory; the neatly-attired maidens of Eggebee, returning to
+the town with calabashes of milk, sang as they went along; birds of
+golden plumage fluttered on the branches of the noble trees;
+insects of dazzling brightness buzzed in the air; the stridulous
+notes of the grasshopper was heard from the ground; smoke ascended
+in circling volumes to the skies from the dwellings of the people;
+and the music of guitars and dulcimers swelled from the town,—all
+was soothing, serene, heavenly. I was a sojourner in a strange
+land; I thought on my country, my kindred, my home, till melancholy
+reflections rushed upon my mind, and I longed to lay down my burden
+of care and suffering, disappointment, vexation, and sorrow. “I am
+unhappy,” I said to myself, “in all this loveliness; I have no
+portion in the pleasure that surrounds me. Why am I an Englishman,
+why am I not rather an African? I should then be simple as he,
+thoughtless as he, happy as he.”</p>
+
+<p>The delightful town of Eggebee contains a population<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_140">[140]</span> of not less than fourteen
+thousand souls; and its wall, forming a perfect square, measures a
+mile each side. The inhabitants being supplied with a fine reddish
+sand, (found in abundance along the beach of a noble river, flowing
+about a couple of miles from the town,) and a kind of whitening,
+use these ingredients for the purpose of cleansing their
+calabashes, and other domestic articles; and really it gives one a
+sensible pleasure to observe the taste and regularity with which
+these are arranged in the interior of their dwellings, and the
+extreme whiteness of the whole. The calabashes have figures of
+horses, sheep, cows, &amp;c. carved on them by persons whose time
+is entirely devoted to this single object, and who receive for the
+work on each the sum of five cowries (less than a farthing
+sterling). Instead of sleeping on the bare ground, as is the case
+in every other town in the interior, excepting Cuttup, the
+inhabitants of Eggebee raise a kind of platform at a height of
+three or four feet from the floor, supported on clay pillars, on
+which they repose themselves during the heat of the day, and at
+night. In the vicinity<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_141">[141]</span> of the town grew a great variety of
+beautiful flowers, which opening in all their richness to the rays
+of the sun, had a truly enchanting appearance. Many of them were of
+the same species as those which thrive so luxuriantly in the
+interior of South Africa; but the fragrance emitted from the former
+is neither equally pleasant nor equally powerful.</p>
+
+<p>We left Eggebee on the morning of the 21st, and the asses
+becoming exhausted, encamped in a thick wood for the night. No
+village being near at hand, we could obtain no provisions, and
+consequently went supperless to bed. On the following morning we
+entered the city of Zaria, and took up our quarters with Abbel
+Crême, Captain Clapperton’s host and friend on his journey to Kano.
+The king was in the country, and did not see me on the day of my
+arrival, but had left orders to have me well supplied with
+provisions. His majesty returned in the evening, and sent a
+messenger to say that he should be glad to see me early on the
+following morning; accordingly at the time appointed I visited him
+with a suitable present, which greatly<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_142">[142]</span> delighted him; and he took the opportunity
+of telling me that it was entirely for my own sake he had ordered
+me to be brought back; for, said the king, “Sultan Bello is at
+variance with the rulers of Fundah, and the latter would have you
+beheaded the moment you set foot in his dominions, because he well
+knows you have been on intimate terms with his powerful
+antagonist.” I, of course, acquiesced in the opinion of his Zeg Zeg
+majesty, praised to the skies the charitable spirit that had
+influenced him, and admired the milk of human kindness that flowed
+in his veins; this well-timed flattery pleased the monarch as much
+as the present had done; and in the course of the day I received a
+present of two fine bullocks. Abbel Crême having intimated that the
+king’s eldest son was invested with as much authority as his
+father, I waited on him with a trifling gift; on which occasion he
+received me very graciously. The prince was a remarkably fine young
+man, apparently about twenty-two years of age, and beloved by every
+one. As an especial mark of favour, I was introduced into his
+seraglio to see his wives.<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_143">[143]</span> They were fifty in number, and on my
+entrance were all industriously employed in preparing cotton and
+thread, and weaving it into cloth. My intrusion was not remarked
+till the prince said, “I have brought the Christian to see you;”
+their eyes were immediately fixed upon me at this expression, but
+on observing my white skin, the bashful creatures, simultaneously
+dropping their work, flew with all possible haste into their
+coozies, and I saw no more of them. In the afternoon the prince
+offered me a really pleasing female named Aboudah (woman) for a
+wife. I was almost frightened to death at the very sound of wife,
+yet I accepted her with the best grace I could assume, not only to
+avoid offending my royal friend, which would inevitably have been
+the case, if I had refused the well-meant offer; but also that I
+might at least have the satisfaction of giving the poor creature
+her freedom if I ever reached the sea-coast.</p>
+
+<p>Mahomet came to me on the 23d, having just arrived from
+Wautorah, where he had deserted me, and entreated to be admitted
+again into my service; but the fellow had behaved so
+ill<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[144]</span> towards me,
+that I ordered him to go about his business. I had seen enough of
+him to convince me that no dependance whatever could be placed on
+the fidelity of hired domestics; and therefore purchased a slave in
+Zaria for seven dollars, to supply Mahomet’s place. The asses being
+nearly worn out from our long and fatiguing journey, and requiring
+at least twenty days of rest to recruit their strength, I exchanged
+them for a strong Yariba pony, which, with a pack bullock the king
+had given me was fully adequate to undertake their work. Both the
+monarch of Zeg Zeg and his son were warring when we passed through
+their territories on our way to Kano; and it was in order to
+gratify their curiosity, I verily believe, that I was so
+unfortunately stopped on the road to Fundah.</p>
+
+<p>I bade adieu to the king and prince on the 24th, and, risking
+every danger, pursued my journey towards the dreaded Nyffé and
+Yariba.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving the extensive empire of Houssa three days after, we
+entered Guârie in the evening of the 27th, and on the 29th pitched
+our tent outside<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[145]</span> of
+the capital, which is also called Guâri. Next day we found the
+river, near the city, so much swollen, that I considered it would
+be imprudent to attempt to cross; and on the 31st I waited on the
+king, governor, or whatever he is, of Guâri, with a present of
+light blue and scarlet damask, and a smart red cap. He was a man of
+venerable appearance. He wished to know the reason of my having
+been so long on the road from Kano, as merchants had informed him
+that I had quitted that city some time before. I replied that I had
+attempted the road to Fundah, it being the nearer way, but that the
+King of Zeg Zeg had sent armed men after me, who had compelled me
+to retrace my steps. He observed that if I wished to proceed to
+that kingdom then, he would send a messenger with me, and he had no
+doubt, as the monarch of Fundah was his particular friend, I should
+experience every kindness at his hands. I expressed great concern
+at being unable to embrace his generous proposal, having nothing
+good enough left to give the King of Fundah; and on
+that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[146]</span> account
+feeling no particular wish to pass through his dominions.</p>
+
+<p>His Guâri majesty had in his service an eunuch, whose native
+town was not far from Fundah; and, at his sovereign’s instigation,
+the man paid me a visit. In the course of conversation with him,
+the eunuch told me that he was born at Gibboo, a town situated on
+the banks of the Niger, and about four days journey from the city
+of Fundah. He had often proceeded by water from the former to the
+latter place in eight days, the river running five knots an hour
+against him; but the voyage from Fundah to Gibboo might easily be
+performed in three, or at most four days.</p>
+
+<p>I had no opportunity of ascertaining whether the testimony of
+the eunuch was actually correct; as the reports of the natives,
+whether owing to the difficulty of expressing themselves so as to
+be understood by a stranger, or from other causes, vary
+considerably. I should conceive that the former is the chief reason
+of this difficulty so often complained of; and that in their
+relations of rivers and streams, the natives do not<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_147">[147]</span> designedly deceive, but the
+interrogator, taking no pains to obtain a clear idea of their
+meaning, forms an opinion of his own which he fancies approaches
+nearest to that which his informants themselves entertain.</p>
+
+<p>I fell in with a party of merchants in Guâri, who were so far on
+their journey to Coulfo, and they begged me to accompany them to
+that city, in order to repel the attacks of a desperate gang of
+robbers, which they affirmed infested the main road leading to
+Nyffé, and had committed dreadful excesses. Fearing there might be
+some foundation in this rumour, I waited for the merchants three
+days; but they not having then paid the accustomed tribute, and not
+seeming to have the slightest inclination to do so in a hurry, I
+preferred risking the alleged dangers in the path, to abiding
+longer at Guâri.</p>
+
+<p>On the 2d of August, therefore, I paid my respects to the king,
+who offered a messenger to accompany me to Womba; but I declined
+the offer, observing that I was not afraid to proceed with my own
+little party; and on the next morning left the city, without
+merchants, messengers,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_148">[148]</span> or guide. No robbers molested me; nor did I
+see a single suspicious-looking fellow on the path; and I reached
+Fullindushie, the second town of that name, after a ride of nine
+hours.</p>
+
+<p>The following day it rained incessantly, so that we were unable
+to take down our tent, and remained under it till the 5th, when we
+continued our course, and encamped outside the walled town of
+Kazzagebubba by four in the afternoon. The chief apologised for
+sending us nothing better than tuah and corn, on the ground of its
+being market-day; and this trifling present was acknowledged on my
+part by a red cap and a pair of scissors, which made the receiver
+proud, vain, and foolish.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning we were again in motion, at an early hour: and
+having crossed a large river, in the afternoon, we pitched our tent
+in the centre of a number of small, uninhabited grass huts, erected
+as a temporary abode by a party of merchants some months
+previously. In the night myriads of mosquitoes annoyed us so
+greatly that we were obliged to set fire to the huts, in order to
+be rid of them.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[149]</span>On the 7th we
+arrived at the spacious town of Womba; and, being sadly in want of
+money, I despatched Jowdie, my slave, to the market with needles to
+sell, which fetched fifteen cowries each, and brought me 3,400 of
+them. The chief, having declared the road to be dangerous, would
+insist on sending an armed guide with me; and on the morning of the
+ninth we left Womba in company; halted on the south side of a large
+river at six in the evening, and fixed our tent in the midst of
+grass huts, similar to those already mentioned; but they harboured,
+as on the former occasion, mosquitoes and vermin, so that we were
+under the necessity of burning them to the ground.</p>
+
+<p>Hearing that a gaffle of merchants had been plundered, and many
+of them slain, by freebooters on the road I intended
+taking,—instead of journeying in a south-westerly direction to
+Borghoo, I travelled by another route, and halted at the town of
+Beari on the evening of the 10th of August. As soon as one of the
+head-men was aware of my approach to the king’s residence, he blew
+a blast “both loud and<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_150">[150]</span> shrill,” on a long brass trumpet, in token
+of welcome, the noise of which brought all the principal
+inhabitants to the spot, who went with me into the chief’s hut, and
+seated themselves in a circle round that individual and myself. The
+chief was a fine handsome fellow, apparently about fifty years of
+age, with a noble expression of countenance and a commanding air;
+and the coozie into which I was introduced was the largest I ever
+saw in Africa, being not less, I should think, than eighty yards in
+circumference. The conversation was carried on through the medium
+of a third person, (although the chief himself perfectly understood
+what I said,) which singular custom is, I believe, peculiar to
+Beari, for I never observed a similar practice at any other place.
+The town contained about four thousand inhabitants, and was
+surrounded by a high wall and ditch.</p>
+
+<p>On the 12th we halted at the town of Ragada; and its chief, who
+was delighted to see me, gave me a whole sheep, fowls, and a jar of
+gear (an ale manufactured from Indian corn). It began to rain a few
+minutes after we had quitted Ragada,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_151">[151]</span> and continued without ceasing till we
+encamped a little to the westward of Wittesa, in the afternoon; and
+although the portmanteaus were secured in a thick bullock’s hide,
+every thing they contained, with the exception of the papers,
+became completely saturated with water. In order to dry the tent,
+&amp;c. we were obliged to remain at our encampment the following
+day, towards the evening of which a fellow came outside the
+pavilion with a calabash of bum, and bawled out repeatedly in an
+insolent tone that I should come out and drink with him. Being
+busily engaged in packing up the articles that had been put out to
+dry, I paid no attention at first to the vociferous bellowing of
+the man; but becoming at length impudent and daring, he threatened
+to break into the tent, when, thinking to intimidate him, I took a
+loaded pistol and went out. I told the noisy scoundrel that if he
+did not instantly quit the spot, and stop his throat, I would shoot
+him without further hesitation; but this menace, instead of
+terrifying him, only incensed him the more, and flourishing a lance
+he had with him over his<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_152">[152]</span> head, as quick as lightning, he made a
+desperate thrust at my breast; but slipping a little on one side, I
+parried the weapon with my hands when within an inch of my body,
+and this fortunately saved me from being run through. This was
+carrying the jest a little too far, and striking the ruffian
+violently with the but-end of my pistol, I desired his companions,
+who stood near, and were spectators of the whole affray, to take
+him instantly from the tent, or I would fire at him in earnest. The
+men accordingly dragged away the intoxicated fellow to his home;
+but he returned the next morning, and throwing himself at my feet,
+begged that I would not inform his sovereign of the conduct he had
+displayed, for that he should be beheaded if it came to the king’s
+ears. I promised to accede to his wishes, on condition that he
+should never get tipsy again; whereat the man evinced the most
+lively gratitude, and shed tears of joy.</p>
+
+<p>We struck our tent on the morning of the 14th, and passing
+through the ruins of a large town called Kabojie, halted a little
+to the westward of Dogo at three o’clock in the afternoon, where
+we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[153]</span> slept. In the
+evening I was visited by several respectable females of the
+neighbouring town, who brought with them stewed beef and tuah, for
+which I recompensed them with a few beads.</p>
+
+<p>At two o’clock in the afternoon of the following day, we entered
+the celebrated commercial town of Coulfo, where I was met at the
+gates by the female, in whose house we lodged in our way to Kano,
+accompanied by every lady of note in the town, who expressed the
+most lively joy on seeing me again; but when I informed them that
+Captain Clapperton was no more, they wept bitterly, and, wringing
+their hands, made loud lamentations. Although the town was filled
+with merchants, and her own house occupied by some of them, my kind
+hostess turned out her lodgers, and gave me the best apartment in
+it. The merchants came from Cuttum Kora, Youri and other provinces
+in Borghoo, Yariba, Kano, and Soccatoo, to purchase Nyffé cloth
+(which is decidedly the best in the interior), iron bits and
+stirrups, brass ornaments for saddles and bridles, brass ear-rings,
+&amp;c. &amp;c. the traffic in which is carried on to a
+considerable<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[154]</span>
+extent. The good old chief sent me fowls, tuah, milk, and bum; my
+hostess gave me a sheep; and during my stay, this excellent old
+lady supplied me with the choicest provisions daily.</p>
+
+<p>I take this opportunity of expressing my high admiration of the
+amiable conduct of the African females toward me; in sickness and
+in health; in prosperity and in adversity—their kindness and
+affection were ever the same. They have danced and sung with me in
+health, grieved with me in sorrow, and shed tears of compassion at
+the recital of my misfortunes. When quite a boy, and suffering from
+fever in the West Indies, women of the same race used to take me in
+their arms, or on their knees, sing and weep over me, and tell me
+not to die, for that my mother would break her heart to hear the
+news; and pointing to the ocean, they cheered my spirits, by saying
+that it laved the shores of England, and would shortly bear me on
+its bosom to my distant home. In fine, through whatever region I
+have wandered, whether slave or free, I have invariably
+found<span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[155]</span> a chord of
+tenderness and trembling pity to vibrate in the breast of an
+African <em>woman</em>; a spirit ever alive to soothe my sorrows
+and compassionate my afflictions;—and I never in my life knew one
+of them to bestow on me a single unpleasant look or angry word.</p>
+
+<p>I abode in Coulfo five days, and finding my Yariba pony, and the
+bullock the King of Zeg Zeg had given me, unfit to bear the
+fatigues of a journey to the sea coast, I exchanged the latter,
+with an old Turkish jacket, for a couple of asses; but, owing to
+its being in so miserable a condition, no purchaser could be found
+for the pony, although I offered to sell it for a dollar. On the
+morning preceding my departure, poor little Boussa Jack, the
+faithful companion of my wanderings, was discovered lying dead
+outside my hut, having crawled from its stable, in the night, to
+die as near to its master as possible. Bidding my generous hostess
+an affectionate adieu, I paid my respects to the chief, and left
+Coulfo in high spirits and health, on the morning of the 20th of
+August; and halted at Majonka in the afternoon. In the town
+I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[156]</span> met with a gaffle
+of merchants on their way to Gonja, to purchase the kola, or goora
+nut. Being unable to procure any kind of provisions in the place, I
+took my gun, and shot a heron, not being aware that this, being a
+fetish bird, is allowed only to be eaten by the chiefs; but, on
+being made acquainted with the circumstance, one of the principal
+inhabitants, came to my house with a loaded musket, and, using the
+most abusive language, threatened to discharge it in my face. Not
+at all daunted, I dared him to fire; and hinted that I should take
+the liberty of acquainting the King of Nyffé with such
+unwarrantable behaviour, when the fellow stammered out an apology,
+and sneaked off. Early on the following morning the man returned to
+my dwelling, and in a tone of humiliation, begged me not to carry
+my menace into execution, (which, indeed, I had no intention of
+doing,) and excused the violence of his conduct, on the plea of
+having swallowed too large a quantity of bum the preceding day. At
+six o’clock we continued our route, halting at twelve at noon at
+Dalho, on the banks of the<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_157">[157]</span> river Quontakora, which having crossed with
+some difficulty, we journeyed till sun-set, and reached the foot of
+a hill, five miles to the eastward of the Niger, where we pitched
+our tent, and slept. We arrived on the banks of that river on the
+following day, and found it to be at least a hundred yards broader
+than it was on our way to Soccatoo; and after our hallooing a
+thousand times, the boatman on the opposite side came to fetch us.
+My poor slave, Jowdie, who had never seen so large a body of water
+before, became terribly agitated at the bare thoughts of crossing
+it; but getting him at last, after much persuasion, into the canoe,
+I found him overpowered with fear, and he fainted the moment he set
+his foot on <em>terra firma</em>. We landed at Inguâzhilligie,
+where the principal inhabitants pressed us to remain; but, having
+no presents to offer, I declined stopping, and expecting to reach a
+village in the evening, made all possible haste to get out of the
+town. The path lying through swampy ground, was horribly bad, and
+the asses could only travel two miles an hour; so that at six,
+<span class="sc2">P.M.</span>, the beasts being<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_158">[158]</span> completely knocked up, we were
+obliged to pitch our tent in the midst of a wild, dismal,
+uncultivated waste. In these journeyings Pasko headed the party;
+Aboudah, Joudie, and Pasko’s wife then followed with the baggage,
+whilst I myself brought up the rear; by which arrangement the whole
+of them were under my own eye, and I could watch all their motions.
+After erecting the tent, and previously to retiring to rest, it was
+my usual custom to read aloud, from a book of common prayer, some
+portion of its contents, making the servants sit around me in a
+circle. By this pleasing exercise I felt unusual calmness and
+serenity steal over my mind; and I slept as soundly in the bosom of
+awful woods, amidst the howlings of the tempest and the pelting of
+the storm—the yell of the tiger and the hollow roar of the
+crocodile—as if I had been reposing on a bed of down in my own
+country.</p>
+
+<p>The roads were equally bad on the 23d, and the rain, which fell
+heavily and incessantly, drenched us to the skin; so that about the
+middle of the day we were obliged to encamp in<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_159">[159]</span> a small village, where we attempted to
+sleep. The poor beasts had stuck in the bogs several times in the
+morning, on each of which occasions they were dragged from their
+unpleasant situation with much difficulty, and retarded our
+movements considerably. None of the inhabitants of the village
+understanding the Houssa language, I entered a hut, the door of
+which was open, and presenting the inmates with a few beads, made
+them comprehend by signs and gestures, that we were wearied and
+hungry, when one lean fowl alone could be procured; but having the
+good fortune to shoot a guinea-fowl, we made a tolerable supper,
+and went contentedly to rest.</p>
+
+<p>A ride of eight hours on the following day brought us to the
+celebrated city of Wow Wow, the birth place of Mohammed, the
+residence of the <em>lovely</em> Zuma, and the scene of our
+adventures with those two illustrious characters on our former
+journey into the interior. I had taken two days and a half on the
+road from Inguâzhilligee, while in the dry season we had done it
+with ease in one.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[160]</span>The day after my
+arrival I visited the king with a present of scarlet and blue
+damask, &amp;c. and Mohammed, although he was overjoyed to see me
+at first, was greatly distressed, and wept much on hearing of the
+death of Captain Clapperton in Soccatoo. He wondered at my being
+alive after visiting the Falatah country, the natives of which, he
+maintained, were the most barbarous and blood-thirsty in the world;
+and said moreover, that I was certainly one of God’s own favorites,
+or I never could have escaped so easily from their clutches. I was
+obliged to comply with the monarch’s request, which indeed was
+tantamount to a command, to abide at Wow Wow a few days, in order
+to clean seven muskets and three pistols, which he afterwards told
+me belonged to the white men who were drowned in the Quorra. They
+had the Tower mark on them, and were in excellent condition. Having
+obtained permission of Mohammed to visit the amiable king and queen
+of Boussa, whose behaviour to me, it will be recollected was so
+inexpressibly kind, after my escaping from my confinement in the
+Zuma elopement affair,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_161">[161]</span> I took old Pasko with me, and left Wow Wow
+early in the morning of the 27th; but after journeying till six in
+the evening, we had only got half-way to the city, in consequence
+of bogs and swamps, which overspread the country. Our horses were
+oftentimes up to the saddles in mire and wet, and Pasko’s legs
+being excessively short, the exertions of his animal to extricate
+himself threw him from its back into the filth on the path, so that
+the old man was covered with dirt. The remaining part of the
+journey appearing yet more difficult and dangerous, I found it
+impossible to go on; and being directed by a glimmering light to a
+solitary hut embosomed in trees, we slept there, and returned to
+Wow Wow on the following day.</p>
+
+<p>The king sent me a goat, cut up into small pieces, and a large
+bowl of tuah, on the 29th, in order to make a <em>sadacco</em> for
+my lamented master; a ceremony common to many places in the
+interior, on the decease of any person of consequence. The bowl of
+tuah and the goat’s flesh were forwarded to a mallam, who repeated
+a short<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[162]</span> prayer over
+them; but before this ceremony could be performed, it being
+necessary to place a gold or silver coin, or in lieu thereof, an
+article made of either of those metals, on the top of the bowl, I
+put a silver pencil-case on the tuah, which was never returned me.
+As soon as the prayer had been offered up, the consecrated articles
+were immediately forwarded to me, and hundreds of the Wow Wownese
+flocked to my habitation to show their respect for the memory of
+the deceased, by partaking of the goat’s flesh and tuah, each
+person ejaculating with fervor, on conveying the food to his lips,
+“God send the Christian safe to heaven!” It is unnecessary to say,
+that the bowl was soon emptied of its contents.</p>
+
+<p>The day after the celebration of this mournful rite, having
+finished cleaning the fire-arms of the venerable Mohammed, I
+requested his permission to leave Wow Wow; but the king, smiling,
+told me that not half my business was done; for that he wanted to
+have six charms, which I alone could write. “The charms,” said
+the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[163]</span> learned Moslem,
+“will be worn round my waist, and are to possess the following
+virtues: 1st charm: if my enemies think of making war on me, it
+shall cause them to forget to carry such an intention into effect.
+2d. If my adversaries be on their way to Wow Wow for the purpose of
+warring, it shall cause them to be dismayed and turn back. 3d. If
+they discharge their arrows at my people when close to the city
+walls, the province of this charm shall be to make them rebound in
+their own faces, and wound them. Let the fourth prevent my guns
+from bursting; and the fifth hinder the persons that hold them from
+receiving an injury, should they by any accident break when loaded.
+The sixth and last charm is to make me the happiest and most
+successful of men.” I protested my inability to comply with his
+wishes, on the ground of ignorance; but the old man, wisely shaking
+his cranium, said with a significant look, “Nay, Christian, don’t
+be so modest; I know you have the power; it is useless to attempt
+to deceive me; let me see how long it will be before you produce
+them.” On the following<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_164">[164]</span> day, therefore, I took my charms to the
+superstitious monarch of Wow Wow, on which I had written scraps of
+old English ballads; and the prince was so much pleased with my
+civility, that he paid me a thousand compliments, and I left him in
+the best humour in the world. Thus was I obliged in this, as well
+as in former instances, certainly against my inclination, to copy
+the example the Arabs had set me, of imposing upon the ignorance
+and superstition of the natives, of which I have complained so
+frequently. It was utterly useless to deny them so singular a
+favour on the plea of incapacity or ignorance; for on urging either
+of these reasons, it was not unusual for them to say, “The white
+man is ill-natured; he is no good man;” and run away with tears in
+their eyes.</p>
+
+<p>Not satisfied with all I had done for him, Mohammed still wished
+to detain me in Wow Wow, and very reluctantly gave me permission to
+depart on the 3d of September. He also insisted on my selling or
+giving him my gun and pistols, the only fire-arms that were left
+me. I endeavoured in vain to coax the old gentleman<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_165">[165]</span> to waive his pretensions; and
+finding him firm in his determination of having the gun, and at
+least one of the pistols, I sent them to his residence, leaving it
+entirely to his generosity to pay me what he thought proper. The
+liberal-minded king shortly after returned four thousand cowries
+(worth little more than a dollar) as a sufficient equivalent for
+the gun and pistol; but on the ensuing day made me a present of a
+beautiful little mare.</p>
+
+<p>The 3d of September being the day appointed for my departure,
+the old king sent a message for me to visit him at an early hour;
+on which occasion he wrung from me a promise to return to Wow Wow
+in a twelvemonth. He displayed before me various patterns of silk
+to bring with me from England, for a tobe he was to wear; and said,
+as I was leaving the apartment, “Tell your countrymen, Christian,
+that they have my permission to come here and build a town, and
+trade up and down the Quorra; we know now that you are good men;
+but we did not think so when the white men, who were drowned
+before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[166]</span> Boussa,
+visited the country.” He had kept me chatting with him on
+indifferent subjects till nine o’clock, when we shook hands, and
+the old man followed me with his eyes till I was out of sight. On
+reaching my dwelling, I found a party of merchants, (whom the
+kind-hearted Mohammed had, unknown to me, detained in Wow Wow on
+purpose that I might accompany them,) anxiously waiting my
+appearance. They were to go to Khiama; and the road to that kingdom
+being infested with gangs of robbers, I embraced the opportunity
+with pleasure, and we left the city in company about ten o’clock in
+the morning.</p>
+
+<h3>THE WIDOW ZUMA.</h3>
+
+<p>On approaching Wow Wow, I had not been able to avoid feeling the
+liveliest emotions of delight. We had left it under peculiar
+circumstances; and the generous, warm-hearted, beauteous Zuma, had
+often crossed my thoughts! I fondly indulged the hopes of seeing
+that lady again, after so long an absence; and notwithstanding my
+refusal to accept of her heart and person,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_167">[167]</span> I had so managed this delicate affair as
+not to forfeit her esteem; besides which, I had never spoken
+slightingly of her person; I had never ridiculed her pretensions to
+beauty, and <em>therefore</em> I knew well enough that Zuma could
+not hate me. It was sweet, particularly in Africa, to know,</p>
+
+<div class="linegrp-container">
+<div class="linegrp">
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent4"><span class=
+"strike word-spaced6">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>“There was an eye would
+mark</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">My coming, and look brighter when I
+came;”</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="nind">—and all circumstances considered, I was well and
+light of heart on drawing near to the beautiful city of Wow Wow. On
+the night of my arrival, I was serenaded with the wild music of a
+guitar, accompanied by a female voice. Curiosity induced me to
+listen to its import, when I soon learnt that the singer was a
+slave from my sable inamorata, and sent by her mistress to
+congratulate me on my arrival. As soon as I ascertained that this
+was really the case, I immediately hailed the young woman, and
+admitted her into my dwelling. She came, she said, to welcome me
+back to Wow Wow, on her mistress’s account, and to express the
+widow’s sorrow for the decease of Captain Clapperton. But what was
+of most consequence, and what gave<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_168">[168]</span> me infinite concern, was the news that the
+amiable and impassioned Zuma was herself in “durance vile,” by
+command of the perfidious Mohammed, who, fearful of the
+consequences of the expected rencontre, had filled and surrounded
+her dwelling with soldiers, kept a watch over her “thousand”
+slaves, and forbidden either the lady or her domestics to maintain
+the slightest intercourse with the “Little Christian.” This
+unexpected information moved me to compassion; and desiring the
+female slave, who had contrived to elude the vigilance of her
+guardians, and steal unobserved to my hut, to express to her
+unfortunate mistress my deep regret at her predicament, I dismissed
+the young woman, and returned to my couch to reflect on the
+pitiable condition of the gentle Zuma, whose heart, I had no doubt,
+yet throbbed with tenderness for her former love!</p>
+
+<p>On the two succeeding nights, and indeed every other that I
+spent at Wow Wow, I was visited about the midnight hour by the girl
+above-mentioned, with her female companions, who brought presents
+of honey, &amp;c. from the widow,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_169">[169]</span> and sung, or rather chanted to me at
+different times, the following melancholy tale of her mistress’s
+feelings and misfortunes, from the period of my leaving her to the
+time of my return. The <em>sense</em> of their strains is
+maintained throughout, with the strictest regard to truth:</p>
+
+<h3>THE SONG OF ZUMA’S SLAVES.</h3>
+
+<div class="linegrp-container">
+<div class="linegrp">
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Scarce, Christian, hadst thou left Wow
+Wow</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">When Zuma’s tears began to flow;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">They’ve flowed since, they are flowing
+now,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">In copious streams of living woe;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">And, shunning pleasure, suffering
+pain,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">She wept, and wore Love’s silken
+chain.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">A sadness prey’d upon her mind,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">A gloom o’erspread her lovely face,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">As, wandering far and unconfined,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">She summon’d up each matchless
+grace</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">That charm’d her once, when white man
+came,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Her warm heart fluttering at his
+name.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Oft loitering near the sounding
+grove,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">Or hearkening to the Quorra’s roar,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">She told the listening air her
+love,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">And feelings never known before;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">The listening air received her
+grief,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">But bore it to the yellow leaf.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_170">[170]</span>The fire that gleam’d in her dark eye,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">The heav’n that in her gesture
+dwelt,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">The smile she wore when thou wast
+nigh,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">(Which one might think would Alla
+melt,)</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">All passed away, and envious Care</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Usurp’d the features of the fair.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Her teeth soon lost their roseate
+hue,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">No longer shone her feet with
+yellow,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Her hair, which rivall’d heaven’s own
+blue,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">Turn’d softly grey as that of
+Lello;<a id="FNanchor_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2" class=
+"fnanchor">[2]</a></div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">The goora nut had ceased to charm,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">And grateful <em>pitto</em> scarce could
+warm.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Thus mistress felt, whilst far away</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">The cruel white-faced stranger
+stray’d;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Nor could he hear her tender lay,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">Which every chord of woe betray’d.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Alas! her melancholy wails</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Were plaintive as the crocodile’s.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">But when she learnt that thou wast
+near,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">She flung off suddenly her gloom,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Colour’d afresh her clustering
+hair,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">And bade her teeth their red
+resume;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">And frolicsome and full of glee,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Who was so glad, so gay as she?</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_171">[171]</span>To add to her inspiring bliss,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">With <em>pitto</em> Zuma then got
+mellow;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">But oh! that old Mohammed is</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">A wicked, most tyrannic fellow;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">For, all her hope, and all her joy,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">He bade his soldiers to destroy.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">They rush’d into her house, and
+bound</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">The hapless fair with thongs of
+leather;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Forbade her slaves to quit the
+ground,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">And tied them hand and foot
+together.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Thus mistress far’d, and all for
+thee,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Unkind <em>Nasarah Curramee</em>.<a id=
+"FNanchor_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3" class=
+"fnanchor">[3]</a></div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">But, Christian, Zuma sends her
+love,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">As warm as when at first ye met:</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Like that which dwells within the
+dove,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">It lasted, and will linger yet.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Her deep-drawn sighs and melting
+tears,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Will but increase with growing
+years.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Yet, wishing thou wilt sometimes
+tell</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">Of her, when thou art far away,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Ere Zuma breathes a last farewell,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent2">To Alla she will warmly pray,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">To love, and bless, and prosper
+thee,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Blue-eyed Nasarah Curramee!</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[172]</span>Thus sang the
+maidens of the graceful Zuma; and I was not a little grieved to
+find myself the cause of unhappiness, and of the infliction of
+corporal punishment on so fair a creature, for she was still fresh,
+and beautiful, and full of lovely life! I sent her a trifling
+present to keep in remembrance of “the white-fac’d stranger;” but
+all my coaxing could not melt the inflexible, the iron-hearted
+Mohammed to obtain an interview with her; that sage monarch fearing
+that a general rebellion would be the consequence of such a
+meeting. He well knew that when love was in the question, the
+energetic widow was not mistress of her own actions; whilst her
+power, her courage, her generosity, and above all, her bulk and
+personal charms, would induce thousands to rally round her
+standard, and commit all sorts of excesses. It was therefore a
+politic, although certainly a most ungallant measure on the part of
+the powerful prince of Wow Wow, to confine a lady so unfeelingly;—a
+lady whose meek, equable disposition, and amiable spirit, had
+displayed themselves in numberless instances! a lady, whose
+kindness and affection<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_173">[173]</span> for the white men was so strikingly
+apparent. Nevertheless Mohammed comforted me by promising to
+liberate her as soon as I had reached a day’s journey from the
+city.</p>
+
+<p>I had scarcely left the walls of the town, when a young woman,
+panting and out of breath, overtook me. I immediately recognized
+her as being my old acquaintance, the favourite and confidential
+slave of the widow; but before I had time to inquire the nature of
+her errand, she had produced two calabashes of honey, which her
+compassionate mistress had sent by way of refreshment on my
+journey. I was, however, greatly shocked when she told me it was
+Zuma’s desire, since fate had so ordered it, that she could never
+be united to me, that I would, on my return to my own country, let
+the Christians understand her extreme tenderness for white men in
+general, and that if any one had courage and enterprize enough to
+undertake a journey to Wow Wow, she would immediately make him her
+husband, depose old Mohammed, and proclaim her spouse king in his
+stead. This urgent bidding, although of course it<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_174">[174]</span> excessively mortified my
+vanity at the time, I promised to do;—and I hereby redeem the
+pledge I then made! In addition to which I would observe that Wow
+Wow is, without exception, the cleanest, healthiest, and most
+agreeable city of any in the interior, and one in which an
+Englishman, if he could contrive to forget his country and friends,
+might live very happily; he might spend his time in hunting wild
+beasts and antelopes, sporting, dancing with the beauties of
+Africa, feasting, carousing, and fishing; he might take thousands
+of delightful excursions on the mysterious Quorra—keep race-horses,
+and in fine live like an absolute prince, with the satisfaction, in
+dying, of transmitting to his posterity a kingdom, insignificant
+indeed as to its population or extent, but withal rich, brave,
+compact, and flourishing. This, I am persuaded, (if an Englishman
+could be found possessing the necessary qualifications to fill the
+throne,) would be more effectual in checking the traffic in human
+beings than the united force of all the naval powers in the world.
+Yet I would entreat that individual, whoever he might be,
+to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[175]</span> be merciful to
+the superstitious Mohammed—whose years render him venerable—his
+virtues amiable,—and who, with the exception of being rather harsh
+to the romantic Zuma, is as innocent as a child; besides that he
+was kind to Englishmen, and above all gave me a little mare!</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[176]</span><a id=
+"c15"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="csum">Progress of the route. — The Author, whilst
+crossing a river, in the stirrups of his horse’s saddle, is thrown
+from its back, and narrowly escapes drowning. — Arrival at Khiama.
+— Eccentric conduct of the Prince of that State. — Anecdote of his
+messenger. — Pasko’s thieving propensities turned to account. — The
+Author enters Katunga, the capital of Yariba. — His reception by
+Mansolah, its monarch. — Song of five hundred of his wives. —
+Fetish-hut.</p>
+
+<p><span class="sc">As</span> I have before observed, it was on the
+morning of the 3d of September, that, accompanied by a gaffle of
+merchants, I left Wow Wow. We crossed the river Auli at noon, after
+much difficulty, and encamped on the south bank, shortly after
+which I was visited by the mallam of the traders, who gave me some
+information respecting Mr. Park, which is embodied in my account of
+the death of that enterprising traveller (off the city of Boussa)
+in a preceding part of this narrative. The merchants<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_177">[177]</span> not being ready to start as
+early as I could wish the next morning, we left them behind, and,
+journeying at an easy rate, attained a convenient spot in the heart
+of a solitary wood, where we pitched our tent. At this time I lived
+like an eastern prince, generally subsisting on the best the
+country afforded; and, towards evening, when I felt fatigued,
+Aboudah used to bathe my temples with the juice of limes, and after
+washing my feet, either sing or fan me to sleep!</p>
+
+<p>On the 5th, one of the asses became so ill on the road, that we
+were obliged, in a measure, to drag him to the town of Gorkie, our
+halting place, where, much against my inclination, I left him to
+his fate. The poor animal, looking up into my face, seemed to
+reproach me for my cruelty, and, when he saw his companion going
+away without him, he strove to raise himself on his legs; but, not
+having sufficient strength, fell down again, and brayed loud and
+piteously, which was returned by his long-eared associate in a
+strain of sympathy that made Jowdie, who attended them, shed a
+whole flood of tears. On the morning of the 6th, whilst crossing a
+river,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[178]</span> apparently
+very shallow, my horse unexpectedly sunk several feet into a kind
+of soft mud; and, his legs becoming entangled in the roots of some
+trees lying at the bottom, the beast fell on his side, and,
+plunging violently, threw me off the saddle. My foot was
+unfortunately twisted in the leather stirrups, and I was therefore
+unable to disengage it for several seconds, during which time my
+head being under water, I was nearly suffocated. Freeing myself, at
+length, from the stirrup, I reached the other side of the stream,
+greatly exhausted, and, with the assistance of my servants,
+succeeded in extricating the horse also from his no less unpleasant
+situation. I was afterwards informed at Khiama, by a merchant, that
+I might think myself eminently fortunate in having escaped so
+easily, as large crocodiles, in great numbers, infested the
+river.</p>
+
+<p>After sunset on the following day we arrived at Yarro, shortly
+after which a thunder-storm visited the town with terrific
+violence, overthrowing houses, tearing up large trees by the roots,
+&amp;c. and continued for three hours, when the tempest was
+suddenly appeased, and the weather became<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_179">[179]</span> awfully still and calm. The thunder had
+been fearfully loud, shaking the earth on which our tent was fixed:
+and large masses of fire, whirled across the heavens, added not a
+little of solemn grandeur to this scene of devastation and terror.
+On the 8th we were unable to proceed on account of the rain that
+fell; but next morning struck our tent, and at noon entered the
+city of Khiama.</p>
+
+<p>Immediately on my arrival I paid my respects to Yarro, the king;
+but as soon as he saw me, his majesty asked how I dared to come
+into Khiama without having previously informed him of my approach.
+I answered, that I had despatched one of his own messengers three
+or four days before to acquaint him of the fact, and thought
+nothing more was required on my part to insure me a warm reception.
+“That is of no consequence,” rejoined the monarch, “you should have
+sent another this morning. Get on horseback instantly, and return
+an hour and half’s journey, the way you came. On arriving there,
+despatch one of your own people to acquaint me with the
+circumstance, and I will<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_180">[180]</span> order a sufficient escort to conduct you
+into the city in a manner suitable to your rank and
+respectability.” I was in the act of complying with this singular
+request, when Yarro bawled after me—“I forgive you this time,
+Christian; but never be so remiss again.” The king had been
+informed, a day or two before, of the decease of Capt. Clapperton,
+and appeared much affected on that account in my presence, “but,”
+said he, abruptly,—“What business had you with the Falatahs? They
+behaved roughly to you, I understand, but surely you had no need to
+visit Soccatoo.” I replied, that we were at Kano, on our way to
+Bornou, when Sultan Bello sent for us, and that we were obliged, in
+consequence, to abandon our intentions, and proceed with the
+messengers to their sovereign. Yarro then offered to conduct me
+safely to Bornou, saying that he was tributary to the sheikh of
+that country; but I replied that Bello having robbed me of all the
+presents intended for that monarch, it would be useless for me to
+think of travelling so far, with no gifts to offer on attaining the
+end of my journey; and, therefore, it<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_181">[181]</span> would be superfluous to put him to any
+trouble or expense on my account. My present to the king consisted
+of a quantity of damask and silk, a red cap, silk sword-sash, two
+pairs of scissors, and a hundred needles. I likewise gave him my
+old tent, which had become full of holes, and was quite useless to
+me.</p>
+
+<p>Yarro is an eccentric and facetious character; but without
+exception the finest and handsomest man I ever saw in Africa, or
+perhaps in any other country. Bello, Sultan of the Falatahs, was
+certainly a noble looking fellow, but not at all equal, either in
+regularity of features, elegance of form, or impressive dignity of
+manner and appearance, to the sable monarch of Khiama. We remained
+in the city five days, the conduct of the queens, during the whole
+of the time, being as generous and kind as that of their benevolent
+countrywomen, of whom I have so often spoken; they supplied our
+wants daily, and our wishes were no sooner made known than they
+were instantly complied with; so amiable and so praiseworthy are
+the actions of African ladies. Yarro entertains the whimsical
+notion,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[182]</span> that as
+females came into the world naked, naked they ought to live in it
+till their death, he does not, however, extend the same opinion to
+his own sex. “Man,” said the king, “is the nobler animal, and wears
+clothing in token of his superiority over the weaker part of the
+creation;” and, in accordance with this singular doctrine, none of
+his wives ever dare to approach his presence with any other dress
+than that which nature has supplied them with. They steal, however,
+every opportunity to break through the established rule, and are
+never happier than when bedizened with ornaments, after the manner
+of their female acquaintances.</p>
+
+<p>The people of Borghoo are much more cleanly, both in their
+habits and persons, than their neighbours of Yariba, and would,
+generally speaking, be more handsome, if they had not the
+misfortune to have weak eyes, which impairs considerably their
+personal appearance. That part, which in the eyes of others is
+perfectly white, is in theirs a smoky yellow; but whether this
+sickly-looking hue is occasioned by the manner of living of the
+people of Borghoo, or<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_183">[183]</span> whether they derive it from nature, I had
+no opportunity of judging. When he addresses the king, a Borghoo
+man stretches himself on the earth as flat as a flounder, in which
+attitude he lies, kissing the dust, till his business with his
+sovereign is at an end; when, covering his head with sand or dust,
+he rises and goes his way. When equals meet, each dropping on the
+right knee, they shake hands three distinct times, a pause
+sometimes of several seconds intervening between the <em>acts</em>;
+and, arising at the same moment, they pursue their customary
+avocations. The chiefs and head-men claim, from the lower class of
+people, the observance of the same humiliating ceremony, which is
+exacted by the sovereign; and this manner of salutation does not
+vary from Badagry to Houssa.</p>
+
+<p>Having paid my respects to the facetious Yarro on the 13th of
+September, he said to me at parting,—“If your king wishes, at a
+future period, to send any one to Bornou, I will conduct him to
+that country by a safe route, without the necessity of his
+journeying even near to the Falatah country.” He then made me
+a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[184]</span> present of a
+strong pony; and on the following day we left Khiama; and
+traversing a country laid almost under water, halted in Subia at
+noon.</p>
+
+<p>The chief of the town, on my arrival, made me a present of a fat
+goat and some yams, with which we made an excellent supper; and on
+the 15th, being unable to reach an inhabited place, made a large
+fire in the midst of a wood, in the centre of which, having
+previously rolled myself up in my tobe, I lay down and slept
+soundly till morning. Crossing a creek, we arrived at Mossa, a town
+situated on the banks of a river of the same name, dividing Borghoo
+from Yariba. The stream was overflowed, and the current so strong
+and rapid, that not a single inhabitant of the town had resolution
+enough to ferry us to the other side, in consequence of which we
+were obliged to stay without food for the whole of the day and
+night, not a single goat or bowl of tuah being to be had in the
+place.</p>
+
+<p>I asked the king of Khiama’s messenger why he, in particular,
+was so much afraid of crossing<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_185">[185]</span> the water, observing, that I had myself
+passed over many larger and more rapid rivers by swimming; and I
+mentioned, amongst others, the Quorra. The man begged me, in great
+trepidation, as I valued my life, not to mention the names of
+rivers in the hearing of the Mossa, which was a <em>female</em>
+stream, and had various rivals in the affections of the Quorra,
+that river being her lawful husband! “The Mossa,” continued the
+sagacious messenger, in the same solemn strain and anxious manner,
+“has a jealous, capricious, cruel disposition, and if you venture
+to place yourself in her power, she will certainly swallow you up,
+for you have already spoken disrespectfully of her, and this sin is
+unpardonable; pride being, next to cruelty, her most striking
+quality. She is continually quarrelling with her husband, who is a
+sober-minded stream, thinking him to be too familiar with other
+female rivers; and where they meet they make the ‘devil’s own
+noise’ with their angry disputes.”</p>
+
+<p>Contrary to my usual custom, I absolutely roared with laughter
+as soon as the man, with<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_186">[186]</span> the most impenetrable gravity, had finished
+his recital of the amours of the licentious Quorra, and was
+dragging me away from his jealous wife, the high-minded Mossa; and
+I had a hard task to pacify the irritated messenger, whose sable
+countenance was inflated with rage and passion at this second
+breach of decency and respect on my part.</p>
+
+<p>I went to the chief of the village of Mossa on the 17th,
+intreating him to sell me a little food, and wishing to know
+whether it was his intention to starve us, for this was the second
+day during which we had tasted nothing; but although the great man,
+whose face shone with fat, grew abundance of yams, he refused to
+part with any, affirming that he had not sufficient wherewith to
+fill his own paunch. Suspecting the oily old scoundrel’s assertion
+to be destitute of truth, and learning that he had an extensive
+garden, I requested permission for Pasko to cut grass in it for the
+use of the horses, which was sullenly granted. The stratagem
+succeeded to my expectation, for Pasko, than whom a better person
+for the purpose could not be found, succeeded in
+discovering<span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[187]</span> an
+immense heap of yams, concealed in a particular place in the
+garden; and securing a few of them in a huge bundle of grass, he
+brought them to me. If this had not been the case, I really believe
+we should have been actually starved, or compelled to storm the
+inhospitable village. On the following day I repeated my visit to
+the ill-natured chief, and demanded a second time something to eat.
+He solemnly declared that he was himself dying of hunger, and that,
+though he had caused a strict search to be made the preceding
+evening, nothing could be found worth eating. I then urged him to
+send his canoe to the opposite side of the Mossa for provisions,
+which, after some murmuring, he consented to do, but first of all
+made a charm, that the boat might not be damaged on its
+<em>long</em> and <em>perilous</em> voyage. For this purpose the
+chief killed a fetish-fowl (reserved for religious occasions), and
+sprinkling its blood in the river, placed some of the entrails in
+the bow of the canoe. He then put a broken egg in its stern, and
+muttering an incantation over the whole, the vessel was pushed off
+the shore, and reached<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_188">[188]</span> the opposite side in safety; but, in
+returning, with a cargo of poultry and yams, the ferryman ran it
+foul of a tree which unluckily lay in the middle of the stream, in
+consequence of which it was upset, and immediately sinking, the
+whole of the cargo swam down the envious Mossa, or was rendered
+unfit to be eaten.</p>
+
+<p>The messenger of Khiama, who had so gravely acquainted me with
+the loves of the river, although he was himself a sufferer from the
+accident, was too much elated to contain his transports, but came
+to me, smiling, and asked what I thought of his former allegations,
+and whether I was not convinced it was a judgment upon me for
+speaking ill of the spouse of the Quorra, that I was disappointed
+in my expectations.</p>
+
+<p>I was too much concerned to pay great attention to the man’s
+observations, which circumstance he mistaking for sorrow and
+penitence for my crime, said, “Never mind, Christian, you have only
+to humble yourself a little, in sight of the Mossa, and, I dare say
+she will overlook your imprudence, because she must be aware you
+were a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[189]</span> stranger to
+her history, when you spoke so jeeringly of her power and
+influence.” I acquiesced in the messenger’s reasoning; and,
+clapping his hands, he left me immediately to acquaint his
+companions and fellow-countrymen with the white man’s conversion
+and repentance.</p>
+
+<p>The chief, in alluding to the accident, reproached me with being
+the sole cause of it; and asserted that it would be dangerous to
+cross for three or four days, during which time I might starve, if
+I would, for he had nothing to give me. I did not think proper,
+however, to do so, and despatching Pasko to the yam repository for
+the purpose of cutting grass, the old fellow returned with a double
+portion of that grateful vegetable, which served the whole of my
+domestics for three meals. Never was Pasko so high in favour as at
+that period. For five successive days his visits to the chief’s
+garden were regular; but he was obliged to use all his cunning to
+avoid being detected by the owner of the yams, who accompanied him
+on more than one occasion to the sacred inclosure. Although at the
+distance of only a few feet, however, the<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_190">[190]</span> husband of Mattah contrived to deceive the
+chief; for, humming a Houssa song, with one hand he gathered the
+cut grass into a heap, and with the other, dragged out an enormous
+yam from the place of its concealment, and quick as lightning hid
+it beneath the grass; then, binding the herbage in his tobe, he
+quietly proceeded to our hut, without being suspected by the chief
+of Mossa.</p>
+
+<p>The agitation of the river having somewhat subsided on the 22nd,
+we got into a canoe, and with innumerable significant glances from
+the timid and superstitious messenger, were landed without accident
+on the opposite bank; but our asses were borne a full quarter of a
+mile down the stream, before they could effect the same object. A
+ride of two hours brought us in sight of Wantàtah, the frontier
+town in the empire of Yariba, where we slept; and on the next
+morning entered the insignificant village of Hogie, in which we
+rested the remainder of that day and the whole of the succeeding
+one. It rained unceasingly on the 25th, and the road was rendered
+almost impassable; nevertheless<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_191">[191]</span> we succeeded in entering Katunga, the
+capital of Yariba, about seven o’clock in the evening, when we
+immediately bent our way towards the dwelling which we had occupied
+on our journey to Soccatoo.</p>
+
+<p>Mansolah would not let me visit his palace the morning after our
+arrival, fearing it might <em>wet my feet!</em> but condescended to
+expose his own royal person to the like inconvenience by coming to
+see me at my habitation. On this occasion he was attended by five
+hundred of his wives (out of two thousand!) and made a sudden pause
+on approaching within a few yards of me. Each of his half-dressed
+ladies held a light spear in the left hand, with the right leg
+slightly bent; and, leaning partially on their weapon, the end of
+which rested on the earth, with unspeakable grace they began their
+song of welcome, and dirge for my master’s death. The music of
+their voices was wild but sweet, and reverberating from the hills,
+had a singularly saddening, although by no means a disagreeable,
+effect; and these were the strains they sang:</p>
+
+<h3><span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[192]</span>SONG OF THE
+WIVES OF THE KING OF YARIBA.</h3>
+
+<div class="linegrp-container">
+<div class="linegrp">
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Welcome, white stranger, to Mansolah’s
+land!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Appear, appear!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Com’st thou with presents or with empty
+hand,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Thou’rt welcome here.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Forget thy sorrows, feed thy grief no
+more;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Awake to glee:</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">And dance delighted, as thou didst
+before,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Around our tree.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Mansolah greets thee, with two thousand
+wives;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">And small and great</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Have urg’d the gods to save the white
+men’s lives</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">From Nyffé hate:</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">From Borghoo charms, and wild
+<em>feticherie</em>—</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Falatahs’ spear;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">From the dead venom of the
+kongkonie;<a id="FNanchor_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4" class=
+"fnanchor">[4]</a></div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">And Arab lair.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Yet one hath fallen where no palm-trees
+grow,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Nor cocoas dwell:</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_193">[193]</span>Where savage bosoms feel not others’
+woe,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">There Bebbo<a id=
+"FNanchor_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a>
+fell.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">O Yaribeans! mourn his early death!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">(Mansolah weeps,)</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">For the Falatah draws his infant
+breath,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Where white man sleeps.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Not one from earth into his grave was
+hurl’d,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Poor lonely thing!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">No kind companion in the other
+world</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Will comfort bring.<a id=
+"FNanchor_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6" class=
+"fnanchor">[6]</a></div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Curse the Falatahs! curse them, O ye
+gods!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Their pride lay low!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Rise, Yaribeans! shake your trembling
+rods!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Bend, bend the bow!</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Swift from your arrows as the bounding
+doe</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">The Moslems fly.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Crush them, ye mighty chiefs! o’erwhelm
+the foe!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Or nobly die.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_194">[194]</span>The Christian’s blood is on them,<a id=
+"FNanchor_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> and
+the curse</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">Of God prevails.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Haste, minstrels, haste! in palaces
+rehearse</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">These wond’rous tales.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">Tell ye the world that white-fac’d
+strangers will</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">A welcome have;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Or like the Boussans, they will fight
+until</div>
+
+<div class="line indent4">They find a grave.</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>Whilst the young women were singing, many of the listening
+multitude were greatly affected and shed tears, and all faintly
+joined in the strains at intervals. The gesticulation and actions
+of the ladies corresponded with their expressions: at one instant
+the spear was lifted slowly from the ground, and handed lightly;
+and at another it was flourished over their heads with
+inconceivable animation and rapidity. At the conclusion of this
+singular ceremony the assembled thousands quietly dispersed; and
+the singers returned, in the order they had come, to the palace of
+their sovereign. Mansolah shortly afterwards came into
+my<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[195]</span> dwelling, and,
+expressing in simple and natural terms his sorrow for my master’s
+death, questioned me pretty closely as to the reasons for our
+visiting Soccatoo. I returned him the same answer as the king of
+Khiama received from me a short time before, which appeared to
+satisfy him, and after a conference of two hours he left me. The
+monarch was richly dressed in a scarlet damask tobe, ornamented
+with coral beads, and short trousers of the same colour with a
+light blue stripe, made of country cloth; his legs, as far as the
+knees, were stained red with hennah, and on his feet he wore
+sandals of red leather. A cap of blue damask, thickly studded with
+handsome coral beads, was on his head; and his neck, arms, and
+legs, were decorated with large silver rings. Before leaving me, I
+offered his sable majesty the horse I had purchased in Kano, (a
+fine animal that had carried me nearly the whole of the way from
+that city,) and regretted my inability to make him a more valuable
+present, promising, however, that if he permitted two messengers to
+accompany me from Katunga, I would, on my arrival<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_196">[196]</span> at Badagry, send back
+something more befitting his exalted station. Mansolah accepted the
+beast with the usual demonstrations of gratitude; and in the
+evening acknowledged the favour by despatching a slave to our house
+with a fine fat goat and a quantity of yams.</p>
+
+<p>The reason why Mansolah had so immense a number of wives is
+easily accounted for by the fact that the husband of every female
+in his dominions, who has a daughter unfortunate enough to be
+endowed with a greater share of personal beauty than the generality
+of her sex, is obliged, under the severest penalty, to present her
+to his sovereign. Before the interview between the parties takes
+place, it is customary for the father to procure a fatted sheep and
+a bowl of rice, which are borne by the girl to his majesty’s
+dwelling as a marriage portion; and if it should so happen that the
+man is too poor to obtain this present, he must on no account fail
+to send his daughter, although she is taken no notice of till that
+be received by the monarch. When this is the case, the friends of
+the young woman subscribe amongst themselves a sum of<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_197">[197]</span> money sufficient to purchase
+the sheep and rice, on the receipt of which she is instantly
+admitted into the royal favour and protection, and the greatest
+familiarity from that hour prevails between the prince and his
+newly-married bride.</p>
+
+<p>After they have passed a <em>certain</em> age, the king’s wives
+are set at liberty, and permitted to trade up and down the country
+in the various articles of native produce and manufacture; the
+profits of which are uniformly given to the sovereign. The younger
+ladies employ their time in the adornment of their bodies, and
+beautifying their teeth and hair, in order to make themselves the
+more agreeable and fascinating in the eyes of their imperious
+master,—to whom they sing, in a kind of recitative, several times
+in the day, and whom they fan to sleep at night.</p>
+
+<p>The principal fetish-hut at Katunga is the largest and most
+fancifully ornamented of any of a similar kind in the interior of
+Africa. It is a perfect square building, each side of which is at
+least twenty yards in length. Directly opposite the entrance is an
+immense figure of a giant bearing a lion on its head, carved in
+wood, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[198]</span>
+beautifully executed. About twenty-six or twenty-seven figures, in
+bas-relief, are placed on each of the sides of the hut, but all in
+a kneeling posture, with their faces turned towards the larger
+figure, to which they are apparently paying their devotions. On the
+heads of the small figures are wooden images of tigers, hyenas,
+snakes, crocodiles, &amp;c. exquisitely carved; and painted, or
+rather stained, with a variety of colours. These are the gods of
+the Yaribeans; and the king, accompanied by his caboceers, and
+other principal men, repairs to this hut, to offer up his
+adorations before the idols, and make complaints if any mishap has
+attended their warriors, &amp;c. Whenever Mansolah enters the
+sacred temple, he immediately uncovers his head, and prostrates
+himself on the floor, which is stained crimson, and very highly
+polished; and his example is instantly followed by his attendants.
+In this position they sometimes remain for an hour together, either
+making loud lamentations, and imploring the assistance of their
+wooden gods; or, after repeating their grievances to them in an
+under tone, ask the reasoning<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_199">[199]</span> of their ill success or misfortune, and
+entreating the figures to be more propitious to their undertakings,
+and deal more kindly with them.</p>
+
+<p>None of the lower orders of people are admitted into this solemn
+sanctuary, but prostrate themselves, and pray, without the walls.
+One poor old woman alone is allowed to enter, whose business it is
+to keep the interior of the hut perfectly clean, and even she dares
+not make her appearance till after her sovereign has said his daily
+prayers, and left the place.</p>
+
+<p>There are fifty other fetish-huts at Katunga, on a smaller and
+less magnificent scale than the one above alluded to; and public
+worship is performed in all of them before sunrise every morning.
+If, however, any thing particular takes place in the course of the
+day, the inhabitants make it their business to repair to their
+temples, and, acquainting their gods with the circumstance, make
+observations on it, and express their gratitude or disappointment
+with considerable vehemence.</p>
+
+<p>When an infant dies, the mother invariably wears, suspended from
+the neck, and reaching<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_200">[200]</span> to the bosom, a figure of a child, about
+six inches in length, and of proportionable thickness, which is
+carved in wood, and regarded by the people as a token of mourning.
+This is worn for an indefinite length of time, according to the
+inclination or caprice of the bereaved parent; and many women do
+not cast it aside until the expiration of six, eight, and even
+twelvemonths, during which they chat to and caress the wooden
+figure, as if it had been instinct with life and motion, possessed
+of all the playfulness and endearing manners which distinguished
+their offspring when alive, and capable of enjoying the effects of
+maternal tenderness. This singular custom is confined exclusively
+to Yariba.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[201]</span><a id=
+"c16"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="csum">Ebo the celebrated fat Eunuch — The Yaribeans not
+very delicate in the choice of what they eat — Dress of the
+different people in the interior — Treatment of invalids — Tattoo
+marks of different nations — The Author is urged to become
+Son-in-law to Mansolah, Generalissimo of his Forces, and Prime
+Minister of State — Names of Towns — Departure from Katunga —
+Anecdote of a gang of robbers — Mungo Park’s son — Arrival at
+Badagry.</p>
+
+<p><span class="sc">Ebo</span>, the noted eunuch who has so often
+been spoken of, and whose mal-practices produced great uneasiness
+to us on our proceeding towards Kano, had been taken into favour by
+his sovereign, during my absence from Katunga, and promoted to the
+highest offices of the state. He came to me, paunch and all, on the
+Sunday after my arrival at Katunga, and, laughing heartily at his
+former frolics, told me he had no need to make such shifts then in
+order to procure<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[202]</span>
+any delicacy he might want, for that he had only to hint his
+wishes, when a bowl of dogs’ or asses’ flesh, a dish of fried
+caterpillars, or a saucepan of ants or locusts, was smoking before
+him in a moment! I congratulated the lucky eunuch on his good
+fortune, and the amplitude of his body, which he took very
+good-humouredly; and, during my stay in the city, Ebo the fat
+gourmand was my best friend.</p>
+
+<p>We had heard in Nyffé that the same eunuch had attempted to
+poison us through hired ruffians; but his conduct throughout was
+marked by so much kindness and affability, that I did not give the
+rumour a moment’s belief. There was one action of his, however,
+that I cannot pass by without remark, although it detracts greatly
+from his good qualities; it is as follows: After begging of me my
+remaining pistol, two dollars, and a scarlet cap, he also wished to
+obtain my ass, to make a fetish, but I refused to part with the
+animal, on the plea that I should want him myself on my journey to
+Badagry. Ebo did not urge his request a second time; but, in the
+evening, having sent for him from a neighbouring<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_203">[203]</span> pasture, I found the poor
+beast wounded in the side by two poisoned arrows, which were still
+sticking in the flesh; and this malicious action had, no doubt,
+been effected at the instigation of the disappointed eunuch. The
+poison did not act so suddenly as I expected, for the ass
+languished for six days; at the end of which time, being reduced to
+a skeleton and in great agony, I ordered Jowdie and Pasko to take
+him to a short distance and cut his throat; which was presently
+complied with.</p>
+
+<p>No sooner, however, had the king been made acquainted with the
+circumstance, than he commanded the carcase to be cut into
+quarters, and conveyed to his house; which having been promptly
+executed, (his majesty himself superintending the roasting
+department, and having assembled his wives and head-men,) they all
+squatted themselves on the earth, and made a sumptuous meal on the
+diseased ass-flesh. Wishing to display his gratitude for so
+delicious a treat, Mansolah sent me a goat and a thousand cowries
+as an acknowledgment for the pleasure it had afforded him.</p>
+
+<p>Ebo one day showed me a small apartment<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_204">[204]</span> in his house filled with cowries (being
+worth about fifty dollars English money), and asked with an
+exulting air, if the king of my country was half so rich as
+himself. “Half so rich as yourself!” I rather indiscreetly replied;
+“Why, my sovereign could purchase you, your monarch, and the whole
+of Yariba, and not miss the money the purchase of it would
+require.” “Indeed,” rejoined Ebo, angrily, “thou liest;” and
+without further ceremony was about to fling me into the yard; when,
+hastily retracting my expression, I assured the irascible eunuch
+that I spoke only in jest, to try his temper; which apology
+somewhat appeased the gigantic black, who, laughingly accusing
+himself of being rather too quick when his own honor and that of
+his country were concerned, invited me to partake with him of a
+dozen of stewed rats, and a calabash of <em>pitto</em>!</p>
+
+<h3>FOOD OF THE PEOPLE.</h3>
+
+<p>The people of Yariba are not very scrupulous in the choice of
+food, eating indiscriminately whatever comes in their way; frogs,
+monkeys, dogs, cats, with rats and mice, and<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_205">[205]</span> various other kind of vermin; nothing in
+fact is prohibited, and nothing is rejected by their hungry maws.
+Locusts, and black ants, just as they are able to fly, are a great
+luxury; and, as with the ancient Romans, caterpillars are in very
+high estimation; the former are fried in butter or oil, and said to
+be delicious, Pasko himself affirming that they were land-shrimps;
+whilst the latter are stewed and eaten with yams and tuah, and
+consumed by all ranks with the most astonishing avidity. Ass-flesh
+is even more esteemed in Yariba than venison in England; and, like
+venison, the stronger the odour it exhales, the more delicious is
+it to the refined palate of the higher ranks; the lower orders
+being forbidden to eat of it in that country.</p>
+
+<p>On my journey from Wow Wow, halting near a small river, I was
+visited by a party of Yaribeans, who had been at Nyffé purchasing
+hides for the Katunga market, and were on their way to the capital.
+They solicited permission to place themselves under my protection,
+and slept near me for the night. A gaffle of merchants had rested
+on the same spot about a week<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_206">[206]</span> before, and had left a dead ass behind
+them, which emitting an intolerable scent, the Yaribeans were soon
+sensible that so rich a prize was at hand, and, snuffing up the
+tainted air, went immediately in quest of it. Being guided by the
+powerful smell, they shortly after discovered the corrupted
+carcase, and fell to blows as to which should have the most
+approved joints; but the dispute being at length amicably adjusted
+by a mutual agreement to roast the animal whole in its skin, a
+large fire was instantly kindled, and when the body became warm
+through, it was cut up on the grass, the party sitting in a circle
+round the smoking beast. After they had made a hearty and savoury
+repast on its flesh, the bones were carefully picked and preserved;
+for, as in the case of Moses’ brazen serpent amongst the
+Israelites, every person afflicted with a disease of any kind, by
+simply looking at a tooth or a bone, was to be immediately made
+whole: so ridiculous are the superstitions of the Yaribeans.</p>
+
+<p>People of that kingdom also go in companies into countries where
+the dog is not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[207]</span>
+eaten by the natives, to purchase that animal; and they return with
+many hundreds annually to Katunga. They then confine the dogs so
+procured in huts set apart for the purpose; and after fattening
+them, publicly expose the flesh for sale in the market; and a
+fatted dog will at all times fetch a higher price than the finest
+goat. Yaribeans likewise visit Nyffé, and other nations and
+provinces, to purchase the <em>hides</em> of bullocks, horses,
+asses, &amp;c. and having deprived them of hair by the application
+of boiling water, they stretch and dry them in the sun. When the
+moisture becomes evaporated by this means, the skin is cut into
+small square pieces and stewed in corn and rice; in which state it
+is is hawked through the streets of Katunga, and being esteemed by
+all ranks as a dainty morsel, is eagerly purchased.</p>
+
+<p>Cats are becoming so scarce in Yariba by reason of the bitter
+persecution that is carried on against them unceasingly by the
+half-starved slaves, that they are seldom seen, and in the course
+of a few years, in all probability, these useful animals will be
+wholly exterminated.<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_208">[208]</span> Frogs also are much in request, and
+although they are certainly not considered by the Yaribeans quite
+so delicious to the palate as the French imagine them; their flesh
+is by no means regarded as coarse eating. Some of these creatures
+are of extraordinary size, and I saw one served up at Ebo’s table,
+which could not have weighed, I am sure, much less than five
+pounds. The consumption of lizards is confined almost solely to
+very poor people and slaves; for the latter being allowed little to
+eat by their masters, are often necessitated (leaving their
+inclination out of the question) to consume the most filthy things;
+and nothing surely can be half so disgusting as a lizard roasted
+whole in its skin, and smoking before a hungry Yaribean.</p>
+
+<p>On feast days, however, both poor persons and slaves fare more
+sumptuously, a couple of rats, tails and all, being no strangers to
+their boards on such festivities; and sour milk may be had in
+abundance. The mode of preparing food does not vary much in any of
+the interior countries; but in no kingdom or land
+whatever<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[209]</span> is less
+taste and refinement displayed in the selection of dishes, than in
+the empire of Yariba.</p>
+
+<p>The vegetable food of the Yaribeans consists of yams, plantains,
+rice, seven or eight varieties of corn, &amp;c. The yam is the
+general food of both rich and poor, and by far the most useful
+vegetable of the whole. It is cultivated to a considerable extent
+as far in the interior as Nyffé; but it is no where to be met with
+after one leaves that kingdom. When drawn from the earth, the root
+of the yam is cut into thin slices, and dried in the sun, after
+which it is beat to a powder in huge wooden mortars, and reserved
+as an agreeable and healthful summer food.</p>
+
+<p>The manner in which the people prepare their food is either by
+roasting, or boiling and stewing. Owing to the heat of the
+atmosphere, and the inconvenience of smoke (the use of chimneys
+being as yet unknown to them), fires are kindled by every
+individual in the yard surrounding his hut, which is used for
+domestic purposes; but there are also persons who obtain a decent
+livelihood by dressing victuals publicly in the market; and these
+men are furnished<span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[210]</span>
+with a kind of earthern stove, having large holes in the bottom, in
+order to admit the fire which is kindled underneath. On the top of
+the stove other apertures are formed at a convenient distance from
+each other, so as to admit sufficient heat to the earthern vessels,
+which, being filled with lizards, rats, cats, frogs, &amp;c. are
+placed on them, in order that their contents may be all dressed in
+as short a time as possible.</p>
+
+<p>During the rainy months fires are kindled in sheds purposely
+constructed for the occasion, it being impossible for them to burn
+in the open air by reason of the unabating violence of the weather.
+Mornings and evenings are the periods generally allotted for the
+preparation of food, and a fire is rarely seen in the intermediate
+hours of the day. The yam-flour is usually made into a solid
+pudding by being mixed with water, and boiled in much the same
+manner as common paste in England; and a person is employed in
+stirring it over the fire with a stick till the whole is
+sufficiently dressed, which done, the pudding is turned out into a
+calabash or bowl, and a quantity of either honey, oil,
+or<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[211]</span> butter from the
+maccadania tree being mixed with it, the paste is eaten with the
+fingers. Animal food is roasted on a wooden stake thrust into the
+earth before the fire, and after one side is properly dressed, the
+meat is simply turned on the other, the use of the jack, or indeed
+any article at all answering to it being unknown to the people of
+Western and Central Africa.</p>
+
+<p>In the vicinity of Katunga, and most other large towns, indigo
+is cultivated to an extent of from five to six hundred acres. When
+ripe it is cut and thrown into large circular pits, lined with
+clay, previously hardened by fire; and a quantity of water being
+poured upon it, the plant is suffered to rot and ferment, when the
+contents of the pit soon becoming of the substance of a thick
+paste,—without any further preparation, and without detaching the
+stalks and leaves from the seed, it is taken out and made into
+irregular masses, about the size of a man’s head. In this state it
+is left to dry in the sun, and when sufficiently hard, is exposed
+for sale at the markets. Male and female dyers are numerous in
+Yariba, and the process of<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_212">[212]</span> dyeing is as simple as can well be
+conceived. After the lumps of indigo are dissolved in water, the
+liquid is strained through wicker baskets, till it becomes
+sufficiently pure, when it is fit for immediate use. Cloths being
+immersed in the dye, are suffered to remain in it for a period not
+exceeding twenty-four hours, and are taken out and hung on lines
+surrounding the work-shops. When perfectly dry, the articles are
+laid on a large flat block of wood, smoothed by hatchets and
+knives, and a man beats them with a wooden instrument, not unlike
+an English cricket-bat, till they become sufficiently smooth and
+glossy; in which state they are either offered for sale, or
+returned to their owners.</p>
+
+<h3>DRESS.</h3>
+
+<p>The apparel of the Yaribeans consists of full trousers, tied
+with a running string to the waist, but extending no lower than the
+knee; a short sleeveless tobe with large holes for the arms, made
+of country cloth dyed with various colours; a fantastically-made
+cloth cap, and leather boots; in addition to which the
+higher<span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[213]</span> classes
+sometimes make use of red, yellow, and purple silk velvet, obtained
+from Europeans on the coast. The dress of the people from Badagry
+to Yariba differs very little from that worn by the natives of the
+countries interjacent between the latter kingdom and Houssa. Very
+poor people and slaves use no other wearing apparel than the skins
+of goats, sheep, monkeys, or other animals, fastened to the waist
+by a string; and these being brought between the legs, are tied to
+the band behind. The more respectable part of the community in
+Houssa wear very large full tobes and trousers, made of extremely
+narrow country cloth, but beautifully dyed; and a cap of white
+cotton. Mallams, however, have a red woollen cap (instead of the
+white one), and a white turban. Boots, shoes, and sandals, of red
+and yellow leather, are manufactured in a manner similar to those
+of Yariba, and worn by poor and rich—mendicant and prince.</p>
+
+<h3>MANNER OF CROSSING STREAMS.</h3>
+
+<p>The people of Yariba have a singular mode of crossing rivers and
+streams, when the violence and rapidity of their currents prevent
+them<span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[214]</span> from plying
+canoes on them with safety. Instead of the ordinary ferry-boat, two
+calabashes, or gourds, of the largest size, are selected for the
+purpose; and, the tops of each being previously cut off, the two
+bodies are sewed together, and rendered water-proof by the
+application of a kind of gum. The two gourds thus united form a
+hollow sphere; and are tolerably well adapted for the conveyance of
+passengers, &amp;c. even through the swiftest currents, as will be
+seen by the annexed engraving. The goods, of whatever nature they
+may be, are first placed on the floating gourd, and their owner
+then grasps the latter firmly with both arms; and a perfect
+equilibrium is preserved by the ferryman placing himself opposite
+the passenger, and laying hold of both his arms. They being thus,
+face to face, the owner of the fragile bark propels it through the
+water with dexterity and despatch; and few instances are on record
+of accidents occurring by this means, even in the height of the
+rainy seasons, when the country is one immense swamp. In Houssa,
+&amp;c. the natives use bamboo rafts, which answer the same purpose
+as the above, although not with equal ease or celerity.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter iw2"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_215">[215]</span>
+<figure id="i5"><a href="images/i5.jpg"><img src='images/i5.jpg'
+alt="Crossing the streams at Yariba" title=
+"Crossing the streams at Yariba"></a>
+</figure>
+</div>
+
+<h3>TATTOOING.</h3>
+
+<p>The operation of tattooing, by which the different races in
+Africa are distinguished from each other much more easily than by
+any natural peculiarity in the colour of the skin, or their general
+appearance, is performed by a sharp iron instrument, somewhat
+larger than, but certainly not unlike the blade of a common English
+pen-knife; and children generally, at the age of six or seven
+years, undergo this painful process, which indeed cannot be
+effected without<span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[216]</span>
+putting the poor creatures to excruciating torture. I saw two girls
+tattooed at Katunga, in the following manner: The hands and feet of
+each being first bound, the head was held by the father, and the
+operator began his work by making five incisions on the forehead
+with the instrument above described; the little sufferer uttering
+the most piercing screams, till from hoarseness she was unable
+longer to cry aloud, or speak so as to be understood. This being
+done, the man cut eight other deep gashes on the left cheek; and
+the only means by which one could then judge of the child’s
+distress was by observing a large pool of mingled blood and tears
+on the ground, fed by a copious stream flowing from the face of the
+little innocent.</p>
+
+<p>The patients are invariably left to bleed till they become
+insensible; and death frequently occurs in weakly cases. After some
+days, when their strength is in a measure restored, they are
+privileged to beg in the streets till their wounds completely heal;
+and this does not take place oftentimes for four or five months
+after the operation, the children, during that long
+period,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[217]</span> carry
+slender branches of trees in their hands, in order to scare away
+flies, which, on alighting upon the lacerated face, cause
+considerable pain, and occasion it to swell prodigiously. This
+imparts to the countenance an unsightly appearance; one than which
+nothing can be more truly disgusting; and many of these pitiable
+objects we observed in the deepest misery, wandering through the
+streets of Katunga, and other cities, and almost starving for want
+of food.</p>
+
+<p>When a Yaribean perpetrates ever so trivial a crime, the tattoo
+mark of his nation is so crossed by other incisions, inflicted upon
+him by the ministers of justice, that it becomes utterly
+undistinguishable, and the impression of another people is
+substituted on the other side of the face in its stead. With this
+brand, which can never be erased, he quits his native country, in
+which he was looked upon as</p>
+
+<div class="linegrp-container">
+<div class="linegrp">
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0"><span class=
+"strike word-spaced10">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>“A mark for Scorn</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">To point his slow unmoving finger
+at;”</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="nind">and dies in a foreign land, unpitied and
+unknown.</p>
+
+<p>Circumcision, which is generally performed<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_218">[218]</span> on both sexes at an early age, is
+universally adopted in all the interior countries.</p>
+
+<p>The subjoined are the tattoo marks of the natives of the most
+considerable countries in Western and Central Africa.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter iw2">
+<figure id="i6"><a href="images/i6.jpg"><img src='images/i6.jpg'
+alt="Heads of Natives with Tattoo marks" title=
+"Heads of Natives with Tattoo marks"></a>
+<p class="cp1"><em>Borghoo.</em> — <em>Nyffé.</em> —
+<em>Yariba.</em> — <em>Cuttum Cora.</em> — <em>Houssa.</em></p>
+</figure>
+</div>
+
+<p>The Bowchee people have no mark whatever on the face, but in
+lieu thereof pierce the lobe of the ear, and the soft part of the
+septum of the nose, with a sharp instrument; and hang divers
+ornaments from holes so formed.</p>
+
+<p>The wives of the great people of Katunga are distinguished by
+having the hair cut and shaved<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_219">[219]</span> into a number of small patches like the ace
+of diamonds, but larger; and that of the wives of the humbler
+classes is cut entirely off, leaving the head as bald and bright as
+a barber’s basin.</p>
+
+<p>In the empire of Yariba the sick are treated with neglect, and
+even cruelty. The moment a man, woman, or child, is attacked with
+illness, no matter what the nature of the complaint may be, they
+are instantly conveyed by their relatives to the distance of half a
+mile from the town, and left to lie along the bare ground, in a
+state of the most perfect nudity, underneath the branches of trees;
+and the people are acquainted with no remedy whatever to alleviate
+the virulence of their disorder, or assuage the intensity of their
+sufferings. Food is sometimes conveyed to them by their nearest of
+kin, the law obliging them to do so; but sometimes they die from
+actual starvation. Often the lower class of people are so very poor
+that they have not a sufficiency to satisfy the appetites of their
+healthy offspring, and therefore feel no disposition to part with
+the little they have, to those (perhaps aged parents) who are
+sinking under<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[220]</span> the
+influence of a contagious disease. It sometimes happens, too, that
+these miserable outcasts are snatched from their insecure asylum
+under the trees, and devoured by wild beasts. Native travellers are
+now and then moved to compassionate their sufferings, by reason of
+the piteous lamentations which they make; but, shrinking with
+terror from the distressed objects, they throw yams to them at the
+distance of twenty or thirty yards, and never go near enough to
+inquire into the nature of their malady, or further relieve their
+wants. Whenever an unhappy invalid is carried off by wild beasts,
+his countrymen believe him to have been a very wicked man, so bad
+indeed as to have been unworthy the succour and protection of their
+gods, and consequently deserving the fate which his supposed evil
+conduct and irreligious life had so signally occasioned. Many of
+these poor creatures, whose hollow groans and moanings of distress
+have attracted me to the spot, have I seen in the last stage of
+existence, some of them rolling in the dust, and convulsively
+writhing from excessive pain, and some reduced to
+perfect<span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[221]</span> skeletons
+for want of food, their bones jutting out of their diseased flesh,
+and exhibiting a more ghastly spectacle than can well we imagined:
+others again have I found speechless and almost cold; and on one
+occasion in particular, whilst I was gazing on a poor wretch who
+was far beyond the reach of succour, he fixed his hollow eyes so
+piteously upon my countenance, seeming to implore me to let him die
+in peace, that I could not refrain from shedding tears.</p>
+
+<p>This barbarous and inhuman custom of exposing invalids in the
+open air, under the shade of trees, is confined to Yariba, the
+people of Badagry, and the natives of Borghoo, Nyffé, and Houssa,
+suffering their sick to expire quietly in their own houses, if,
+after swallowing a liquid which is prepared for them by their
+priests, or the expounders of the Moslem faith, the patients derive
+no apparent benefit from the medicine. This preparation consists
+either of a bowl of water into which a charm written with ochre on
+a bit of wood, has been previously washed off, or else a decoction
+of the bark of a tree, rendered holy by an incantation of a fetish
+priest.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[222]</span>The Yaribeans
+have the reputation of being the best bowmen in Africa; and the
+young men soon become excellent marksmen by frequent practice and
+steady perseverance, which latter is a virtue that falls to the lot
+of but few nations in the central parts. They amuse themselves
+daily by attempting to discharge arrows through a small hole made
+for the purpose in a wall, at a great distance from the standing
+ground, and I have frequently seen individuals accomplish this
+difficult task three successive times, when upwards of a hundred
+yards from the spot; but it requires great and unceasing practice
+to attain to so much perfection in the art. Quantities of muskets
+are procured from the coast, but they are of comparatively little
+use to the people, who know not how to handle them with effect; and
+it is not unusual for them to carry these weapons to battle without
+either powder or ball. If worsted in an engagement, however, in
+order to accelerate their speed, they throw them away, and their
+enemies eagerly lay hold of the empty muskets for their own
+use.</p>
+
+<p>Besides other sources of revenue, the King of<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_223">[223]</span> Yariba levies a tax on every
+one that enters the gates of Katunga with a load, of whatever it
+may consist, and also appoints persons to collect a tribute from
+every person attending the market with any saleable commodity. The
+amount of duty is always governed by the value of the beast or
+article sold, which is decided by accredited agents: for example, a
+handsome horse imported from Borghoo, or any other country, is
+liable in the market to a tax of two thousand cowries; whereas if
+the animal so exposed for sale be less handsome, or of inferior
+value, the sum demanded decreases regressively in amount. The same
+rule holds good in regard to bullocks, country cloth, &amp;c.</p>
+
+<p>We were mistaken in supposing the crown of Yariba to be
+hereditary, the chiefs invariably electing, from among the wisest
+and most sagacious of their own body, an individual who is invested
+with the supreme dignity, immediately after the decease of a
+monarch. On the dissolution of a ruling prince, his eldest son,
+together with his favourite wife, and several head men
+of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[224]</span> the kingdom,
+voluntarily destroy themselves by swallowing poison, and are
+inhumed in the same grave with their sovereign, to assist him in
+his wanderings in the other world. At their solemn sacrifices, the
+Yaribeans slay for the occasion old and infirm persons, whose life,
+say they, is a burden to them; and who manifest no reluctance
+whatever to yield up their pain and misery for the honour of the
+gods. With this solitary exception, the people may be considered as
+mild in their manners and charitable in their dealings.</p>
+
+<p>The king strongly urged upon me to remain in Katunga with him,
+and tried every means to accomplish his wishes. Amongst other
+inducements held out, Mansolah was graciously pleased to introduce
+me to his daughters, four of the most beautiful of whom he desired
+me to select, and make my wives. He also offered me the enviable
+situations of prime minister and great war-chief, or generalissimo
+of his forces (both of which offices are highly respectable in
+Yariba), and in case I accepted them, his majesty would make me a
+present of slaves, horses, and indeed<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_225">[225]</span> every thing needful to maintain an
+establishment correspondent to the splendour of my rank, and the
+dignity of my appearance. It being entirely out of my power to
+resist the pressing solicitations of the king, I pointed at four of
+the princesses (who stood bolt upright before me, giggling and
+laughing,) as being the most lovely of their sex, and as worthy to
+share the bed and fortune of the prime minister of Yariba! I
+desired that the ladies might resume their apparel, and take care
+of themselves till my return from England, for that it was
+absolutely necessary I should visit the country of my fathers
+before I could think of settling permanently in a strange and
+distant land. “But will your king,” eagerly inquired Mansolah,
+“will your king give you permission to come back again?” “Without
+doubt,” I replied. “I shall then be master of my own actions, and
+follow the bent of my inclination in all things.” “That is right,
+that is right,” replied the monarch; “you shall be my son-in-law,
+and have the administration of my affairs, both foreign and
+domestic; you shall drive my adversaries<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_226">[226]</span> from my country: it will then be a good
+country, and peace will reign in the land.” I thanked Mansolah for
+his kindness, and observed that I sincerely hoped, on my return, I
+should not be dazzled by the acquisition of so much glory and power
+as his good nature and condescension would necessarily confer upon
+me!</p>
+
+<p>As soon as I had done speaking, a loud noise was heard of peals
+of laughter, cracking of fingers, whistling, and clapping of hands,
+proceeding from the quarter in which the princesses of the blood
+were huddled together, who took the opportunity my silence afforded
+them, of expressing the rapture they felt at the hope of my so soon
+becoming their near relative, and of a white man superintending the
+domestic policy of their government, and leading their countrymen
+to battle and to victory. The favourite queen, who was present at
+the interview, as soon as the tumult had subsided, begged me to
+bring her a looking-glass from England; and Ebo, the fat eunuch,
+who was also present, evinced not the least spark of jealousy, but
+hinted that a good sword from the same country would be more than
+acceptable;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[227]</span> whilst
+Mansolah, the heroic prince of all the Yaribeans, was so much
+overpowered at the very idea of my becoming his son-in-law, that he
+stood moping and whimpering by himself, deprived of the power of
+asking for a single favour!</p>
+
+<p>An Englishman, tired of his country, would be delighted with
+Yariba, for it is a fine kingdom, peopled with a mild,
+affectionate, and unassuming race, by whom he would be regarded
+almost as a deity, and amongst whom he could end his days with
+pleasure. At the decease of the reigning monarch, with very little
+art, and, I may venture to say, no opposition, he might cause
+himself to be proclaimed king, and thus be sultan of the mighty
+empire of Yariba! Becoming familiar with the usages of his sable
+subjects, with two pieces of cannon he might drive every Falatah
+out of his dominions, and restore the kingdom to its ancient
+splendour. But above all things, if he felt so inclined, the
+slave-trade, by his influence and example, would gradually be
+abhorred by his subjects, who, if they saw that their monarch
+professed the same<span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[228]</span>
+principles, would besides eagerly embrace the mild and simple
+precepts of the Christian religion. The people of Katunga had
+become so familiarized to me during my residence amongst them, that
+I had ceased to excite that intense curiosity displayed on my first
+arrival; and, next to their sovereign, I was treated with the
+highest respect by all ranks and ages, and interrupted in long
+rambles only by prostrations, and other demonstrations of
+veneration, peculiar to the Yaribeans.</p>
+
+<p>The names of towns in Africa, as well as of individuals, have
+something descriptive and significant in them; for instance—<em>Wow
+Wow</em>, a great fool;—<em>Inguazhilligee</em>,
+ferry-boat;—<em>Boussa</em>, a kind of ale;—<em>Fullindushie</em>,
+a white stone;—<em>Kassagebubba</em>, a large fowl, &amp;c. &amp;c.
+Slaves are called by all manner of names; sometimes from any
+singularity in their appearance, or defect in their
+understandings—and sometimes by terms expressive of abhorrence or
+contempt; but much more frequently they have the names of birds,
+beasts, or reptiles, bestowed upon them by their masters,—thus one
+is called<span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[229]</span> simply
+“woman vulture,” or “man vulture;”—“woman snake,” or “man snake;”
+and Pasko’s Soccatoo wife was generally known by the elegant
+appellation of “woman elephant;” whilst others are distinguished by
+the name of a certain river, tree, mountain, or other natural
+object.</p>
+
+<p>I remained at Katunga nearly a month, experiencing every species
+of friendship and good nature from its inhabitants; and on the
+21st, when I intimated my desire to pursue my journey to the
+sea-coast, Mansolah sent me four thousand cowries, with a quantity
+of trona to sell on the road. The king also ordered his head
+messengers to accompany me, commanding them to desire the chiefs of
+every town through which the main path lay, to contribute,
+according to their ability, to the support of myself and
+attendants; which command we afterwards found on various occasions
+to be eminently serviceable.</p>
+
+<p>The following morning early, I paid my respects to the prince,
+and having taken an affectionate leave of him, once more continued
+my course, in good spirits, and better health than I had enjoyed
+for a long period previously. Journeying<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_230">[230]</span> till the 8th of November, and meeting with
+few incidents worth relating, we arrived at Engwâ, the town in
+which it will be recollected Captain Pearce died and was buried, on
+his way to Katunga. I found the railing and fence, which had been
+placed round the grave, washed away by the rains, and the piece of
+wood, on which I had engraved his name, &amp;c., had disappeared,
+most probably from a similar cause. The only means by which I was
+enabled to recognize the spot, was the circumstance of the earth
+over the grave having sunk considerably, and being quite destitute
+of vegetation, whilst the soil near it was covered with luxuriant
+herbage. The chief told me that having received no orders to repair
+the damage, occasioned by the floods, he had suffered the fence to
+fall to decay; but, at my own suggestion, he promised to erect a
+shed over the spot as soon as the sun had dried the grass. I made
+him a trifling present to encourage him in his intention, and
+preparations for that purpose had already commenced previously to
+my departure from Engwâ.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving Tschow, a day’s journey on the Katunga<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_231">[231]</span> side of Jannah, on the 11th, I
+met, a few miles only from the town, a gaffle of merchants,
+hastening with the utmost speed and confusion towards it. They
+suddenly stopped on perceiving me, and a great number of them
+bawled out at the same moment, that they had been attacked by a
+band of robbers, who had overcome them, carrying off all their
+goods; and that if I did not go back to Tschow, with them, I should
+be murdered in a few moments, as the desperadoes were close at
+their heels. Instead of returning, however, I entreated them to go
+on with me, assuring them that with their assistance, the property,
+of which they had been so unlawfully deprived, should be recovered,
+and restored within half an hour; but the timid merchants, being
+afraid to expose their persons to so imminent a danger, politely
+declined the invitation, on the plea of being too much fatigued. My
+party consisted only of ten individuals, four of whom were women,
+and all unarmed, with the exception of Pasko and myself, who were
+furnished with a damaged pistol and an old rusty musket, borrowed
+of the king of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[232]</span>
+Katunga. With these weapons I resolved to proceed on the road at
+all hazards, and had the good fortune, about twenty minutes
+afterwards, to come in sight of the so much dreaded banditti. They
+were seated on the grass, dividing their ill-gotten spoil, and
+appeared to take no notice of me till I came within fifty or sixty
+yards of the spot, when, desiring Pasko to fire, I struck spurs
+into the horse’s sides, making him gallop with great swiftness, and
+the path being rocky and hollow, the sound produced seemed as if a
+thousand horses were prancing over the ground. At that moment,
+discharging my pistol, I completed the general consternation of the
+highwaymen, who, without looking behind them, fled in all
+directions, and concealed themselves in some rank grass, that was
+growing at a short distance, to the height of nine or ten feet,
+leaving their booty behind them, which consisted of upwards of
+three hundred pounds of salt, besides country cloth, cowries,
+&amp;c.; and the captured articles, by the laws of the country,
+thus became my own property.</p>
+
+<p>The merchants who had, unknown to me,<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_233">[233]</span> followed at a respectful distance, as soon
+as they saw the utter discomfiture of the thieves, made their
+appearance, and asserted, with a most amusing solemnity, that
+having determined to share my good or bad fortune, they were making
+all haste to my assistance, when the freebooters, by their
+precipitate, and to them unlucky retreat, had prevented them from
+displaying the courage which animated every bosom. I accepted their
+courtly apology, and praised their heroic resolution, but being
+determined not to give them the value of a single cowry, ordered my
+party to return with the captured goods to Tschow. The chief of
+that town himself purchased the different articles, and Pasko and
+his companions divided the money equally among themselves, I having
+refused to accept of any, although urged to take the whole.</p>
+
+<p>In the afternoon of the same day we arrived at Jannah, and
+instantly visited the grave of Dr. Morrison, which I found in a
+perfect condition. The king was to have been rewarded by Mr.
+Houtson, for preserving the fence which<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_234">[234]</span> surrounded it, from decay; but that
+gentleman having himself died near Accra, on his return to the
+coast, the monarch had received no acknowledgment for his trouble
+till my arrival at Jannah, when I fully satisfied his demands.</p>
+
+<p>On the 13th the horses which the kings of Wow Wow and Khiama had
+given me, both died, and the one I had left was in a weak and
+diseased state.</p>
+
+<p>The son of Mr. Park, the celebrated African traveller, died in a
+small town two days’ journey in the interior from Accra, only three
+days before my arrival on the coast. I first ascertained his name
+by reason of a shirt sent in mistake for one of my own which I had
+given a female to wash,—“Thomas Park,” being marked in legible
+characters at the bottom. This young Englishman, on coming into the
+country, used no precautions with regard to the preservation of his
+health, but, adopting the habits of the people with whom he
+mingled, anointed his head and body with clay and oil, ate
+unreservedly the food of the natives, and exposed himself,
+with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[235]</span> scarcely any
+clothing, to the heat of the sun by day, and the influence of the
+pernicious dews by night,—in consequence whereof, as might have
+been expected, he was attacked with fever, which put an end to his
+existence after a very short illness. Mr. Thomas Park had formed
+the pious resolution of discovering the spot where his intrepid
+father had met his fate, and of ascertaining, if possible, the
+cause and manner of his death; in which attempt he was defeated
+only by his own dissolution. Had the young gentleman survived a few
+days longer, I could have fully satisfied him in these particulars,
+and given him directions, in case of his recovery, for proceeding
+to the island of Boussa.</p>
+
+<p>On the 21st of November we entered Badagry, having been a month
+on the road from Katunga; and I am compelled to acknowledge that in
+no town were we received with unkindness, the people every where
+welcoming us back again with vociferous expressions of pleasure.
+Sometimes indeed, particularly between Jannah and Badagry, they
+howled so dreadfully on<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_236">[236]</span> seeing me, that the horse on which I rode
+trembled with fear; but this was the means which the natives took
+to congratulate me on my safe return. Adólee the king of Badagry,
+was glad to see me, and resigned his mansion (constructed of
+bamboo, and two stories in height) to me, whilst he contented
+himself with a small miserable hut, in which he took up his
+residence. Like every other prince in Africa, he was grieved to
+learn the decease of Captain Clapperton, and expressed his sorrow
+in a feeling manner. I gave his majesty my little horse, which had
+accompanied me the whole of the way from Soccatoo, together with
+all the articles for presents that were left, consisting of light
+blue scarlet damask, scarlet and blue silk, and two dozen pairs of
+cotton stockings. A week after my arrival, I waited on Captain
+Morrison, a Portuguese slave merchant, and obtained of him goods,
+the value of which amounted to ninety-four dollars, with a barrel
+of gunpowder, which I paid for myself. With these presents I
+dismissed the messengers of the<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_237">[237]</span> kings of Jannah and Katunga, whom I could
+not afford to maintain any longer in provisions, and they returned
+to their respective sovereigns in high spirits.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[238]</span><a id=
+"c17"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="csum">Novel method adopted by Europeans for conveying
+slaves on board their vessels — Conduct of the Portuguese
+Merchants, resident at Badagry, towards the Author — The White
+Negroes — Manners and Ceremonies of the Badagrians — Horrid
+indifference with respect to the shedding of Human Blood — Murder
+of two of the King’s wives by moonlight.</p>
+
+<p><span class="sc">By</span> reason of the vigilance of British
+men-of-war on the coast, merchants are obliged to use much greater
+caution than formerly, for eluding observation, and embarking their
+purchased slaves. The plan now generally adopted is as follows: as
+soon as a vessel arrives at her place of destination, the crew
+discharge her light cargo, with the manacles intended for the
+slaves, and land the captain at the same time. The vessel then
+cruises along the coast to take in country cloth, ivory, a little
+gold dust, &amp;c.; and, if a British man-of-war be near, the crew
+having<span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[239]</span> nothing on
+board to excite suspicion, in most cases contrive to get their
+vessel searched whilst trading with the natives. At such time as
+they fancy their presence would be necessary, they return to the
+place where the cargo had been landed, and communicate with the
+captain on shore, who, during their absence had not been idle; and
+who then takes the opportunity of acquainting his crew with the
+exact time in which he will be in readiness to embark. The vessel
+then cruises a second time up and down the coast, till the
+appointed day approaches, when she proceeds to take in her living
+cargo.</p>
+
+<p>Immediately on sight of her every canoe for miles near is put in
+requisition by the captain; provisions and water are speedily
+conveyed on board; and last of all, the wretched slaves are dragged
+forcibly towards the boats, and received by the European crew, who,
+as soon as this is effected, crowd all sail, and the vessel quickly
+disappears. I saw four hundred slaves at Badagry crammed into a
+small schooner of eighty tons; and the appearance of these unhappy
+human beings was squalid and miserable in the extreme.<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_240">[240]</span> They were fastened by the neck
+in pairs, only a quarter of a yard of chain being allowed for each,
+and driven to the beach by a parcel of hired scoundrels, whilst
+their associates in cruelty were in front of the party, pulling
+them along by a narrow band, their only apparel, which encircled
+the waist.</p>
+
+<p>On leaving their native shore in the canoes, the wretched slaves
+set up a wild and dismal lament, which rent the air, and might have
+been heard at a considerable distance; but their tears failed to
+soften the hearts of the relentless Christians, who huddled them
+hastily into the hold of their vessel; and the cries of the
+Africans were heard no more.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Morrison was the only Portuguese in the town that
+behaved with even common civility to me; the others, seven or eight
+in number, evidently viewed me with suspicion and alarm, and
+actively exerted themselves to persuade Adólee and his people that
+it would be necessary to destroy me, asserting that I was a spy
+sent by the English Government, and if suffered to leave the city,
+would return with numbers of my countrymen,<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_241">[241]</span> and enslave its inhabitants. What
+success these insinuations met with, will hereafter be related; but
+in the mean time these very men kept up an outward show of
+friendship and esteem for me during a long period, and strove all
+in their power to lull suspicion asleep, by endeavouring to
+strengthen the favourable opinion they flattered themselves I
+entertained for their merits; and, by apparent frankness of manner
+and openness of conduct, to do away any evil impression which the
+rumour of their clandestine practices might have awakened in my
+bosom. But although I maintained the profoundest taciturnity on the
+subject, I was perfectly well acquainted with the whole of their
+manœuvring, and prepared to encounter it in whatever way it might
+at first annoy me.</p>
+
+<p>Amongst other things, the Portuguese at Badagry earnestly
+entreated me to sell my poor slaves, and offered ninety-five
+dollars for each of them; but of course I rejected their proposal
+with the contempt it merited. I went to see one of these
+slave-merchants one day by special invitation: he was
+at<span class="pagenum" id="Page_242">[242]</span> breakfast on my
+entering his hut; and wheaten rolls and tea and sugar, were smoking
+and giving odour before him. I ardently wished at the time to seat
+myself at his side, and partake of the good things spread out so
+temptingly in my sight; for I had not tasted bread for nearly two
+years previously, nor tea or sugar for eighteen months; so that my
+childish propensity is not to be wondered at. The Portuguese,
+however, although he looked first at me and then on his breakfast,
+did not seem to be in a hurry to invite me to share it with him:
+so, fancying he felt some delicacy and bashfulness about the
+matter, which his eyes seemed to confirm, I was preparing very
+unceremoniously to help myself, but thought I might as well in the
+first place ask his permission. This I did in the best-tempered
+manner in the world; but the surly, ill-natured European, dropping
+the tea he was conveying to his lips, almost frightened me out of
+my wits, by exclaiming, “Stay your hand for a moment, if you
+please, Mr. Englishman; you have three fine slaves in your
+possession, for each of whom I will immediately pay you a hundred
+dollars,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_243">[243]</span> and also
+send you as many wheaten cakes as will serve you for a twelvemonth;
+but, unless you consent to this proposal, you will have neither
+rolls nor tea of mine, I assure you.” I could not think of
+gratifying my appetite at the expense of my poor slaves, the
+faithful companions of my pilgrimage; so concealing, as well as I
+was able, the disappointment I could not help feeling, I arose, and
+bestowing on the Portuguese the epithets of a heartless, unfeeling
+scoundrel, hastily quitted his inhospitable roof, and repaired to
+my own dwelling. There I breakfasted more contentedly on a little
+boiled Indian corn, mixed with palm-oil and water, my usual fare,
+than if I had enjoyed all the luxuries in the world by wounding my
+conscience, and doing violence to the best feelings of my
+nature.</p>
+
+<p>The same individual, however, three days after, sent me a loaf
+of bread and a cheese, with a bottle of English porter, articles of
+which I had <em>dreamt</em> repeatedly in the interior, but of
+which I never expected to partake in Africa. The merchant held out
+the same inducements as before to obtain my slaves; but although I
+obstinately<span class="pagenum" id="Page_244">[244]</span> refused
+to accede to his reiterated request, I could not, for the life of
+me, resist the strong temptation I felt to claim a more familiar
+acquaintance with the presents placed so provokingly within my
+reach; and instead of returning them, which was to be the
+consequence of my refusal, I desired the bearer to acquaint his
+master with my high admiration of his noble conduct, and my extreme
+gratitude for a favour so unexpected and undeserved on my part; but
+to add, that, being determined not to be outdone by him in acts of
+generosity, I should take the liberty, on the arrival of a British
+vessel on the coast, of returning the compliment by a suitable
+acknowledgment.</p>
+
+<p>My decided determination not to part with my slaves for any
+consideration, and the answer the messenger delivered to the
+slave-dealer, so greatly exasperated both him and the whole of the
+Portuguese in the place, that on meeting me in the streets, they
+used to pour out, in broken English, a whole volley of oaths and
+curses; and took care not to bestow on me further proofs of their
+good nature and benevolence, till the arrival<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_245">[245]</span> of the brig Maria of London at Badagry
+again opened the sluices of their amiable and charitable feelings,
+and I was favoured a second time with a present, yet more
+acceptable than the first, which was sent on condition that I would
+not make my countrymen acquainted with the fact of any Portuguese
+being in the town.</p>
+
+<p>I saw two milk white negroes, male and female, with red hair and
+eyes, on my return from the interior; the one at Tschow, and the
+other at Badagry. Having examined their bodies pretty minutely, I
+am confident that they laboured under no disease whatever; indeed
+they told me themselves that they entered the world in the
+condition in which I beheld them. Neither of these unsightly
+individuals appeared to attract a large portion of the curiosity of
+their sable countrymen; nor did their singular and loathsome
+appearance excite in their breasts any emotion of horror or
+disgust. The skin of these white Africans was by no means like that
+of a fair European, having a much paler and more<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_246">[246]</span> unearthly hue; but without
+tumours or scrofulous affection of any kind.</p>
+
+<p>I had retired to rest rather earlier than usual one evening,
+being greatly fatigued, when about the midnight hour a loud, long,
+and piercing shriek awoke me with a start, and springing hastily
+from my couch, I turned aside the slight mat which served instead
+of glass for my window, to ascertain the cause of it. The moon
+shone in the heavens with peculiar lustre and beauty, rivalling in
+splendour the brilliant orb whence she receives her light, so that
+I was enabled to distinguish clearly every object for some distance
+from the hut. Another fearful scream at the moment arrested my
+undivided attention upon a group of persons about ten or twelve
+yards from my window, in the midst of whom I could perceive two
+females struggling violently to get loose from the iron gripe with
+which they were held by their merciless guardians. I called as
+loudly as I could to the fellows, (who, as well as the perturbation
+of my mind, and the confusion of the scene would allow me to
+discern, were eight in number,) to demand the<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_247">[247]</span> reason of their ill-treatment of the
+defenceless women at that unseasonable hour, when one of them
+answered with the greatest unconcern, that the females whom I saw
+were the King’s wives, who, having spoken their mind with too much
+frankness in the royal presence an hour before, had been ordered by
+their husband to make expiation for the offence by having their
+throats cut,—that being considered as the mildest punishment which
+could be inflicted for the consummation of so heinous a crime, by
+the laws of Badagry; a punishment which none but Adólee’s
+favourites ever underwent! Whilst the man was yet speaking, the
+trembling criminals shrieked long and bitterly; but from exhaustion
+their struggles were less vehement than before. At length I saw
+their hands bound, next their feet; and lastly their heads, bent
+forcibly backwards, by four of the ruffians, were held tightly by
+the hair in that painful position. I then heard the poor creatures
+utter their last thrilling cry of anguish, which caused my blood to
+run cold in my veins, and a shudder to creep over every limb; and
+at that moment, the gleam of the uplifted<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_248">[248]</span> daggers shot across my vision, and as quick
+as lightning the poinards were buried in the throat and bosom of
+each, severing the windpipe in their course. A faint gargling sound
+like water issuing from the mouth of a bottle, was the only noise
+produced; the ruthless assassins glided like spectres from before
+my window, trailing their bleeding victims along the earth; and all
+was as still and solemn as the grave, the moon alone (to my
+imagination) blushing to be a spectatress of the atrocious
+deed.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as this bloody tragedy had been enacted, the spell that
+had bound me motionless to the window, dissolved, and, flinging
+myself on my mat, I endeavoured to obtain a little repose, and calm
+the agitation of my mind; but the dreadful scene I had witnessed
+awakened a host of phantoms in my disordered imagination, and
+obliged me to walk to and from the apartment till the morning,
+when, on taking a stroll through the town, my eyes were saluted
+with the revolting spectacle of the murdered women hanging on the
+branches of the fetish-tree!</p>
+
+<p>The manners and ceremonies of the Badagrians,<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_249">[249]</span> although they appeared so
+simple and engaging to us whilst we continued amongst them, on
+first leaving the Brazen, are without comparison the most rude and
+barbarous of those of any of the people on the whole continent of
+Africa. The murder of a slave is not considered even in the light
+of a misdemeanor amongst them; and the frequency of this crime has
+not only taken away all sense of its enormity, but steeled the
+breasts of the multitude against every compassionate feeling;
+whilst the king and government encourage savage principles and
+pastimes by setting them the example.</p>
+
+<p>The following particulars were gleaned principally from personal
+observation, whilst I remained in that city of blood, called by the
+inhabitants Badàg (or Woman); and, in the absence of that source,
+from repeated conversations held with the king, his eldest son, and
+his great chiefs or generals, Bombanee, Poser, and Accra, whom I
+questioned separately, and at different periods, concerning the
+celebration of their sacrifices and other religious rites. I found
+no discrepancies whatever in the information thus<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_250">[250]</span> obtained; and, after I had
+swallowed the fetish, the before-named individuals communicated
+freely, and without suspicion, any thing connected with their
+religion or manners that I evinced the slightest wish to have
+explained.</p>
+
+<p>Badagry being a general mart for the sale of slaves to European
+merchants, (who are now, I believe, almost exclusively confined to
+agents belonging to the Portuguese nation,) it not unfrequently
+happens that the market is either overstocked with human beings, or
+no buyers are to be found; in which case the maintenance of the
+unhappy slaves devolves solely on the government. The expense
+incurred by this means is oftentimes murmured against by the king,
+who shortly afterwards causes an examination to be made, when the
+sickly, as well as the old and infirm, are carefully selected, and
+chained by themselves in one of the factories, (five of which,
+containing upwards of one thousand slaves of both sexes, were at
+Badagry during my residence there,) and next day the majority of
+these poor wretches are pinioned, and conveyed to the banks of the
+river that runs<span class="pagenum" id="Page_251">[251]</span> up
+the country, where, having arrived, a weight of some sort is
+appended to their necks, and, being rowed in canoes to the middle
+of the stream, they are flung into the water, and left to perish by
+the pitiless Badagrians. Slaves who, for other reasons, are
+rejected by the merchants, undergo the same punishment, or are left
+to endure more lively torture at the sacrifices: by which means
+hundreds of human beings are annually destroyed.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_252">[252]</span><a id=
+"c18"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="csum">The Fetish-huts and tree at Badagry — Owing to the
+insinuations of the Portuguese the Author is compelled by the
+priests of the Fetish, to swallow bitter water, being the only
+European that ever underwent that dreadful ordeal — His reflections
+when informed of the circumstance — Astonishing preservation from
+an expected cruel death — Sacrifices of human beings under the
+branches of the Fetish-tree, exceeding in atrocity all previous
+accounts — Song of the inhabitants with Adólee at their head, on
+the occasion — The Author, on his visit to a Portuguese pirate,
+discovers the sacred Fetish-tree of the Badagrians growing in the
+heart of a forest, and covered with the dismembered corpses of
+human beings — Remarks on the Portuguese.</p>
+
+<p><span class="sc">In</span> the private fetish-hut of the King
+Adólee, at Badagry, the skull of that monarch’s father is preserved
+in a clay vessel, placed in the earth. Human blood, as well as the
+blood of birds and beasts, is occasionally sprinkled on it; and
+when the king goes to war, that same skull is invariably carried
+with him, with which he frequently converses,<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_253">[253]</span> and gently rebukes it, if his success
+does not happen to answer his expectations. “If this custom be
+neglected,” said Adólee, “the virtues and martial energy of my
+deceased father would cease to influence my actions, and defeat and
+disgrace would attend all my warlike undertakings.” The people of
+Badagry regard this skull with the same veneration as the Turks do
+the sacred banner of their Prophet; and believe, that should it be
+missed through any casualty, or captured by the enemy, the destiny
+of their prince would be sealed for ever, and the pillars of their
+monarchy crumble into dust, so that they would no longer be a
+people!</p>
+
+<p>There is another fetish-hut at Badagry, the interior of which is
+positively ornamented with rows of human skulls, and other emblems
+of mortality, whitened by time, and having a most terrific
+appearance. In this Pagan sanctuary all suspected persons go
+through the ordeal of bitter (poisonous) water, in order to
+ascertain their guilt or innocence; and death, which in almost all
+cases ensues shortly after the prisoner receives the fatal draught
+into his stomach, is<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_254">[254]</span> considered by the people as a sure
+criterion of the former; whilst, if the culprit has the good
+fortune to escape with life, which rarely happens, he is pronounced
+free of the allegations brought against him, and immediately
+acquitted.</p>
+
+<p>At a short distance from this gloomy hut stands a fetish-tree,
+on the branches of which the headless bodies of human beings,
+slaughtered under them, are invariably suspended.</p>
+
+<p>I did not think, as I strolled one day to the spot, and
+scrutinized the exterior of the fetish-hut, that I myself was so
+shortly to enter its doors, and be tried with bitter water by its
+inexorable priests, in order to prove whether I was a good or bad
+man, a friend or foe to their nation!</p>
+
+<p>But the calumnies of the Portuguese had recently begun to
+display their effects very strikingly; Adólee had latterly behaved
+in a cold and distant manner to me; and his chiefs studiously
+shunned my presence whenever they observed me approaching them.</p>
+
+<p>One morning, as I was taking my solitary breakfast of palm oil
+and Indian corn, I was startled by a message from the king,
+commanding<span class="pagenum" id="Page_255">[255]</span> me to
+repair at noon-tide to the fetish-hut, and be examined by the
+priests, who would be there assembled, to answer certain charges
+that would be brought against me. I was well aware in what manner
+my trial was to be conducted; and I could not forbear exclaiming to
+myself, as I mused on the dreadful fate which I imagined awaited
+me: “Well, then, here will be an end to my wanderings and my life;
+yet, having escaped so many dangers, and encountered such grievous
+afflictions, it is hard, after all, to cast off the fardel of
+existence thus prematurely; it is hard, when almost within hearing
+of my countrymen, that my life should be destroyed; that my skull
+should be preserved as a trophy by heartless savages, and my body
+be devoured by ravens and other birds of prey.” As I was making
+this saddening, and perhaps unmanly soliloquy, tears rushed
+involuntarily into my eyes, but, hastily wiping them off, I
+employed the little time allotted me in making my peace with
+Heaven, so that when the fellows came to conduct me to the
+fetish-hut, I was calm and collected, and prepared to undergo the
+severest<span class="pagenum" id="Page_256">[256]</span> punishment
+which the power of man could inflict upon me.</p>
+
+<p>The news of the white man’s arrest, and approaching trial,
+spread like wild-fire through the town, and the inhabitants,
+assembling from all parts, armed with axes, spears, clubs, and bows
+and arrows, followed the procession to the dismal spot. On entering
+the hut, I beheld a number of priests and elders of the people,
+seated in a circle, who desired me to stand in the midst of them.
+When I had complied with their request, one of the priests arose,
+and presenting me with a bowl, containing about a quart of a clear
+liquid, scarcely distinguishable from water, cried out in a loud
+voice, and with much emphasis, “You are accused, white man, of
+designs against our king and his government, and are therefore
+desired to drink the contents of this vessel, which, if the reports
+to your prejudice be true, will surely destroy you; whereas, if
+they be without foundation, you need not fear, Christian; the
+fetish will do you no injury, for our gods will do that which is
+right.”</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter iw2"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_257">[257]</span>
+<figure id="i7"><a href="images/i7_large.jpg"><img src=
+'images/i7.jpg' alt="Ordeal by Poison" title=
+"Ordeal by Poison"></a>
+</figure>
+</div>
+
+<p>I took the bowl in my trembling hand, and gazed for a moment on
+the sable countenances of my judges; but not a single look of
+compassion shone upon any of them; a dead silence prevailed in the
+gloomy sanctuary of skulls; every eye was intently fixed upon me;
+and seeing no possibility of escape, or of evading the piercing
+glance of the priests and elders, I offered up, internally, a short
+prayer to the Throne of Mercy,—to the God of Christians,—and
+hastily swallowed the fetish, dashing the poison-chalice to the
+ground. A low murmur ran through the assembly;<span class="pagenum"
+id="Page_258">[258]</span> they all thought I should instantly have
+expired, or at least have discovered symptoms of severe agony, but
+detecting no such tokens, they arose simultaneously, and made way
+for me to leave the hut. On getting into the open air, I found my
+poor slaves in tears; they had come, they said, to catch a last
+glimpse of their master; but when they saw me alive and at liberty,
+they leaped and danced for joy, and prepared a path for me through
+the dense mass of armed people. These, set up an astounding shout
+at my unexpected appearance, and seemed greatly pleased, (if I
+might be allowed to judge,) that I had not fallen a victim to the
+influence of their fearful fetish. On arriving at my dwelling, I
+took instant and powerful means to eject the venomous potion from
+my stomach, and happily succeeded in the attempt.</p>
+
+<p>I was told that the liquid I had swallowed was a decoction of
+the bark of a tree abounding in the neighbourhood, and that I was
+the only individual who, for a long season, had escaped its
+poisonous qualities. It had a disagreeably bitter taste, but I
+experienced no other ill effects from it than a slight dizziness,
+which wore off<span class="pagenum" id="Page_259">[259]</span>
+completely a few hours after the conclusion of the trial.</p>
+
+<p>The dreadful charm having been thus providentially broken, all
+the cold reserve and stiffness of Adólee and his chiefs suddenly
+disappeared; and they visited me voluntarily a few days afterwards
+with presents of provisions, &amp;c. observing frequently that the
+Portuguese were wicked men, but that I was a good man, under the
+special protection of the white man’s God, who would suffer no evil
+to come near me. The Houssa mallams were also permitted to
+introduce themselves into my society; neither did they come
+empty-handed, so that I scarcely regretted having drunk the fetish;
+for instead of suffering and death, from which I had not
+entertained even a hope of escaping, the most pleasing and
+flattering results were the consequence of my conforming to the
+customs of the inhabitants. On walking through the streets I was
+pointed at as the wonderful man, whom it would be dangerous to
+insult; my society was courted by all ranks; and from that hour my
+reputation stood singularly high with the people of Badagry, to the
+infinite chagrin of the<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_260">[260]</span> malicious Portuguese, who thus saw the
+complete failure of their artfully laid plot, by the very means
+which they had fondly hoped would have been the instruments of my
+destruction.</p>
+
+<p>Thieves, and other offenders, together with the remnant of the
+unpurchased slaves who are not drowned along with their companions
+in misfortune and misery, are reserved by the Badagrians to
+sacrifice to their gods; which horrid ceremony takes place at least
+once a month. Prisoners taken in war are also immolated, to appease
+the manes of the soldiers of Adólee slain in battle; and as, of all
+atrocities, the manner in which these wretches are slaughtered is
+the most barbarous, it may not perhaps be improper or ill-timed to
+give a detailed account of it in this place. Each criminal being
+conducted to the fetish-tree, a flask of rum is given him to drink,
+whilst he is in the act of swallowing which a fellow steals
+imperceptibly behind him, with a heavy club or bludgeon, and
+inflicts a violent blow on the back of the head with the murderous
+weapon, and, as it often happens, dashes out his brains; so that
+the executioner has no occasion to repeat his stroke. The
+senseless<span class="pagenum" id="Page_261">[261]</span> being is
+then taken to the fetish-hut, and a calabash or gourd having been
+previously got ready, the head is severed from the trunk with an
+axe, and the smoking blood gurgles into it. Whilst this is in hand,
+other wretches, furnished with knives, &amp;c. cut and mangle the
+body, in order to extract the heart entire from the breast, which
+being done, although it be yet warm and quivering with life, it is
+presented to the king first, and afterwards to his wives and
+generals, who always attend at the celebration of these sacrifices;
+and his majesty and suite making an incision in it with their
+teeth, and partaking of the foamy blood, which is likewise offered,
+the heart is exhibited to the surrounding multitude. From the
+commencement of the proceedings under the tree, the chiefs begin to
+sing or chaunt, the king’s wives and the spectators assisting and
+joining in the chorus; and they never cease till the body, with its
+head, heart, and blood, is borne from the spot, when the multitude
+themselves take up the strain. The following lines will serve to
+give an idea of the subject and nature of the song used on the
+above occasions, which seldom, if ever, vary.</p>
+
+<h3><span class="pagenum" id="Page_262">[262]</span>SONG OF THE
+BADAGRIANS AT THEIR HUMAN SACRIFICES.</h3>
+
+<div class="linegrp-container">
+<div class="linegrp">
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">When the blow the spirit lulls,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Bear him to the “House of Skulls;”</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">The calabash and gourd prepare—</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">The knife, the axe, the bow, the
+spear.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Faintly sighs the gasping breath;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0"><em>Agra’s</em> eye-lids close in
+death!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">’Tis done! the headless trunk
+remains,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Bleeding from a thousand veins.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Drink the blood! the heart-strings
+tear!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Wield the club, and shake the
+spear!</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0 center"><em>Chorus.</em>
+</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Drink the blood! the heart-strings
+tear!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Wield the club, and shake the
+spear!</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0 center"><em>Song.</em>
+</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Chieftains! where’s the foeman now?</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Death smiles grimly on his brow,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">And his quarter’d limbs shall be</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Food for vultures on our tree.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">King Adólee’s foes all must</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Bend the neck, and kiss the dust,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Or, like Agra, they shall fall,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Snatch’d from Mercy’s trembling
+call.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Drink the blood! the heart-strings
+tear!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Wield the club, and shake the
+spear!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_263">[263]</span>Who so base to turn in fight?</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">May his spirit sink in night—</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">May a curse attend his ways—</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">May Misfortune blast his days!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">But Badagrians will not swerve;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Courage thrills in every nerve.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Smite your foes, Badagrians! smite!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Gleaming spears—resistless might—</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Bending bows—the arrows’ spring—</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Terror to your foemen bring.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Drink the blood! the heart-strings
+tear!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Wield the club, and shake the
+spear!</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>The bleeding heart, after being bitten by the king, and his
+principal wives and head men, is affixed to the point of a tall
+spear, and, with the calabash of blood and headless body, paraded
+through the town, and followed by hundreds of spearmen and a dense
+crowd of people. Whoever may express an inclination to bite the
+heart, or drink of the blood, has it immediately presented to him
+for that purpose, the multitude dancing, and singing:</p>
+
+<div class="linegrp-container">
+<div class="linegrp">
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">As we gaze upon the slain,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Courage mounts in every vein:</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Hearts of iron—breasts of steel</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Bold Badagrians reveal.</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0 center"><span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_264">[264]</span><em>People, from their Dwellings:</em>
+</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Lo! the bleeding heart appears,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Followed by a grove of spears;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Show it here—‘to me,’—‘to me;’</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">I long to taste, to feel, to see!</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0 center"><em>Spearmen:</em>
+</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Yes! your foeman’s blood is warm;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Trample on his ghastly form;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Slake your thirst with living gore;</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Deeply drink; libations pour.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Gods! accept the sacrifice,</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Of our great success the price.</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Drink we the blood! the heart-strings
+tear!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Wield the club, and shake the
+spear!</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0 center"><em>All the people in chorus:</em>
+</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Wield the club, and shake the
+spear!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Drink the blood! the heart-strings
+tear!</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Terror, terror, terror, cling</div>
+
+<div class="line indent0">Round the foemen of our king!</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>What remains of the heart is then flung to the dogs, and the
+body, cut in pieces, is stuck on the fetish-tree, where it is left
+till wholly devoured by birds of prey.</p>
+
+<p>Besides these butcheries, the Badagrians make a grand sacrifice,
+once a year, under their<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_265">[265]</span> sacred fetish-tree, growing in a wood, a
+few miles from the city. These are offered to their malevolent
+Demon, or Spirit of Evil, at whose shrine hundreds of human beings
+are annually immolated, their corpses undergoing the same horrid
+process as that which has already been described; only in this
+instance they are not removed from the spot, but quartered and hung
+on the gigantic branches of the venerable tree; and the skulls of
+the victims suffered to bleach in the sun round the trunk of
+it.</p>
+
+<p>By accident I had an opportunity of seeing this much-talked-of
+tree, a day or two only after the celebration of one of the grand
+yearly sacrifices, and it was the most ghastly and appalling object
+which I had ever beheld. I was informed in the town one day that a
+Portuguese schooner had proceeded along the coast towards the Bight
+of Benin, and was then lying at <em>Adjeedore</em>, which is about
+fourteen miles from Badagry. Of course I was anxious to get out of
+the country, by any means, as quickly as possible, for, as may be
+supposed, I was heartily and completely tired of my
+long<span class="pagenum" id="Page_266">[266]</span> residence in
+it, and eagerly grasped at even the shadow of an opportunity that
+promised to bring about so desirable a good. I resolved, at any
+rate, to have an interview with the captain of the schooner; and,
+for this purpose, taking Pasko and Jowdie with me, one cloudless
+morning I proceeded to Adjeedore. The path leading to the place,
+however, winding through a thick wood, and being crossed by other
+roads in all directions, we struck out of the right one into
+another; and journeyed onwards without discovering our error for
+some time afterwards. We had not advanced many miles into the
+country before our noses were saluted with the most overpowering
+effluvia, like those exhaled from putrid substances; but,
+notwithstanding this warning, it did not occur to me at the time
+that the sacred fetish-tree of the Badagrians lay in that
+direction. The air became more strongly impregnated the further we
+proceeded; till at length it was wholly insupportable, and I was
+obliged to cover my mouth and nose with a thick handkerchief, which
+relieved, in some measure, its disagreeable effects, We had
+travelled in this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_267">[267]</span>
+manner, as nearly as I could guess, about half way to the place of
+our destination, or seven miles from Badagry, when the so much
+dreaded fetish-tree suddenly burst upon my sight, its enormous
+branches literally covered with fragments of human bodies, and its
+majestic trunk surrounded by irregular heaps of hideous skulls,
+which had been suffered to accumulate for many years previously. It
+was standing in the centre of a large piece of open ground in the
+heart of the forest; and was actually the largest tree I had ever
+seen. Thousands of vultures, which had been scared away by our
+unwelcome intrusion, were yet hovering round and over their
+disgusting food, and now and then pouncing fearlessly upon a
+half-devoured arm or leg. Although scenes of horror had become
+habitual and familiar to me, my feelings, nevertheless, were not
+entirely blunted, and I encountered a more violent shock, whilst
+staring at the overwhelming scene, than I ever before experienced.
+I stood as if fascinated to the spot by the influence of a torpedo,
+and stupidly gazed on the ghastly spectacle before me, without the
+power of withdrawing<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_268">[268]</span> my sight to more agreeable objects, or even
+of moving hand or foot.</p>
+
+<p>The huge branches of the fetish-tree, groaning beneath their
+burden of human flesh and bones, and sluggishly waving in
+consequence of the hasty retreat of the birds of prey; the intense
+and almost insufferable heat of a vertical sun; the intolerable
+odour of the corrupt corpses; the heaps of human heads, many of
+them apparently staring at me from hollows which had once sparkled
+with living eyes; the awful stillness and solitude of the place,
+disturbed only by the sighing of the conscious wind through the
+sombre foliage, or at intervals by the frightful screaming of
+voracious vultures, as they flapped their sable wings almost in my
+face—all tended to overpower me; my heart sickened within my bosom,
+a dimness came over my eyes, an irrepressible quivering agitated my
+whole frame, my legs refused to support me, and, turning my head, I
+fell senseless into the arms of Jowdie, my faithful slave! Pasko
+assisted to bear me away from the scene of blood; and the two
+blacks emptying a calabash of water they had brought with them
+on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_269">[269]</span> my head, face,
+and breast, I slowly revived, and after a slight refreshment,
+pursued my journey by another path.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching Adjeedore, I did indeed meet with the vessel I had
+been informed of at Badagry; but the ferocious appearance of her
+crew startled me not a little. The men were a mixture of Portuguese
+and Brazilians, completely armed with pistols, cutlasses, and
+dirks; and each furnished with a long black beard, which
+heightened, perhaps, the fierceness of their looks. The Captain
+(Don Pedro he called himself,) received me politely; and after I
+had made him acquainted with my errand, which was simply to ask if
+he had any objection to convey me and my slaves to Cape Coast
+Castle without delay, he took me into his cabin, and treated me
+with the best his ship afforded. In the course of our conversation
+I thought he was rather too inquisitive as to the amount of
+property I had at Badagry; but this, I concluded, arose from a
+spirit of curiosity, rather than from any other reason. Every
+arrangement having been entered into to the apparent satisfaction
+of both<span class="pagenum" id="Page_270">[270]</span> parties, I
+shook hands with the Captain, and towards evening returned to
+Badagry. On making inquiries in the town next day, I learnt from
+the Portuguese that the said Don Pedro was a noted pirate who had
+infested the seas for a long period previously, and that his sole
+intention, after getting me and my property on board his vessel,
+was to compel me to “walk the plank,”<a id=
+"FNanchor_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> and
+by that means secure the latter to himself. Although I was disposed
+to doubt the asseverations of these men, who I well knew bore me no
+good will, yet Adólee confirmed their testimony; besides which I
+had myself heard of the existence of a pirate in the neighbourhood
+some weeks before; and the dubious appearance of Don Pedro and his
+bearded crew, certainly tended to strengthen instead of dissipating
+a suspicion that the pirate and the Captain were one and the same
+individual. Agreeably to promise, Don Pedro paid me a visit on the
+following Monday, to ascertain<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_271">[271]</span> how long it would be before I should be
+ready to embark; but I frankly acquainted him with my change of
+resolution, and my reasons for adopting that alteration in my
+intentions; on hearing which he appeared thunderstruck, and,
+instead of attempting to clear his character of the aspersion cast
+upon it, contented himself with calling his countrymen, the
+Portuguese, by a variety of hard names. Rising abruptly a few
+minutes afterwards, he bade me a hasty adieu, and I never saw or
+heard any thing more of the piratical captain, Don Pedro.</p>
+
+<p>I turned my thoughts with greater warmth than ever to my native
+country, after swallowing the fetish; but so effectually had the
+rascally slave merchants performed the base part they had laid down
+for themselves, that although I repeatedly offered a tempting
+reward, no one was found bold enough to brave their resentment by
+proceeding in a canoe to Cape Coast Castle, and informing my
+countrymen that an Englishman was at Badagry. The Portuguese not
+only shut the portal of hope in that direction, but, when they
+found their malicious designs so<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_272">[272]</span> completely counteracted, actually
+threatened to take my life in the hearing of Adólee, who, on
+acquainting me with the circumstance, said, that although I bore a
+charmed existence as far as regarded my dealing with black people,
+that virtue did not extend to persons of the same hue and religion
+as myself; and he therefore strongly advised me never to leave my
+dwelling unarmed, for that the Portuguese would assuredly embrace
+the first opportunity of carrying their menace into effect. The
+intensity of my misfortunes had not entirely deadened the principle
+of self-preservation that resided within my bosom, particularly
+when so near my escape from all; and the information which the king
+gratuitously imparted to me, gave me considerable uneasiness, and
+filled me with groundless suspicions. Damocles was not more unhappy
+on beholding the sword suspended over his head by a single hair in
+the palace of Dionysius, than was I whilst I remained at Badagry.
+All was apprehension and anxiety on my part; and as if positive
+calamities had not been enough to afflict and sadden me, imaginary
+dangers crossed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_273">[273]</span> my
+path, and lent their aid to render my days superlatively miserable.
+Obliged to take numberless precautions for the safety of my person,
+I was a prey to fear and unceasing inquietude, and was a stranger
+to a moment’s ease.</p>
+
+<p>I was met in the streets one day by a Portuguese, whom I
+considered more friendly-disposed towards me than his vicious
+coadjutors; and after chatting a few minutes, he invited me to go
+along with him to his habitation. On entering it, I found the whole
+of his countrymen assembled, drinking grog; and all hands appeared
+to be obstreperously merry. A glass of spirit was immediately
+poured out for my acceptance, which they urgently pressed me to
+drink; and on my refusal, I observed them laying their heads
+together, and conversing earnestly in whispers, pointing every now
+and then to the dirks stuck in their belts. My suspicions, ever
+alive, immediately caught the alarm at these significant
+proceedings; and looking wistfully round, I attempted in vain to
+steal unobserved from the society of my disagreeable companions.
+Seeing, therefore, no other resource, I told the<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_274">[274]</span> Portuguese, in as bold a tone
+as I could command, that my presence being required at home, it was
+absolutely necessary that I should immediately quit their
+<em>social</em> circle and repair thither. They all arose on my
+making this declaration; and I saw their right hands inclining
+instinctively towards their belts. Following their example, I laid
+my left hand on the hilt of a dagger concealed in my bosom, and
+with the other grasped a loaded pistol that was appended to my
+waist. In this manner, we eyeing each other with mutual distrust, I
+retreated backwards out of the apartment; and felt the burden that
+had oppressed me suddenly relieved, on being again at liberty.</p>
+
+<p>I mention this little incident simply to give an idea how
+greatly my mind was harassed by a host of vexatious circumstances
+combined, which, taken singly, would only serve as matter for
+pleasant raillery. But whom had I to make merry with at Badagry? I
+looked around me in vain for a single being to share my confidence
+there; and my wandering mind, flung back upon its own resources,
+encouraged only perplexing doubts, vague suspicious, and
+saddening<span class="pagenum" id="Page_275">[275]</span>
+reflections to arise within me, and caused me to misconstrue every
+word and deed of both friends and enemies; in fact it was utterly
+impossible to prevent such unpleasant sensations having
+considerable influence over all my thoughts and actions.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_276">[276]</span><a id=
+"c19"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="csum">Captain Laing, of the brig Maria, of London,
+hearing that an Englishman is at Badagry, comes from Whydah to
+fetch the Author — His reflections on leaving Badagry, and on
+reaching the British vessel — The Maria sails for Cape Coast, where
+the Author lands, and is taken on board the Esk sloop of war, which
+vessel sails for England — Tale of the turtles — Arrival in
+England, &amp;c.</p>
+
+<p>I <span class="sc">had</span> heard it rumoured some days before
+that an English vessel had been seen trading on the coast, and I
+waited with trembling anxiety and a palpitating heart till accident
+might make her captain acquainted with the circumstance of my being
+shut up in Badagry. My most flattering anticipations were amply
+realized, for on the 20th of January, two months after my arrival,
+a fellow came running in breathless haste towards me, with a letter
+and a bottle of gin from the master of a British vessel then
+lying<span class="pagenum" id="Page_277">[277]</span> off the town,
+directed to “The Englishman at Badagry.” No one can express the
+pleasure that thrilled through every nerve, as I was perusing lines
+traced by the fingers of a countryman, and containing the
+transporting intelligence that “Captain Laing,<a id=
+"FNanchor_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> of
+the brig Maria of London, hearing that a white man was resident at
+Badagry, and strongly suspecting that he must belong to the African
+Mission of exploration under Captain Clapperton, had come from
+Whydah, and would feel pleasure, if such proved to be the case, in
+being serviceable to him in any manner that might be suggested, or
+in transporting him to a British settlement on the coast.” Scarcely
+knowing what I did, and almost beside myself with joy, I wrote a
+hasty scrawl of thanks to the generous Englishman; and, desiring
+Pasko and the slaves to get every thing in readiness for starting
+immediately,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_278">[278]</span> I paid
+my respects to the king, and his wives and chiefs, and bade them a
+last farewell.</p>
+
+<p>Returning instantly to my habitation, I left the town of
+Badagry, and bent my way directly for the beach. My heart bounded
+within me at sight of the proud banner of my country, streaming
+from the stately mast of the Maria; and a signal being made, a boat
+was without loss of time despatched to my assistance. I was soon on
+the water; and as the little bark moved swiftly towards the ship,
+although my appearance was pitiable in the extreme, the yards were
+instantly ordered to be manned, and three tremendous cheers from
+the throats of British seamen, welcomed me once more to the dear
+society of my gallant countrymen. This was ravishing melody in my
+ears; it was the happiest, most rapturous moment of my life. I
+hastily climbed the sides of the vessel, and springing delighted
+upon the conscious deck, returned thanks to the Almighty for my
+preservation, and shook hands heartily with the captain and crew.
+But as sudden and violent transport is seldom lasting, so I could
+not help reflecting, a<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_279">[279]</span> very few minutes afterwards, how different,
+how <em>very</em> different had been my feelings in the same place
+about two years before;—so nearly is joy allied to sorrow, pleasure
+to pain, cheerfulness to melancholy. As a noble tree, growing in
+strength, and flourishing in beauty, is suddenly blasted by
+lightning, which scathes its verdant foliage, and destroys the
+vital principle; even so had I seen a party of British officers,
+proud as their native rocks, wither and die. They had planted their
+feet on African soil full of fine spirit and noble enthusiasm,
+scoffing at peril, and determined to overcome every human obstacle
+that might arrest their progress in the accomplishment of their
+hazardous undertaking, that great object of their ambition, to
+which the eyes of millions were directed. A few months only had
+elapsed, when their elevated hopes and buoyant feelings were
+quenched in darkness; their manly frames shrivelled like the tree,
+from irremediable causes; till, unable longer to “drag their slow
+length along,” they had languished and fallen, and the sound of
+their voices was heard no more—they had resigned their<span class=
+"pagenum" id="Page_280">[280]</span> burden of life, sorrow, and
+suffering; and were transplanted to that unknown country where “the
+wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest.” I, of all,
+was left to tell the sorrowful tale to their countrymen. I had
+certainly cause for self-gratulation at the almost miraculous
+preservation of my own life; but I had also matter for gloomy
+reflections in the mournful fate of so many brave and enterprising
+British officers, who had died prematurely in a savage land; and I
+sighed when the Maria sailed from Badagry, to look back on departed
+times, and recall the hearty, thoughtless merriment that burst
+vociferously from the hearts of the dauntless Englishmen an evening
+or two preceding their landing at that place; nor could I refrain
+from asking myself: “And where is their merriment; where is their
+laughter, now?”</p>
+
+<p>On arriving at Cape Coast, I was received in the most cordial
+manner by the Governor, Colonel Lumley (since dead), and the
+British merchants then in the place, with whom I dined, and who
+vied with each other in showing me<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_281">[281]</span> every mark of kindness and respect. As soon
+as they learnt my arrival, the Houssa inhabitants flocked around
+me, and were delighted that a white man could converse with them in
+their own language; which feeling was infinitely increased by my
+assuring their sceptical companions that Houssa was a good land—for
+even in the breasts of these rude Africans a love of country was
+not the least distinguishable sentiment. These poor people stood
+with mouths open, to be informed of what was transacting in the
+land of their birth; and were variously agitated, in proportion as
+the accounts were of a good or bad nature.</p>
+
+<p>At Cape Coast I gave my faithful slaves, Aboudah, Jowdie, and
+Pasko’s wife, their freedom; but when they were made acquainted
+with the fact that the boon offered them was on condition of their
+remaining behind, they could not conceal their disappointment and
+regret, and were unwilling to accept it, saying it was the greatest
+evil that could befall them. They came to me in a body on the
+morning of my departure, making the air ring with their
+lamentations;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_282">[282]</span> and,
+covering their heads with sand and dust, they intreated me with
+tears to take them with me to my country. I consoled the poor
+creatures as well as I could, with the hope of seeing them again in
+a couple of months; and they left me in better spirits. Colonel
+Lumley, with the most laudable generosity, presented each of them
+with a sum of money and a plot of ground, with which they built
+huts for themselves, and formed their land into gardens; so that
+they can now boast of greater comfort and convenience than most of
+their emancipated countrymen residing on the coast.</p>
+
+<p>On the 13th of February, I embarked with Pasko on board the Esk
+sloop of war, Captain Purchase, which set sail the same day for
+Fernando Po, where I had a long interview with Major Denham, the
+only survivor of the previous mission of discovery (but since
+deceased), who expressed infinite concern to hear of the fate of
+his coadjutor in that expedition.</p>
+
+<p>The Esk visited the island of St. Helena, (where I landed, with
+others, to see the tomb of Bonaparte,) and that of Ascension, from
+whence<span class="pagenum" id="Page_283">[283]</span> a number of
+huge turtles was taken on board; and afterwards we sailed direct
+for England.</p>
+
+<p>During the voyage, finding it impossible to sleep in a seaman’s
+hammock, in consequence of having been accustomed, for so long a
+period to repose on hard mats, an awning was prepared for me upon
+the deck of the vessel, under which I lay down every night; and
+slept soundly till the arrival of the Esk at Portsmouth on the 30th
+of April. Whether it was owing to change of air, or alteration of
+diet, or both of these causes combined, I know not, but I became
+exceedingly ill on ship-board, which continued some time after my
+arrival in England; and this, together with intermittent fever and
+general debility, damped considerably the joy I should otherwise
+have felt on placing my foot once more on British soil.</p>
+
+<p>After our catching the turtle at Ascension, to which I have
+already alluded, some of them had the misfortune to die, and their
+companions in confinement and misery were hourly expected to follow
+their example; insomuch that the captain ordered their eyes to be
+bathed in water<span class="pagenum" id="Page_284">[284]</span>
+morning and evening, as the only means of preserving the poor
+creatures’ lives. This cleanly and responsible office was proposed
+for my acceptance; but could I, who had so recently shaken hands
+with majesty, and lodged in the palaces of kings; who had been
+waited on by the queen of Boussa, and walked delighted with the
+proud princess of Nyffé; could I, who might have become the master
+of a thousand slaves, and lord of the high-minded and lovely Zuma;
+who had been solicited to wed the daughters of a mighty monarch, as
+well as become premier of his Councils and commander-in-chief of
+his armies;—could I so suddenly fall from the towering elevation to
+which my consequence had raised me, forget all my dignity and all
+my laurels, and descend to the menial, grovelling occupation of
+washing the filthy eyes of turtles? Surely, no. But for the first
+time I <em>felt</em> that I was amongst my good-for-nothing
+countrymen; that the astonishing “Nassarah Curramee” of Africa, the
+god, the prophet, the enchanter, had degenerated into the simple
+Richard Lander of former years; and that all my glory
+and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_285">[285]</span> all my
+consequence had vanished into air. Alas!</p>
+
+<div class="linegrp-container">
+<div class="linegrp">
+<div class="group">
+<div class="line indent0">“See how the mighty shrink into a
+song!”</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="nind">Well, I put the best face upon the matter that I
+could assume, and respectfully insinuated that, considering myself
+in the light of a passenger, I did not think it to be altogether
+honorable that so disagreeable a task should be imposed upon me in
+particular; and that although no one could feel a more lively
+degree of sorrow for the sufferings and forlorn condition of the
+unfortunate animals in question than myself, the duty of
+ministering to their wants, ought, in common fairness, to devolve
+on a person of <em>less consideration</em>, and one on whose
+services they had a more lawful claim than on mine. My scruples
+were respected, and the turtles died!</p>
+
+<p>On arriving in London, I was met in the streets by a Jew, who
+ran forth and cordially embraced me, asking how I had left our
+Hebrew brethren in Jerusalem. The fellow, by my beard, and singular
+appearance, had taken it into his head that I belonged to his own
+fraternity, and was just returned from visiting the holy city; but,
+being convinced of his ludicrous<span class="pagenum" id=
+"Page_286">[286]</span> mistake, my affectionate would-be brother
+sneaked off without further “<em>palavering</em>;” and I hastened
+to my late master’s agents, Messrs. Evans and Eaton, George-street,
+Adelphi. Agreeably to the Captain’s dying injunction, his uncle,
+Col. Clapperton, was sent for; but that officer being in the
+country, did not arrive in time; and I thought it advisable that a
+private gentleman (Mr. M‘Gougan), my master’s esteemed friend,
+should accompany me to the Colonial office in his stead. In the
+presence of this individual I deposited my charge safely in the
+hands of the Secretary, together with the gold and silver
+watches—without having lost a single article from the moment I left
+Soccatoo, twelve months previously, although I had travelled
+throughout the most violent rainy season that had been remembered
+by the natives for many years. Pasko was sent back to his wife at
+Cape Coast Castle, but not till, after much entreaty, I had given
+him permission to pay his addresses also to Aboudah, the young
+woman the prince of Zeg Zeg had offered me for a spouse;—whilst I,
+when I had<span class="pagenum" id="Page_287">[287]</span> remained
+in the metropolis three or four weeks, in order to prepare a rough
+copy of my journal, returned to my friends at Truro, in Cornwall,
+after an absence from them of nearly thirteen years.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap">
+
+<h2><span class="pagenum" id="Page_289">[289]</span><a id=
+"app"></a><span class="letter-spaced01">APPENDI</span>X.</h2>
+
+<hr class="decor width5">
+
+<p class="center"><em>A Vocabulary of the Short Phrases of the
+Houssa Tongue.</em>
+</p>
+
+<table class="vocab" id="t289">
+<tr>
+<th><em>English.</em>
+</th>
+<th><em>Houssa.</em>
+</th>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>One</td>
+<td>Deah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Two</td>
+<td>Bew.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Three</td>
+<td>Booko.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Four</td>
+<td>Foodo.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Five</td>
+<td>Beaha</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Six</td>
+<td>Shedah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Seven</td>
+<td>Buckevee.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Eight</td>
+<td>Togus.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Nine</td>
+<td>Farra.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Ten</td>
+<td>Gomma.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Eleven</td>
+<td>Gommashadeah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Twelve</td>
+<td>Gommashabew.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Thirteen</td>
+<td>Gommashahooko.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Fourteen</td>
+<td>Gommashafoodo.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td><span class="pagenum" id="Page_290">[290]</span>Fifteen</td>
+<td>Gommashabeah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Sixteen</td>
+<td>Gommashashidah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Seventeen</td>
+<td>Gommashabuckwee.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Eighteen</td>
+<td>Gommashatogus.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Nineteen</td>
+<td>Gommashatarra.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Twenty</td>
+<td>Ashareen.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Thirty</td>
+<td>Thallateen.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Forty</td>
+<td>Harbine.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Fifty</td>
+<td>Humpseen.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Sixty</td>
+<td>Setteen.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Seventy</td>
+<td>Sabine.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Eighty</td>
+<td>Tissine.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Ninety</td>
+<td>Tamaneene.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>One Hundred</td>
+<td>Duree.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>One Thousand</td>
+<td>Zumbrudayah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="tdc word-spaced6 strike">&nbsp;</td>
+<td class="tdc word-spaced6 strike">&nbsp;</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>One day</td>
+<td>Gunah deah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>One month</td>
+<td>Wâtah deah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>This minute</td>
+<td>Yonsoo.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Silver</td>
+<td>Zinnariyea.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Gold</td>
+<td>Hasraffa.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Brass</td>
+<td>Becken Murraffee.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Beads</td>
+<td>Dushee.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Salt</td>
+<td>Gesharie.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A woman’s girdle</td>
+<td>Zanié.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A rogue</td>
+<td>Mogue.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>The sun</td>
+<td>Ramah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td><span class="pagenum" id="Page_291">[291]</span>The moon</td>
+<td>Wâttah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>The stars</td>
+<td>Dula.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Morning</td>
+<td>De Saffey.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Noon</td>
+<td>Rangah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Night</td>
+<td>Nooway.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Day</td>
+<td>Yow.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A box</td>
+<td>Sundook.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Wild (a.)</td>
+<td>Dowah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>An antelope</td>
+<td>Naming.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A needle</td>
+<td>Allurah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A looking glass</td>
+<td>Mydubee.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A knife</td>
+<td>Hooker.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A sword</td>
+<td>Tacobee.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A gun</td>
+<td>Bindegah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Curdled milk squeezed and dried in the sun—a kind of
+cheese</td>
+<td>Chuckkumarra.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>To-morrow morning early</td>
+<td>Sigovey da Saffey.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Go on as fast as you can for there are robbers in the path</td>
+<td>Tuffee muzzah muzzah acqui mugo chiken talabah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Sweep the house</td>
+<td>Bally gidah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Wash my shirt</td>
+<td>Wankee regar.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Mix a little flour and water</td>
+<td>Damma mossa fouro du boo.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Bring my mat into the hut</td>
+<td>Kow shimpidah chiken giddah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td><span class="pagenum" id="Page_292">[292]</span>Any river</td>
+<td>Golabee.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>The river Niger</td>
+<td>Golabee Quarra.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Put the baggage on the camel</td>
+<td>Sadu kiah besah du ba comme.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A wild hog</td>
+<td>Mugen dowah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Soldiers of the Sultan</td>
+<td>Doggalee du Sulakee.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>The Sultan’s slaves</td>
+<td>Bowah de Sulakee.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>I am going to my house</td>
+<td>Ne tuffee giddah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>There are fine horses for sale in the market</td>
+<td>Acqui dorkee nuggree chikeen caswâh.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>What’s the news?</td>
+<td>Ah fiel—ah bour on donnaih.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Nothing particular, all’s well</td>
+<td>Baboo coome sa laf fare.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>There is war on the road near the city of Kano</td>
+<td>Acqui yiki chikeen tulabah couso bernee Kano.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Against whom are the people of Kano fighting? Against the sons
+of dogs and unbelievers?</td>
+<td>Menenee mutanee birnee Kano yikee yon zu duncollen
+Caffrée?</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Who’s there</td>
+<td>Maneni acka?</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>I do not know</td>
+<td>Ba sanni ba.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Tell him that I should like to see him</td>
+<td>Fuddee moossa nee shee nashá dubàah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>What’s this town called?</td>
+<td>Whaso neen du bernee?</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>It is the town of Catshenah</td>
+<td>Bernee Catsheenah.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td><span class="pagenum" id="Page_293">[293]</span>O dear, O dear,
+O dear, it’s very warm to-day</td>
+<td>Ki, ki, ki, zafey yow.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>I will take a ride in the East to-morrow</td>
+<td>Ni how dorkee tuffee gubu Sigovey.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>How many days’ journey is it from hence to Kano</td>
+<td>Quanah nowah ranah acka bernee Kano?</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>There is much water in the path</td>
+<td>Acqui rowah chikeen talabah daywowa.</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+<p class="center med space-above2 space-below2">THE END.</p>
+
+<hr class="decor width8">
+
+<p class="center"><span class="small">J. B. NICHOLS AND
+SON,</span><br>
+<span class="med">25, Parliament Street.</span>
+</p>
+
+<p class="x-ebookmaker-drop space-above2">
+</p>
+
+<div class="footnotes">
+<h2>FOOTNOTES:</h2>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a id="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1"><span class=
+"label">[1]</span></a>Thus the hieroglyphical message of the
+Scythian Ambassador, who, without making any comment, presented
+Darius with five arrows, a bird, a frog, and a mouse, is pretty
+generally known. The Chief of the Narraghanset Indians also made
+himself understood, by sending the first settlers of New England a
+rattlesnake’s skin stuffed with arrows. This was answered as
+intelligibly by the settlers returning the same skin filled with
+powder and bullets.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a id="Footnote_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2"><span class=
+"label">[2]</span></a>A venerable man in Wow Wow, whose sable locks
+had changed to grey, a sure sign, amongst the Africans, either of
+severe distress or extreme old age.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a id="Footnote_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3"><span class=
+"label">[3]</span></a>Nasarah Curramee (Little Christian), an
+appellation by which I was generally known in Africa, on account of
+my diminutive stature.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a id="Footnote_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4"><span class=
+"label">[4]</span></a>A shrub from the seeds of which the natives
+extract the deadly venom in which the points of their arrows are
+invariably dipped.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a id="Footnote_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5"><span class=
+"label">[5]</span></a><span class="sc">Bebbo</span>.—Great or big
+white man. Captain Clapperton was generally known in Africa as
+<em>bebba</em>; and I, a <em>curramee</em> (little).</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a id="Footnote_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6"><span class=
+"label">[6]</span></a>The inhabitants of Katunga, and indeed all
+the Yaribeans, are persuaded that when the dead awake from their
+long sleep, they will need companions and servants in the other
+world; and, on the strength of this belief, at the burial of any
+person of consequence, many of his friends swallow poison, and,
+with a number of slaves that are slain for the purpose, are inhumed
+in the same grave as the deceased.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a id="Footnote_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7"><span class=
+"label">[7]</span></a>Neither Mansolah, nor any of his subjects,
+would believe but that Captain Clapperton came to his death by
+violent means.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a id="Footnote_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8"><span class=
+"label">[8]</span></a>Seamen, when captured by pirates, are
+sometimes compelled to walk blindfolded from a board into the sea,
+and so left to perish. This is termed “walking the plank.”</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a id="Footnote_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9"><span class=
+"label">[9]</span></a>Captain <em>Laing</em>, and not “Morrison,”
+as mentioned by mistake in my printed Journal, conveyed me from
+Badagry; and I take this opportunity of expressing my deep sense of
+gratitude to that gentleman, for the very handsome treatment I
+received at his hands, and the truly British feeling he displayed
+after receiving me on board his vessel.</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="space-above2 x-ebookmaker-drop">
+</p>
+
+<div class="transnote">
+<h2>Transcriber's note:</h2>
+
+<ul>
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_11">11</a> Changed: "he got into open gronnd"
+to: "ground"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_14">14</a> Changed: "as in all ropical
+countries" to: "tropical"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_21">21</a> Changed: "he money concerns of
+the" to: "the money"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_45">45</a> Changed: "the diappointed Falatahs
+boasted" to: "disappointed"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_46">46</a> Changed: "that they they did not
+think it worth while" to: "that they did"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_88">88</a> Changed: "owing to the illnesss
+of" to: "illness"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_104">104</a> Changed: "it will he recollected
+Pasko" to: "be"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_176">176</a> Added missing line: "stirrups of
+his horse’s saddle, is thrown from its back, and" after: "crossing
+a river, in the"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_202">202</a> Changed: "Ebo did not uage his
+request" to: "urge"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_207">207</a> Changed: "which state it is is
+hawked through" to: "it is hawked"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_258">258</a> Changed: "who, for a ong season"
+to: "long"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_291">291</a> Changed: "Abox" to: "A box"</li>
+
+<li>pg <a href="#Page_293">293</a> Changed: "a ride in thee East"
+to: "the"</li>
+
+<li>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to
+the public domain.</li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+</div>
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78092 ***</div>
+</body>
+</html>
author	www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org>	2026-03-02 05:36:52 -0800
committer	www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org>	2026-03-02 05:36:52 -0800
commit	6090e288ace40aa0b41726a129dc8bf07be7c8fb (patch)
tree	c639e25bd500c3b6d38aba48a99caa1004cba789 /78092-h/78092-h.htm