Owing to the reputed badness of the path, that by which the Landers
had entered Yaoorie, was rejected for a more northerly one, leading
in almost a direct line to the river Cubbie. About mid-day they
arrived at the walls of a pretty considerable town, called Guàda, and
halted near a small creek of a river flowing from Cubbie, and
entering the Niger a little lower down. Here, as soon as they had
taken a slight refreshment, they sent their beasts across the Niger
to proceed by land to Boossa, and embarked in two canoes, which were
each paddled by four men. On entering the Niger, they found it
running from two to three miles an hour, and they proceeded down the
river till the sun had set; and the moon was shining beautifully on
the water, as they drew near to a small Cumbrie village on the
borders of the river, where they landed and pitched their tent. The
inhabitants of many of the numerous walled towns and open villages on
the banks of the Niger, and also of the islands, were found to be for
the most part Cumbrie people, a poor, despised, and abused, but
industrious and hard-working race. Inheriting from their ancestors a
peaceful, timid, passionless, incurious disposition, they fall an
easy prey to all who choose to molest them; they bow their necks to
the yoke of slavery without a murmur, and think it a matter of
course; and perhaps no people in the world are to be found who are
less susceptible of intense feeling, and the finer emotions of the
human mind, on being stolen away from their favourite amusements and
pursuits, and from the bosom of their wives and families, than these
Cumbrie people, who are held in general disesteem. Thousands of them
reside in the kingdom of Yaoorie, and its province of Engarski, and
most of the slaves in the capital have been taken from them.
As they proceeded down the Niger by a different channel from that by
which they had ascended it to Yaoorie, they had fresh opportunities
of remarking the more striking features on its banks. The river, as
might naturally be expected, was much swollen, and its current more
impetuous, than when they passed upon their voyage to Yaoorie. In the
earlier part of the evening they landed at a small Cumbrie village,
and their canoes were pulled upon a sandy beach for the night in
security.
At seven o'clock on the following morning, they were once more upon
the Niger, and about noon they observed a herd of Fellata cows
grazing on the banks of the river, and a very short distance from
them, they saw an immense crocodile floating on the surface like a
long canoe, for which it was at first mistaken, and watching an
opportunity to seize one of the cows, and destroy it by dragging it
into the river. As soon as the terrific reptile was perceived by the
canoemen, they paddled as softly as possible towards him, intending
to wait at a short distance till the crocodile should have
accomplished his object, when they agreed to pull rapidly towards the
shore, and reap the fruit of the reptile's amazing strength, by
scaring him off from his prey, or destroying him with harpoons, for
the skin of the crocodile is not in this country considered
impenetrable. Their intentions were, however, frustrated by the
sudden disappearance of the crocodile, which dived the moment he
perceived the canoe so near him, making a loud plashing noise, and
agitating the water in a remarkable manner in his descent. They
waited some time, in hopes he would rise again, but they were not
again gratified with the sight of the monster.
A short time afterwards, they landed at Warree, which is the most
celebrated market town in the dependency of Engarski, and consists,
of several clusters of huts, encircled by a dwarf clay wall. The
market was attended by many thousands of people from different parts
of the country. Vast numbers of canoes, filled with people and goods,
were passing from one side of the Niger to the other, and the
countenances of both buyers and sellers betrayed a very anxious and
business-like expression. As soon as the curiosity of the Landers was
fully satisfied, they crossed over to the Boossa side of the river,
and landed at a small walled town called Garnicassa, which was
inhabited by the Cumbrie people, and situated about five miles north
of Boossa. At no great distance from this place, and within sight of
it, all the branches of the Niger meet, and form a beautiful and
magnificent sheet of water, at least seven or eight miles in breadth,
and it excited the surprise of the Landers, to know what became of so
extraordinary a body of water, for at Boossa, the river is no more
than a stone's throw across, and its depth is in proportion to its
narrowness, but about an hour's walk from thence, it again becomes a
noble river, and maintains its width, it was reported, even to Funda.
This singular fact favours the opinion, that a large portion of the
waters of the Niger is conveyed by subterraneous passages from the
town of Garnicassa to a few miles below Boossa.
The travellers pursued their journey along the banks of the Niger,
although the path was filled with water, and broken up by the force
of the rains. After an hour's ride they drew near to the walls of
Boossa, and soon arrived at the drummer's house, which had been their
former residence. Here they found the midiki on her knees to receive
and welcome them back again to Boossa in the name of the king, but
they were not permitted to enter and take possession of their old
apartments, for the queen conducted them to other huts, which formed
part of the cluster inhabited by the Fellatas. In the evening they
were visited by the king, who said, he had been apprehensive that
they required a little repose and quietness after their journey, and
therefore he did not like to intrude on them before. They were not
long domiciliated in their new dwelling, before they were informed
that the drummer's wife had excited the envy of the queen, by wearing
round her neck a smart gilt button, which had been given to her, and
that was the only reason why they were not allowed to occupy their
former lodgings in her house. Yet to be even with her _fair_ rival,
the queen had extracted from her little sheep-skin box, wherein they
had been confined for a quarter of a century, a small number of round
and flat golden ornaments, with which she adorned her sable bosom,
and thereby totally eclipsed the transitory splendour of the button
belonging to the drummer's wife.
In a conversation with the king, he intimated to them that it would
be necessary for them to visit Wowow, previously to their going to
Funda, because the prince of that state had already made war on Kiama
on their account, and captured a few of the people. The king,
himself, repeated to them the promise which he had made to their
messenger, that he would furnish them with a canoe sufficiently large
to contain the whole of their people and themselves; but still some
doubts arose in their minds, and should a canoe be denied them, after
all that the monarch had said, it was their determination to take a
canoe of their own accord, and steal away from Boossa by night. The
king expressed his fears that the personal safety of the travellers
would be endangered by the Fellatas, who resided on each side of the
river; but Pascoe answered his majesty by telling him, that the
English were the gods of the waters, and no evil could befal them in
boats, even though all Africa, or the whole world should fight
against them. "I will, however," said the king, in reply, "go down
and ask the _Becken ronah_ (dark or black water, which the Niger is
every where emphatically styled) whether it will be prudent and safe
for the white men to embark on it or not, and I will be sure to
acquaint you and them of my success, be it good or bad."
The following day the king intended to question the Niger, and the
great hope of the Landers was, that the river would return a
favourable answer.
The Landers were not ignorant that a present to an African king will
generally effect wonders, it will even make the Niger return a
favourable answer to an inquiry which, but for the present, would
have been adverse. They therefore acted politically, and sent the
king as a present, one of those beautiful silver medals which were
cast during the American war, to which, was attached a large and
valuable chain of the same metal; assuring the sable king at the same
time, that he might now consider himself as the king of England's
most particular friend, and that he could not make a more suitable
return, than by assisting them them in their plan of journeying to
the salt water by way of the Niger.
The present had the desired effect, for on the following day the king
came to them with great joy, and informed them that he had been down
to the Niger with his mallam, and that the result of his visit was
highly favourable to their wishes as well as to his own, the river
having promised to conduct them in safety its termination.
The Landers during their stay at Boossa, had to depend in great
measure upon their own resources for their maintenance, their chief
food consisting of guinea fowls and partridges, for their stock of
articles, wherewith they could barter for provisions, was nearly
exhausted. The market was already overstocked with buttons, needles
were unsaleable; all their bits of coloured cloth were disposed of,
and indeed almost every thing that _would_ sell, reserving to
themselves a few articles of some value as presents to the different
chiefs along the banks of the Niger. Amongst other trifles disposed
of, were several tin cases, which contained worthless and unpalatable
portable soups, &c. These were labelled with slips of tin, which
though rather dull and dirty, nevertheless attracted the admiration
of many, and they were highly diverted to see one man in particular
walking at large, and strutting about with "concentrated gravy,"
stuck on his head in no less than four places. He appeared quite
proud of these ornaments, and was simpering with pleasure wherever he
went.
The travellers left Boossa on the 11th August, and directed their
course for Wowow, and having travelled a few miles, they crossed in a
canoe a branch of the Niger, forming a pretty little river, and
running nearly west, and is said to encompass the whole of Wowow.
After a journey of about twelve miles, they entered the city of Wowow
through the western entrance, and by desire, they galloped swiftly
towards the king's residence, and fired off a couple of pistols as a
signal of their arrival. The customs of this monarch were the most
singular that had been yet observed in Africa. He came out to welcome
the travellers, but it was contrary to etiquette for him to speak, or
to enter into any kind of conversation, nor is any foreigner
permitted to speak, whatever might be his rank, unless in presence of
the representative of the chief from whom he last came. In the wall
on each side of the entrance of the town was a large niche, in one of
which the king stood fixed and motionless, with his hands clasped
under his tobe, and supported on his bosom; and round a pole, which
had been placed erect in the other niche, a naked youth had entwined
his legs, remaining in breathless anxiety to be a spectator of the
approaching interview.
While the king remained in the above position, without moving a
single muscle, and which lasted till the Boossa messenger made his
appearance, a singing woman drew near the person of her sovereign,
and began to exercise her vocation in a tone of voice that displayed
any thing but sweetness or melody, and so loud and shrill as to
frighten away the birds from the trees near the spot.
The Boossa messenger, who had been so anxiously expected, at length
arrived, and the spell, which had bound every one to the spot was
dissolved in a moment; they were then conducted to the king, and
formally introduced to him, but the grave eccentric old man shook
hands with them, without taking them from the tobe in which they had
been enveloped, or even condescending to look in their faces, for he
never made it a practice to raise his head above a certain height,
fearing that he should discover the person to whom he might be
conversing gazing full in his countenance, to which he had a very
strange, but unconquerable antipathy; the interview lasted but a
moment, and they were hastily conducted to the house which was
occupied by the late Captain Clapperton.
On the following morning, Richard Lander carried the presents to the
king. The monarch appeared well pleased and cheerful, and expressed
himself perfectly satisfied, though in a few minutes afterwards he
despatched a messenger to inquire if they had not brought any coral
beads with them from England. In compliance with the request which
Richard Lander made to him, the king informed him, that he would sell
them a canoe with the greatest pleasure. He was convinced, he said,
that they would return in safety to their country by way of the
Niger, which did not contain a single rock from Inguazhilligee to
Funda.
It was the earnest, and oft repeated desire of the chief of Wowow,
while they resided in the town, that they should return from Boossa,
and spend the approaching holidays with him, to which they thought
proper to accede, indeed the old man had behaved so well to them,
that they did not like to make an ungrateful return. But his sister,
the midiki, was jealous of her brother, because they had given him so
good a character, and she said, she was apprehensive he might obtain
from them more than she was willing he should have, and, therefore,
she not only set her husband's mind against the measure, but she
slandered and defamed his character most shamefully. This despicable
vice of slander is universal in Africa, the people all speak ill of
each other, from the monarch to the slave. They now found that they
should be compelled to remain in Boossa, till the period arrived for
their final departure from the country.
The expected messenger arrived from Wowow, with full power to treat
with the midiki for the purchase of the canoe, and although the
Landers were the parties most concerned in the business, they were
not allowed to say anything about it. The bargain was, however, soon
concluded; they were to give both their horses for the canoe, and if
the king of Wowow should fancy the animals to be more than equivalent
to the value of the boat, he promised to send them the balance in
money (kowries). This was infinitely better than they could have
managed the business themselves, indeed they could not have contrived
matters half so well, for they had previously made a present of the
youngest of the horses to the king of Boossa, but most likely, owing
to Pascoe's misrepresentation, or rather his misinterpretation, the
monarch was not made sensible of the circumstance. The canoe was to
be sent to them in a day or two, when they determined to prepare her
for the water without delay.
On Wednesday, August 25th, they despatched one of their men, named
Ibrahim, to Coulfo, with their ass and a number of needles to sell.
The king also sent a messenger with him, who was commissioned to
visit all the towns and villages on the Nouffie side of the river, as
far as the Fellata town of Rabba, and to request their chiefs and
governors, in the name of the king of Boossa, to suffer them to pass
down the river without injury or molestation.
The following is a singular trait in the African character. Not
having any good salt, they sent Pascoe's wife to the king to request
the favour of a little unadulterated salt, because there were such a
great quantity of ashes, and other spurious ingredients, mixed up
with that which is publicly sold in the markets, that they never
could eat it with pleasure. Both the king and queen embraced the
opportunity of admiring the shape and beauty of the salt box, and
spoke in rapturous terms of the lustre of its appearance, and the
ingenuity of its contrivance. "Allah! how wonderful," said they,
"even the most trifling articles belonging to the white men, are fit
for the use of the mightiest kings. Alas! Allah has given them all
the glory and riches of the world, and its knowledge, and left none
whatever for black men."
The king was affected! He thrust the vessel into the pocket of his
tobe, smoothed it down with his hand, looked melancholy, and said,
"How nicely it fits! what a beautiful thing! how convenient it would
be in travelling." He then took it out again, turned it round and
round, opened and shut it repeatedly, and then bestowing on it a last
commendation, as outrageously as any of the former, it was returned
filled with genuine salt. Who could not understand the meaning of all
this? Now this handsome salt cellar was of latten, and was formerly a
common round tinder box, and because they had nothing better for the
purpose, they deprived it of the candlestick on its cover a short
time before, and converted it to its present use. The tin, moreover,
had been burnt off from many parts of it, and Pascoe's wife not being
an admirer of cleanliness, it had lost much of its original
brightness. The king's encomiums were nothing more than an indirect
and ingenious solicitation of the article for his own use; which was
further apparent by desiring the woman to relate to the Landers, no
part of the conversation that had passed between them: or in other
words, that she should tell them every syllable. They could not help
admiring the delicacy of the king, and sent back the tinder box to
him immediately. The bearer was rewarded handsomely for his trouble,
and they received as many thanks, as when he accepted the silver
medal and chain which they had presented to him.
It is by such means as this, that the chiefs and rulers of this
country, ashamed of making a direct application for any thing in the
possession of the travellers, to which they may have taken a fancy,
endeavour to obtain it. If, however, the hint does not succeed in
making a visible impression, less delicate measures are presently
resorted to, and when every other expedient fails, they cast aside
the reserve and bashfulness which had influenced them at first, and
express their meaning in language which cannot be misunderstood. In
this respect, the chiefs and governors are all alike, from Badagry to
the metropolis of Yaoorie.
On the 31st, a messenger with a canoe arrived from the king of Wowow,
but it was so very small, that it was wholly inadequate for their
purpose. This was a most provoking circumstance, because a larger
canoe was to be procured, which could not be done without a
considerable loss of time. In fact, between the chief of Wowow and
his sister, the midiki, the travellers were completely taken in. The
horses given in exchange to the prince of Wowow for this sorry canoe,
were large, handsome, and superior animals, worth in England at least
sixty pounds, and the article they got in exchange for them was not
worth so many pence. They heard that boats of a considerable size
were kept at a small town on the banks of the Niger called Lever, and
thither they resolved to proceed as soon as the Boossa messenger
should have returned from Rabba, and get a canoe prepared with as
much expedition as possible.
The Landers were now weary of their protracted stay at Boossa, and
urged the king to hasten their departure, and after many scruples and
much hesitation, he at length appointed the second day of the moon,
that being, according to his opinion, the happiest and luckiest of
all days. He could not, however, forbear expressing his deep regret
at their determination to leave Boossa before the return of his
messenger from Nouffie, as it might be detrimental to their own
personal interests, and his own reputation also might suffer, if any
thing should befal them on the river, but he had already given his
word for their departure, and from that promise he would not swerve.
On the same afternoon they wished to pay their respects to the king,
previously to their departure, which they understood was to take
place on the following morning; but to their surprise, he asserted
that the moon would not be discernible that evening, and, therefore,
that the following Monday would be the day of their departure. The
moon, however, _did_ shine fairly in sight of all the people;
nevertheless, they made no further remark to the prince on the
subject, thinking it might confuse and irritate him.
Every thing was now got ready for starting. As it was not their
intention to call at many inhabited places on the banks of the Niger,
they provided themselves with a great quantity of provisions, which
consisted chiefly of three large bags of corn, and one of beans.
They had likewise a couple of fowls and two sheep, so that they were
of opinion, they should have food enough for all hands for three
weeks or a month at least. To add to their stock, the king and
midiki between them, gave them a considerable quantity of rice,
honey, corn, and onions, and two large pots of vegetable butter,
weighing not less than a hundred pounds.
To their now unspeakable joy, the long expected and wished for
messenger arrived from Rabba, accompanied by two messengers from the
king of Nouffie, who were to be their guides as far as Rabba, after
passing which city, all the Nouffie territory to the southward, was
under the government of Ederesa and his partisans. "The magia," said
the Boossa ambassador, "was delighted with the intelligence, that
white men were to honour his dominions with their presence, and as a
proof of his friendly disposition towards you, and his interest in
your welfare, he has not only sent his son as your companion and
guide, but he has likewise despatched a messenger to every town on
the banks of the Niger, either considerable or unimportant, even as
far as Funda, which is beyond the limits of the empire, and he is
commissioned to acquaint their inhabitants of the fact of your
intention of proceeding down the river, and to desire them to assist
you with their encouragement and support, as far as it lies in their
power to do."
After some little consideration, the Landers knew not whether they
ought to feel pleasure or regret, thankfulness or indifference, at
the arrival of these men, and the occasion which brought them
thither; at the time, they could only foresee that they would be a
heavy burden on their funds, and as it happened, that they had the
utmost difficulty in the world to support themselves, it would cause
them additional trouble, expense, and uneasiness, to provide them
with the bare necessaries of life. The king, however, had but one
feeling on the subject, and that was unbounded delight; he capered
round his hut with transport, when he saw their guides, and heard
the message which they had to deliver, and after a burst of joy, he
began to cry like a child, his heart was so full. "Now," said he,
when he had become more composed, "whatever may happen to the white
men, my neighbours cannot but acknowledge that I have taken every
care of them, treated them as became a king, and done my best to
promote their happiness and interests. They will not be able,"
continued the monarch with exultation, "they dare not have the
effrontery to cast at me a reproach, like that which they bestowed on
my ancestor; I can now safely entrust the white men to the care,
protection, and hospitality of a neighbouring monarch, who, I am
convinced, if not for my sake, at least for his own, will receive and
entertain them with every mark of distinction and kindness, and feel
that towards them I have done my duty, and let my neighbours see to
it, that they do theirs."
On Monday, the 20th September, all were on the _qui vine_ at a very
early hour, ransacking their lumber, packing it up, and turning it
out into the yard, whence it was conveyed to the water side. About
breakfast time, the king and queen arrived at their hut, to pay them
a farewell visit, and bestow upon them their last blessing. They
brought with them two pots of honey, and a large quantity of goora
nuts, strongly recommending them to present the latter to the Rabba
chieftain, for that nothing which they might have in their
possession, could so effectually conciliate his favour, procure them
his friendship, and command his confidence.
It was nine o'clock in the morning when they arrived at the river
side, where they found two canoes lying to receive their goods, which
were quickly loaded. They had, however, been but a short time on the
water, when they discovered that the smaller canoe, in which were six
individuals and a number of sheep belonging to the Nouffie
messengers, was over-laden, and in danger of sinking, and that both
were very leaky, insomuch that it required three men to be constantly
employed in baling out the water to keep them afloat. To lighten the
smaller canoe, they took a man from her into their own, and
afterwards they proceeded more safely, and with less apprehension,
yet they were obliged to put into a small island, called Malalie, to
get it repaired, for they were afraid to proceed any further with the
small canoe, on account of the rocks, and the velocity of the
current.
According to their estimation, the current was here running at the
rate of five or six miles in an hour, and the bed of the river was
full of rocks, some of which were only a few inches below the surface
of the water, which occasioned it to make a loud rushing noise, and
forewarn the canoe man of his danger. They now passed the boundaries
of Boossa, on the eastern side of the river, and entered the
dominions of the king of Nouffie. Towards evening they came to
Inguazhilligee, having passed just before, a very large and pleasant,
but straggling town, called Congie. Inguazhilligee is the first town
on the Wowow ground, all above, on the western bank of the Niger,
belonging to Boossa. Journeying along for a quarter of an hour
without stopping at any place, they put into a market town, on a
large and beautiful island, called Patashie, just in time to save
themselves from a heavy shower. Here they were obliged to remain
until the return of the messenger, whom they landed in the middle of
the day, and sent to Wowow, for the purpose of informing the king of
their departure from Boossa, and their intention to reside at
Patashie till it might please him to send the large canoe, which they
had purchased of him. They were now out of the protection of the
friendly monarch of Boossa, who would have nothing further to do with
them.
Patashie is a large, rich island, unspeakably beautiful, and is
embellished with various groves of palm and other noble trees. It is
tributary to Wowow, though it is inhabited solely by Nouffie people,
who are considered honest, active, laborious, and wealthy. The hut in
which they resided, exhibited a scene of revelry and mirth more
becoming a native inn than a private dwelling.
The chief of the island, accompanied by the four messengers from
Boossa and Nouffie, and several of his own people, all dressed "in
their holiday best," paid them a visit in the earlier part of the
morning, and out of compliment, it was supposed, remained with them
till the evening, with the exception of a short absence in the middle
of the day, during all which time they were employed in swallowing
palm wine, which is procured in the island in great plenty, and in
telling nonsensical stories. The Landers were heartily glad when they
said it was time to depart, and having shaken hands with the ardour
of drunkards, they took their leave, staggered out of the hut, and
all went laughing away.
They were about to close their hut for the night, when a messenger
arrived from the king of Wowow, with news not at all to their liking.
He informed them that they were anxiously expected in that city from
Boossa at the time of the holidays, and because they did not come
agreeably to their promise, the prince could not conceal his chagrin,
and was exceedingly angry, not only with the king of Boossa, who was
the cause of their absence, but also with themselves. The messenger
informed them that his sovereign had most certainly procured for them
a canoe, which was laid up at Lever, but that if they wished, or
rather if they were determined to have their horses back again, the
king would send them in compliance to their wishes, "for who," said
he, with much emphasis, "would presume to assert that the monarch of
Wowow would keep the property of others? It would not be paying him
that respect," he continued, which his rank and situation demanded,
were the white men to leave his dominions and the country altogether,
without first coming to pay him their respects, and he would
therefore entreat them to pay a visit to Wowow for that purpose, or
if both of them could not leave Patashie, he requested that Richard
Lander would come and bid him adieu, because he had not done so when
his illness compelled him to leave his city.
The monarchs of Boossa and Wowow seemed to entertain very different
opinions regarding the journey of the Landers. The former insisting
on the necessity of their proceeding down the Niger on the eastern or
Nouffie side, and the latter making use of strong language to
persuade them that the Yarriba side of the river would be the most
convenient, the most agreeable, and the safest; and if they would
make up their minds not to attend to the king of Boossa's advice, he
would send a messenger with them, who should protect them even to the
sea. This difference of opinion, they were apprehensive would involve
them in a thousand perplexities, yet they could only be guided by
circumstances.
At Boossa, they experienced the greatest difficulty and trouble in
procuring the bare necessaries of life, but in the flourishing
Patashie, provisions were sent to them from the chiefs of the two
islands in such abundance, that half of them were thrown to the dogs.
The natives of all ages displayed the greatest anxiety to see the
white men, and large crowds assembled every day, and waited from
morning to night patiently till they had gained the object of their
visit. However, they were all as timid as hares, and if the Landers
happened to look fixedly in their faces for a moment, most of them,
more especially the females and the junior classes of both sexes,
started back with terror, as if they had seen a serpent in the grass;
and when the Landers attempted to walk near any of them, they ran
screaming away, as though they had been pursued by a lion, or were in
danger of falling into the jaws of a crocodile, so horrified were
these poor people at the bare sight of a white man, and so frightful
did their imaginations picture him to be.
On Friday, September 24th, Richard Lander landed for the purpose of
proceeding to Wowow, and took possession of a house on the banks of
the river, which had been prepared for him. The king of Wowow's
messenger accompanied him, and having got everything ready as soon as
he could, he commenced his journey to the city.
On his arrival at Wowow, he was too much fatigued to pay his respects
to the sovereign, but on the following day, he had prepared himself
for the visit to the king's house, but to his great surprise the
eccentric old man excused himself from being seen on that day, on the
plea that he had taken a ride in the morning to see his gardens, and
the exercise had so much tired him, that he felt no inclination
whatever to receive his visitors till the following day. It was,
therefore, not until the 26th, that he granted Lander an audience,
and he then said with the greatest indifference, "I have not yet been
able to procure you the canoe which I promised to get, but I have no
doubt that the ruler of Patashie will have it in his power to supply
you with one to your satisfaction, for which purpose I will send an
express to that island without delay, whom I will furnish with the
necessary instructions to effect an immediate purchase."
Finding that nothing definitive could be arranged relative to the
canoe, Lander prepared to take his departure, but previously to his
setting out, he requested the monarch to show him his collection of
charms, which were written on sheets of paper, glued or pasted
together. Amongst them he discovered a small edition of Watts' Hymns
on one of the blank leaves of which was written, _Alexander Anderson,
Royal Military Hospital, Gosport_, 1804. From the Wowow chieftain, as
well as from his good old brother, and their quondam Abba, Richard
and his attendants received the most liberal hospitality, and on his
taking his leave of them, they wished him farewell in the most
cordial and affectionate manner.
On the return of Richard Lander to Patashie, preparations were
instantly made for their departure, but after all their luggage had
been packed up in readiness, information was brought them from the
chief, that they could not start until to-morrow, because the Niger
would receive a great influx of water during the night, which would
be considerably in their favour. To raise any objection to this
arrangement was considered as wholly useless, and therefore they
quietly awaited the coming of the following day.
Between eight and nine in the morning, horses were brought from the
chief and his nephew to take the Landers to the water side, where
their luggage had been previously conveyed. Here they had to wait a
considerable time till the canoes were brought from another part of
the island, there being but one got ready at the time of their
arrival. On the arrival of the canoes, and all their things had been
removed into them from the beach, they were desired to ride to a
landing place further down the island, because of the rocks, which
were reported to intercept the stream at a little distance from the
place whereon they stood, and to be very dangerous for canoes that
were heavily laden. The venerable governor of Patashie, to whom they
were under so many obligations, preceded them on the footpath,
walking with a staff, and they reached the appointed place of
embarkation exactly at the same moment as the canoes. After thanking
all the friends that had accompanied them, they jumped on board, and
pushed off from the shore, cheered by the natives that were present.
The current bore them rapidly along, and having passed down in front
of one or two towns on the banks of the river, they came in sight of
Lever, which was the place of their destination, it being about
twenty miles from Patashie.
Their surprise was, however, great indeed, when instead of the proper
person whom they expected would have received them, they were
welcomed on shore by a man called Ducoo, who represented himself as
the agent and confidential friend of the prince of Rabba, but their
surprise was not a little increased on learning that a party of forty
or fifty armed Fellata soldiers were also in the town. Ducoo treated
them with the courtly politeness of a Frenchman, and was equally
lavish in his compliments and offers of service; he walked with them
to the chief of the town, to whom he took the liberty of introducing
them, almost before he knew himself who or what they were; went
himself and procured excellent lodgings for them, returned and sat
down in their company to tell them some droll stories, and impart to
them in confidence some very disagreeable news; then hastily arose,
went out, and came back again with a sheep and other provisions,
which he had obtained by compulsion from the chief, and finally
remained with them till long after the moon had risen, when he left
them to their repose.
The Landers now began to discover that they had been egregiously
imposed upon, for in the first place they found, after all, that
Lever did not belong to the king of Wowow, though it stands on his
dominions, nor had that monarch a single subject here, or a single
canoe, so that they were as far as ever they were from getting one,
and with the loss of their horses to boot. They now found to their
cost that they had been cajoled and out-manoeuvred by those fellows
of Boossa and its adjoining state, whom they falsely conceived to be
their dearest and best black friends. They had played with them as if
they were great dolls; they had been driven about like shuttlecocks;
they had been to them first a gazing stock, and afterwards were their
laughing stock, and, perhaps, not unlikely their mockery; they had
been their admiration, their buffoons, their wonder and their scorn,
a by-word and a jest. Else why this double dealing, this deceit,
this chicanery, these hollow professions? "Why," as Richard Lander
says, "did they entrap us in this manner? Why have they led us about
as though we had been blind, only to place us in the very lap of what
they imagine to be danger? For can it be possible that the monarchs
of Wowow and Boossa were ignorant of the state of things here, which
is in their own immediate neighbourhood, and which have continued the
same essentially for these three years? Surely," concludes Lander,
"they have knowingly deceived us."
The Landers were now placed in a most unpleasant predicament; they
could not possibly obtain a canoe according to the promise of the
king of Wowow, and to take those which had been lent them by the
chief of Patashie, appeared such a breach of confidence, that they
could not prevail upon themselves to commit it, but the necessity of
the case pleaded strongly in their favour. They had not the means of
purchasing the canoes of the chief of Patashie, as the king of Wowow
had adroitly managed to exhaust them of nearly all their resources;
but when they began to talk of prosecuting their journey in the
canoes belonging to the chief of Patashie, the canoe men stoutly
resisted their right: fortunately, however, for them, their busy,
restless friend Ducoo interfered on their behalf, and soon silenced
their remarks, by threatening to cut off the head of him who should
presume from that time to set foot in either of the canoes; and in
order to give his menace the greater weight, he stationed two of his
men to guard the forbidden boats till the sun went down, with drawn
swords, and during the greater part of the night, another of his men
paraded up and down the banks of the river near the spot as a watch,
and this man kept up a noise by continually playing on a drum.
The four messengers, who had accompanied them from Wowow and Boossa,
had hitherto been a great encumbrance upon the Landers, as their
maintenance was by no means inconsiderable, at the same time, they
were themselves in some measure dependent upon the native chiefs for
their support. They were, therefore, heartily rejoiced to get rid of
them, and having been paid their stipulated wages, they left the town
in company to proceed to Wowow.
The question of the canoes was, however, by no means settled, for the
Landers were on a sudden surprised by the arrival of a small party of
men, who arrived in a canoe, from the chief of the island of Teàh,
with a message to them, purporting that the canoes which they had, to
the infinite surprise of the chief, detained at Lever, did not belong
as was supposed, to his friend, the chief of Patashie, but were his
own property, and as he did not acknowledge the authority of Wowow,
but had ever been subject to the king of Nouffie, he considered that
they could have no right whatever to the canoes in question, and,
therefore, he entreated them to return the canoes by the hands of his
messengers. The chief of Teàh asserted, that he had lent them,
because he was willing to oblige the white men and his own neighbour,
but he did not conceive it possible that they could make so
ungrateful and unkind a return for his hospitality, and the respect
and attention which it had been his pride and pleasure to show them.
For their own parts, they could not forbear acknowledging the truth
and justice of the observations of the Teàh chieftain, and blaming
themselves for the step they had taken. They said further, that
whatever might be the consequence, they had not the slightest
objection to restore the canoes to their rightful owner; and provided
the men from Teàh could obtain the consent of Ducoo, the priest, to
take them away, they were at liberty to do so whenever they might
think proper. But this, they were by no means disposed to do, for
they both feared and hated Ducoo, and, therefore, they bribed the
Nouffie messenger with a large sum of money to assist them in their
project, and purposed taking away both canoes in the night time by
stealth. These intentions were, however, frustrated by the watchful
vigilence of Ducoo, who had mistrusted them long before they were
made known to the Landers, and when he had actually detected their
plans, he ordered the canoes to be pulled up on shore, two hundred
yards at least from the water's edge, and observed with vehemence,
"That after what he had done, should they again be launched into the
water and taken away, he would instantly tie a rope round the necks
of the chief of the town, and the Nouffie messenger that had accepted
the bribe, and in that humiliating state, they should be driven like
beasts to their sovereign, the magia."
On Friday the 3rd October, they were desired to get their things
packed up, for that they would be allowed to proceed on their journey
on the following morning. In pursuance of that arrangement, they had
got all their luggage in readiness, and only waited the coming of the
chief to take their departure, when to their great regret, one of his
messengers entered their hut to apprise them, that they would be
unable to depart until to-morrow, his master having been dissuaded
from his original purpose by the officious, bustling priest, their
friend and enemy. They submitted to their disappointment as patiently
and silently as they could, and in the evening they obtained a solemn
promise, that whatever might be the consequence, no one should divert
him from the resolution he had formed of detaining them longer than
that day, and that early on the following morning they should
certainly depart.
Their surprise and displeasure may, however, be guessed, when after
their goods had been removed from the hut into the yard, they were
informed, that they would be compelled to remain in the town yet
another day, notwithstanding all that the chief had told them on the
day preceding. Their patience was now completely exhausted, and they
were in great anger, for it was disheartening to be always deceived
and trifled with by such scoundrels. Repairing, therefore, to a hut,
in which they knew the chief passed the greater part of his time,
they discovered him sitting on the ground in company with the artful
Ducoo and the Nouffie messenger, and engaged in a very high dispute
with both of them. Their unexpected and abrupt intrusion, in a moment
cut short their wrangling, and they spoke with much emphasis of the
shameful manner in which they had been treated, and expressed their
determination of leaving Lever in a few hours, in defiance of them
and all their power. With the most insolent effrontery in the world,
Ducoo smiled at them, and replied, that they were entirely in his
power--that they should do as _he_ liked, and quit the town whenever
he thought proper.
Such language as this they thought rather too bold, and they
pretended to be in a violent passion, and quickly undeceived him on
that point, threatening that if either he or any of his men, should
presume to interfere with them in their intention; or proceedings
or attempt to hinder them from getting away from the town, they would
feel no more hesitation nor reluctance in shooting him, than if he
had been a partridge or a guinea hen. The priest, who had never
before seen any thing in them but mildness, was intimidated at the
determined and resolute behaviour they had found it necessary to
adopt; in a moment he was crest-fallen, and from being one of the
most boisterous and consequential fellows in the world, became quite
passive: yet his presence of mind did not forsake him, he stammered
out a kind of apology, attempted to soothe them by soft language and
submission, in which he found little difficulty, and did all in his
power to effect a reconciliation. Having settled this business, the
Landers went out, and assembling their men, attempted to draw their
canoe to the river side, but the ground was even, and the boat so
long and heavy, that notwithstanding all their exertions, they could
move her only a few inches towards the river. The people were ashamed
of themselves to see them labouring so hard, and to so little
purpose, and Ducoo likewise, observing them, was convinced that they
were in earnest, therefore, whispering a few words in the ear of the
chief, they both came down to the spot, where they were toiling at
the canoe, followed by a number of men; these, with the priest at
their head, took the work out of their hands, and in less than two
minutes the boat was floating on the water. Their luggage was then
conveyed into the two canoes, and shortly afterwards they were
supplied with three men to paddle them, with the assistance of their
own. Here they took their farewell of the chief and the priest, the
latter begging them very anxiously to speak well of him to his
sovereign at Rabba.
It was not till after they were all in the canoes, and ready to push
off, that those on shore discovered them to be overladen, and
recommended them to hire one of immense size, which was lying
alongside. Without stopping to make them any reply, or listen to any
further nonsense, they desired their own men to push the boats out
into the middle of the current, which was done very promptly, and the
town of Lever, with its chief and inhabitants, was speedily out of
sight and soon forgotten.
About one o'clock they landed at a considerable large and spacious
town, called Bajiebo, inhabited by Nouffie people, although, it is
situated on the Yarriba, or western side of the river. For dirt,
bustle, and nastiness of all kinds, this place exceeded anything they
had ever seen before. For two hours after their arrival they were
obliged to wait in a close diminutive hut, till a more convenient and
becoming habitation could be procured for their reception, and the
pleasure of the chief with regard to them should be known. They were
much incommoded by visitors, who scarcely allowed them to move or
breathe, which, joined to the heat of the weather and the
insufferable stench, rendered their situation truly comfortless and
distressing.
They were at length removed from this horrible hole, and conducted to
a hut in the heart of the town, in which wood fires had been burning
the whole of the day, so that the wall was almost as warm as the
sides of a heated oven, insomuch that it could scarcely be endured.
Yet, to render it more unpleasant still, a large closely woven mat
was placed before the door way, in order to prevent a thousand eyes
from staring in upon them, and which excluded every breath of air.
Their feelings during the whole of the night, were more distressing
than could be conceived; they were almost suffocated with the
closeness and intense heat of the room, and dreamt that they were
being baked alive in an oven.
Bajiebo is a flourishing and important trading town, although not
walled, and one of the largest and most populous that they had yet
seen. The huts are erected so close to each other, and with so little
regard to comfort, and a free circulation of air, that there is
scarcely a foot path in the town wide enough for more than one man to
walk on at a time, and not having the advantage of shady trees, the
heat of the town was excessive and distressing.
The power of the Fellatas was here evidently very great. One of their
number was styled chief, and had more authority and influence than
the native ruler. They were obliged to make a present to each of
these individuals, and other high and mighty personages were likewise
desirous of obtaining a similar favour at their hands, but they made
light of their conversation, and would not understand their enigmas.
Before sunrise on the 5th October, their luggage was removed
to the beach, and between six and seven o'clock they were once more
upon the water. In the course of an hour after leaving Bajiebo, they
passed by two towns of considerable extent, and in about an hour
afterwards they arrived at an extensive town called Lechee, inhabited
by Noufanchie, and said to be a place of considerable rank and
consequence. Here they landed by express desire, and finding an empty
grass hut near the spot, they entered and took possession of it, till
such time as the chief should be made acquainted with their arrival.
Here also their canoe men left them and returned to Bajiebo, where
they had hired them.
They were not suffered to wait long, but in a few minutes received an
invitation from the chief to come and see him; and having walked
through a good part of the town, they at length approached his
residence, and were introduced without ceremony or hindrance, into a
large and lofty hut, where they discovered the chief sitting on a
platform of mud, in great state, with about forty natives and
Fellatas in earnest conversation on each side of him. He received
them with great civility, and many demonstrations of gladness, and
desired them to draw near his person, that he might have a better
opportunity of looking at and talking to them. He appeared, however,
unwilling for them to quit Lechee till the following day, and pressed
them strongly to remain with him for the day, which, however, not all
his solicitations nor importunities could induce them to accede to.
After some trifling conversation, and a long and pithy harangue from
a Fellata, they took their leave of him and his people, and instantly
made their way back to the water side, where they waited in the grass
hut for the appearance of the canoe men, with whom the chief had
promised to supply them. After a considerable delay, a man for each
canoe could only be procured, so that two of their own people were
obliged to supply the place of others, as well as they could. Having
got into their canoes, they pushed off from the shore, and proceeded
at a good rate down the stream, along the side of a considerable
island, which was within gunshot of the town, and after passing a
large open village of respectable appearance, which was on the
western bank, they put in at a small town, a few miles below, also on
the Yarriba side of the river, where they were constrained to go in
quest of other canoe men, because those from Lechee, though they had
been with them only forty minutes, and had certainly not laboured
very hard, had refused to proceed with them any further, nor could
all their enticements induce them to forego the resolution which they
had taken. The Landers were detained in their canoes for an hour and
a half, exposed to a scorching sun, in order to obtain fresh canoe
men. They at last proceeded on their journey, and in the evening
arrived at a fishing town on a small island, which was called Madjie,
and belonged to the Noufanchie. Here they were received with
cheerfulness by the chief, who accommodated them with a roomy hut,
sent them a quantity of dressed provisions, and otherwise treated
them in the most hospitable manner.
At nine in the following morning, they landed near a small town to
procure a fresh supply of canoe men, and having obtained them, they
journeyed along the eastern side of the river, and in a few hours
afterwards, they perceived the smoke of the far-famed Rabba ascending
many miles before them. They stopped for a short time at a low, flat,
swampy island called Belee, and visited a mean, dirty-looking town,
where they were in a short time introduced to the chief, who,
according to the report of their messenger, was a great, rich, and
important personage. He informed them, that Mohammed, the magia's
son, who had left them at Patashie, had returned from his father, in
pursuance of his agreement, but instead of remaining at Rabba, as
they had expected, he had come over to Belee, and had been waiting
three days on the island in expectation of their arrival. The
governor further informed them, that they would be obliged to remain
at Belee, till the return of Mohammed to the island, for he had news
of importance to communicate to them. "To-morrow," he said, "you will
leave hence, and proceed to another island, which is further down the
river, wherein it is arranged that you shall abide till your affairs
be finally adjusted." There was some mystery about this information,
which was unexpected by the Landers, and not very gratifying to them.
It was the evening before Mohammed returned to Belee, and he
presented himself before them in a dripping state, with an excuse,
that he had been upset in a canoe two or three times. After the first
salutation was over, he informed them of his visit to his father, and
its result. The magia had desired him to assure them of his best
wishes in their welfare, and his determination to protect, support,
and encourage them, as far as he was able. Mohammed then drew their
attention to a young man, who had entered the hut with him, but whom
they had not before observed, and introduced him as a messenger sent
to them by the Fellata prince of Rabba. This man said, that his
master, named Mallam Dendo, had commissioned him to acquaint them,
that he heartily concurred with the king of Nouffie in the favourable
opinions and sentiments which the latter entertained for them. With
respect to their visiting Rabba, which he understood they were very
much disinclined to do, he should not urge them, and rather imagined
that they would be more comfortable and enjoy greater tranquillity,
on an inland on the opposite side of the river, where he would
recommend them to stop. The Fellata messenger concluded by observing,
that they would be visited on the morrow by _the king of the dark
water_, who would escort them to the island in question, of which he
was the governor.
As early as five o'clock on the following morning, their canoes were
loaded, and having breakfasted on a slice of yam, they were fully
prepared to quit the island. But as it was not deemed either politic
or proper to go away till the arrival of the great _king of the dark
water_, who was hourly expected, and who might be inclined to
construe their departure into contempt, they consented to await his
coming. Rather, however, than remain in a close black hut, full of
men, whose garments were generally covered with vermin, and rarely if
ever cleaned, and who made it a common practice to sit on the mat
where the two Landers slept, rather than undergo such a nuisance,
they stepped into their canoes, and having pushed off from the land,
they waited the arrival of the king of the dark water under the
branches of a large tree, at a little distance from the town.
Between nine and ten, they heard a number of men singing, and keeping
time to the motion of many paddles, and in a very few minutes, a
canoe, which was paddled by a few men only, came in sight, and they
knew by this that the water king was approaching. It was instantly
followed by another, and much larger one, propelled by above twenty
very fine young men, whose voices they had been listening to just
before, and who were still continuing their song. The king of the
dark water was with them. As the canoe drew nearer, they were not
only surprised at its extraordinary length and uncommon neatness, but
likewise at the unusual display of pomp and show which were
observable in her. In the centre a mat awning was erected, which was
variously decorated, and on the front of it hung a large piece of
scarlet cloth, ornamented with bits of gold lace stitched on
different parts of it. In the bow of the canoe were three or four
little boys of equal size, who were clad with neatness and propriety;
and in the stern sat a number of comely looking musicians, consisting
of several drummers and a trumpeter, whilst the young men, who had
the management of the boat, were not inferior to their companions
either in decency of apparel or respectability of appearance.
As soon as their canoe arrived at the landing place, the water king
came out from beneath the awning, and followed by the musicians and a
suite of attendants, walked to the hut, in which all public matters
were transacted, and whither in a few minutes the Landers were
desired to repair. The chief of the island, with his elders and the
more respectable of the people were seated, on their entrance, on
each side of their important visitor, and the two Landers, as a mark
of distinction, were invited to place themselves in front of him.
When the usual compliments had passed on both sides, he informed
them, with much solemnity, of his rank and title, he then alluded to
the cause of his coming, which he said, was to do them honour, and
repeated what had been previously told them by the king's son. This
being done, he presented them with a pot of excellent honey, and two
thousand cowries in money, with a large quantity of goora nuts, and
which are held in such high esteem that the opulent and powerful
alone have the means of procuring them. Having nothing further to say
or do, they shook hands with his sable majesty, whose name was
Suliken Rouah, expressed their acknowledgement for his handsome
present, and returned to their boats.
It was exactly mid-day when Suliken Rouah re-embarked in his princely
canoe, and quitted the island of Belee. Determined for once to make
an attempt at a more respectable appearance, for heretofore it had
been extremely mean and homely, they hastily constructed an awning of
their sheets. It was the first time they had made use of such a
thing, though they were without umbrellas, and till then had nothing
but slight straw hats to protect their heads from the sun. Above the
awning, they elevated a slender staff, on the top of which they
fastened the national colours, the union flag, which was kindly given
them by a gentleman on the coast, who was commandant of Anamaboo.
When unfurled and waving in the wind, it looked extremely pretty, and
it made their hearts glow with pride and enthusiasm as they looked on
this solitary little banner. They thought it would also be of service
to them, if they made as gay an appearance as the king and his
followers, and accordingly Richard Lander put on an old naval uniform
coat, which he had with him for state occasions, and John Lander
dressed himself in as grotesque and gaudy a manner as their resources
would afford. Their eight attendants also put on new white mahommedan
tobes, so that their canoe, with its white awning, surmounted by the
union flag, their canoe men in new dresses, and themselves appearing
as officers, contributed not a little to the effect of the whole
scene. The august king of the dark water, with his retinue in twenty
canoes, condescendingly gave them the precedence, and theirs was the
first that moved off from land, and led the way down the river
towards Rabba.
For a little while, they continued to take the lead, but the chief
soon went before them for two reasons, first, that he might have an
opportunity of looking at them, and secondly, that they might have a
fairer chance of seeing him in all his state, for which purpose, he
had placed himself outside his awning, on an elevated and conspicuous
seat. However, he only wished to get a few yards before them, for his
canoe men soon lifted their paddles out of the water, and the boat
fell back to its former situation. The musicians in the large canoe
performed merrily on their instruments, and about twenty persons now
sung at intervals in recitative, keeping excellent time with their
paddles.
A brisk wind sprung up the river full in their faces, relieving them
from the extreme heat of the weather, which was remarkably fine; the
scene before them was very animating, and the whole of them were in
high glee and spirits. Other canoes joined them, and never did the
British flag lead so extraordinary a squadron. The king of the dark
water might have been mistaken for a river god, and his wives, now
and then showing their pretty black faces from under the awning, cast
many an arch look at them with their sparkling, jetty eyes.
It was not long before their reverie was interrupted by a great noise
from the adjacent land, and on turning, they perceived the banks of
an island, called Zagozhi, which was lined with numbers of people,
admiring their flag, and watching them very earnestly, by which they
guessed that this was the place of their destination. The island was
so uncommonly low that the houses and trees appeared as if they were
standing in the water, as indeed many of them actually were. Theirs
being the first canoe, before they landed on the island, they waited
for the king to precede them, and the moment he set his foot on
shore, they fired a salute of four muskets and three pistols. The
king of the dark water was rather alarmed at this, and demanded
whether they were going to make war on him, but he was soon relieved
from his fear, by being told that it was an honour that they had been
in the habit of paying to all the princes, whom they had met in their
travels; which he no sooner understood, than he expressed himself
much gratified by their attention.
The king himself went in quest of a dwelling house, and conducted
them to one of the best which the island afforded; it was, however,
miserably bad, for as the town was built on a marsh, every hut in it
had the disadvantage, during the whole of the rainy season, of soft
damp floors, and uncomfortable roofs. Their own hut had positively
pools of water springing up out of the ground. The walls of the hut
were built of mud from the river, strengthened and supported by
wooden pillars, and ribs of the same materials; however, these do not
prevent them from cracking in a hundred different places, and large
chinks, admitting wind and rain, may be observed in the walls of
every hut. They have all a very dirty and wretched appearance,
although their inmates, generally speaking, were understood to be
clean, opulent, and respectable. Having conducted them to the hut,
the chief of the island shook hands with them very heartily, and
assured them they should want for nothing. He soon provided them with
doors of bamboo for their hut, and a number of mats to spread on the
floor, which made it tolerably comfortable. In the evening, four
large calabashes of stewed rice with fowls, and no less than ten
gallons of _petto_ or country beer were sent them.
About seven in the evening, messengers arrived from Rabba, to inform
them that they should come early in the morning for the presents
intended for their chief. They said that the king would not put them
to the trouble of going to see him, as the town was full of Arabs,
whose begging propensities would be very inconvenient to them. The
Landers were much pleased with this intelligence, knowing very well
the character of the Arabs, and they sent back word, that they would
be still more obliged to him, if he would dispense with their going
to the sansan, or camp, at a short distance from the town, to visit
the king of Nouffie.
Rabba stands in an opposite direction to Zagozhi, and appears at the
distance of about two miles, to be an immensely large, populous, and
flourishing town. It is built on the slope of a gentle hill, and on a
spot almost entirely bare of trees; the Niger here flowed in a
direction to the south of east.