Wherever he went inquiries were made about his father, as he was supposed to be Clapperton's son, and every one expressed great grief at hearing of his death.
The intelligence, courage, and resolution he exhibited, proved Lander to be no ordinary person. He not only made his way among the various tribes he had to pass through, but carried with him in safety a large trunk, containing Clapperton's clothes and other property, three watches, which he had secured about his person to preserve them from the rapacity of Bello, and all his master's papers and journals, with which, after a journey of nine months, accompanied by three blacks, he arrived in safety at Badagarry.
From thence he was conveyed in the English brig "Maria" to Cape Coast, whence he obtained a passage home in the "Esk," and arrived in England on the 30th of April.
CHAPTER NINE.
JOURNEY OF THE LANDERS, AND THEIR VOYAGE DOWN THE NIGER, 1830.
THE BROTHERS REACH BADAGARRY--PROCEED INLAND TO KATUNGA--WELL RECEIVED BY THE KING--REACH BOUSSA--THE WIDOW ZURNA--KIND-HEARTED KING--VISIT YOURI--RECEPTION BY THE KING--OBTAIN RELICS OF PARK--THE DANCING MONARCH--OBTAIN CANOES--BEGIN VOYAGE DOWN THE NIGER--GREAT WIDTH OF THE RIVER AT LEECHEE--SLEET THE KING OF THE DARK WATER--A ROGUISH ARAB-- DETAINED BY MALLAM DENDOW--COMPELLED TO GIVE HIM PARK'S ROBE--REACH EGGA--NO PRESENTS REMAINING--PASS MOUTH OF BINUE--THREATENED BY NATIVES--DETAINED AT DAMUGGOO--ATTACKED BY PIRATICAL CANOES--JOHN LANDER NEARLY DROWNED--PROPERTY SEIZED--RESCUED BY AN HONEST CHIEF--INHABITANTS SIDE WITH THEM--JOURNALS LOST--CONTINUE VOYAGE--REACH EBOE--INTERVIEW WITH OBIE, THE KING--HEAR OF ENGLISH AND SPANISH SHIPS IN THE RIVER-- CONVEYED DOWN THE RIVER BY KING BOY--REACH ENGLISH BRIG--BRUTAL CONDUCT OF THE CAPTAIN--BRIG ESCAPES FROM THE RIVER--THE LANDERS SAIL FOR RIO DE JANEIRO AND REACH ENGLAND.
The courage, perseverance, and judgment exhibited by Richard Lander in making his way from Sackatoo to Badagarry after the death of Clapperton, and the attempt he had made of his own accord to follow the course of the Niger to the sea, pointed him out to the British Government as a fit person to lead another expedition with that object in view. He at once accepted the offer made to him, and was allowed to take his younger brother John, a well-educated and intelligent young man, as his companion. They were directed to proceed from Badagarry to Boussa on the Niger, where Mungo Park was wrecked and lost his life, and down to which he had traced the stream from the neighbourhood of Timbuctoo.
Thence, after visiting Youri, the chief of which place was supposed to be in possession of Park's papers, he was to make his way, either down the stream in canoes or along the banks by land, as he might find practicable, either to the sea, if the stream was found to flow in that direction, or eastward into Lake Chad, which at that time, it was supposed, it might possibly do. In the latter case, if found advisable, he was to return home by way of Fezzan and Tripoli; but, in either case, he was to follow its course, if possible, to its termination, wherever that might be.
Sailing from Portsmouth on the 9th of January, 1830, the Landers reached Cape Coast Castle on the 22nd. Here they were fortunate enough to engage old Pasco and his wife, with Richard's former attendant, Jowdie, together with Ibrahim and Nimo, two Bornou men, who could speak English, as also the Haussa language. Hence they went to Badagarry, the chief of which place, Adooley, entertained them hospitably.
On the 31st of March, they commenced their journey into the interior, proceeding up the river as far as it was navigable. Reaching Bidjii they were supplied with horses, on which they continued their journey.
It was here Captain Pearce and Dr Morrison fell sick when accompanying Clapperton in his last journey. Both the brothers suffered from sickness; but, undaunted, they pursued their course till they reached Katunga, the capital of Youriba.
Houses in this province were formed of badly-built clay walls, thatched roofs, and floors of mud, polished with cow-dung. The only difference between the residence of a chief and those of his subjects consisted in the number, though not in the superiority, of his court-yards. For the most part they were tenanted by women and slaves, together with flocks of sheep and goats, and abundance of pigs and poultry mixed indiscriminately. The palace of the king, however, was somewhat superior.
The monarch had put on his robes of state to receive them, and amused them while dinner was preparing with a concert from a number of long drums, kettledrums, and horns. He wore on his head an ornament like a bishop's mitre, covered with strings of coral. His _tobe_ was of green silk, crimson silk, damask, and green silk velvet, sewn together like a piece of patchwork. He wore English cotton stockings, and sandals of neat workmanship. His subjects as they approached prostrated themselves, rubbing their heads with earth, and kissing the ground repeatedly, till their faces were covered with the red soil.
The king was so amused with the very different style with which the Englishmen saluted him that he burst out in a fit of laughter, in which his wives and subjects joined him.
They parted with the worthy monarch, who forwarded them on their journey.
Avoiding Avawa, at which place the widow Zuma had laid siege to the hearts of Clapperton and his attendant, they proceeded on to Boussa, which, greatly to their surprise, they found standing on the mainland, and not on an island as Clapperton's journal had stated.
The king asserted, when they had presented themselves, that he and his court had been weeping all the morning for the death of Clapperton; but, as no outward signs of tears were visible, the travellers rather mistrusted the monarch's assertion.
A hut having been selected for them, they repaired to it, and were well supplied with dishes of meat, rice, and corn for supper.
What was their astonishment the next day to receive a visit from the widow Zuma! who appeared, however, woefully changed, being clad in very humble apparel of country cloth. Having quarrelled with the ruler of Wawa, she had made her escape over the city wall in the night, travelling on foot to Boussa, where she had since taken up her abode.
The king was highly pleased with the presents which the Landers had brought him, and he and his wife, his chief counsellor and only confidant, honoured them with a visit at their hut. The queen was dressed in a check shirt, with several pieces of blue cotton--one tied round her waist, another hanging over her shoulder, and one covering her head--brass rings ornamenting her great toes, and bracelets her wrists; besides which she wore a necklace of coral and beads of gold, and small pieces of coral stuck in the lobe of each ear. Coral appeared to be in great demand wherever they went, and the queen was disappointed on finding that they had brought none.
Lander, concealing the object of his journey, informed the king that his purpose was to go to Bornou by way of Youri, and requested a safe conveyance through his territories.
This permission was granted, and, sending their horses by land, they proceeded up the river in a canoe which was furnished them, towards Youri.
The scenery on the main branch of the river was interesting and picturesque: the bank literally covered with hamlets and villages, and fine trees bending under the weight of their dark foliage, and contrasting with the lively verdure of the hills and plains.
After proceeding a short distance the stream gradually widened to two miles, in some places the water being very shallow, but in others of considerable depth.
Steering directly northward they voyaged on for four days, having passed, they were told, all the dangerous rocks and sandbanks which are to be found above Youri or below Boussa.
Landing at a little village on the bank, where their horses met them, they rode a distance of eight miles to the walls of Youri. That city they entered through an amazingly long passage, at the end of which was an immense door, covered with plates of iron rudely fastened to the woodwork.
A habitation had been provided for them, to which they were conducted, excusing themselves from paying their respects to the sultan on account of the fatigues of their journey. The following evening they visited the sultan, whose palace consisted of a group of buildings enclosed by a high wall. Dismounting, they were conducted along a low, dark avenue, with pillars on either side, and, passing through which, they entered a large square yard, where a number of servants were hurrying about and others seated on the ground. They were kept waiting for some time, till, receiving a summons to advance, they were introduced into another square, which resembled a clean farm-yard. Here they found the sultan seated alone on a plain piece of carpet, with a pillow on each side of him and a neat brass pan in front. He was big-headed, corpulent, and, though of advanced age, a jolly-looking man. He expressed his annoyance that Clapperton did not visit him, and that Lander had not done so on his return, and they were not sorry to take their leave.
He here was shown a rich damask _tobe_, covered with gold embroidery, which had belonged to Mr Park, and was probably part of the spoil taken from the canoe, intended as a present to some native prince. They were, at first, in hopes of obtaining Park's journals; but only an old nautical almanack was seen, and they afterwards discovered that the journals themselves, though kept for some years, had, after Clapperton's death, been destroyed by the person into whose hands they had fallen.
They, however, obtained a gun which had undoubtedly belonged to Park, and which was given up to them in exchange for one of their own fowling-pieces.
The king, though he expressed his readiness to assist them, declared that he could not forward them on their way to the eastward, as from the disturbed state of the country he would be unable to guarantee their safety, and that the best thing he could do was to send them back to Boussa. On this they immediately sent a message to the King of Boussa, saying that as they were unable to continue their journey in the direction they had proposed, they would feel deeply obliged if he would lend them a canoe, by which they might proceed down the river to the salt water, and that they would remunerate him to the best of their ability.
The disturbances of which they had heard had been created by the widow Zuma, who had instigated the people of Nouffie to make a raid into the territory of the King of Wawa. They had succeeded in carrying off some bullocks near the walls of his town. She had fled from Boussa to another town, the governor of which had, however, sent her back, and she would now probably be severely punished by the King of Boussa, or be returned to her own sovereign, who would probably cut off her head.
On the 2nd of August they set off on their road to Boussa, but here they were kept some weeks, during which either one or the other of the brothers paid visits to the King of Wawa, from whom they found they had the best chance of obtaining a canoe. The King and Queen of Boussa were the most amiable couple they met with on their travels, and treated them with uniform kindness during their stay. The king, though not equalling the King of Wawa, is proud of his skill as a dancer, and he exhibited his accomplishments at a grand festival which took place during their visit. Although advanced in life, he was as active as a boy, and indulged largely in his favourite amusement every Friday.
On the last day of the festival, while his subjects were gathered in large numbers on the racecourse, he appeared among them, followed by boys carrying calabashes full of cowries, with which he rewarded the dancers, singers, and musicians, scattering the remainder among the crowd, to be scrambled for. Then, to show his affection for his subjects, unwilling to send them to their homes without giving them another treat, he danced sideways half way up the racecourse and back again to his residence, with much stateliness, his amiable wife smiling with delight that she had such a spouse, while the people were louder than ever in their shouts of approbation.
They heard here that El Kanemy, Major Denham's friend, had fallen into disgrace with the Sultan of Bornou, who suspected him of treasonable practices, and of the intention of usurping the sovereignty. He had been imprisoned, and would have lost his head had not the Mahommedan priests interfered and obtained his liberation.
During their last visit to the King of Wawa, he exhibited a collection of charms written on sheets of paper, glued or pasted together. Among them was a small edition of Watts's Hymns, on one of the blank leaves of which was written, "Alexander Anderson, Royal Military Hospital, Gosport, 1804," which of course had belonged to Mr Park's brother-in-law, who died in that neighbourhood. They had seen also two other notes addressed to Park, one from a Mr Watson, and the other from Lady Dalkeith.
It was not before the 30th of September that at length, having obtained the long-wished-for canoes, they were able to embark from the Island of Patashie, in the neighbourhood of Boussa. Cheered by the natives, they sprang on board, and the current rapidly bore them down the stream.
Their voyage had now begun prosperously; but they were detained at several places by the chiefs, who wished to get as much as they could out of them.
At Lever a priest, attended by a number of followers, told them that they were in his power, and should not quit the town till he thought proper. They had hitherto always behaved in the mildest manner possible, but now Lander replied that if the priest or any one else attempted to hinder them from taking their departure, he should feel no hesitation in shooting him. In an instant the priest's manner changed, and he became civil and humble. They and their people were, however, allowed to make the attempt of launching their canoe, in which, as she was long and heavy, they were unable to succeed. The priest and his followers at length, ashamed of seeing the strangers labouring so hard, came to the spot and in a few minutes carried their boats into the water. They passed numerous islands, many of them several miles in length and thickly inhabited.
At Leechee the Niger was found to be three miles in width. The inhabitants of the place had numerous canoes. The boatmen they engaged here, though they had only paddled on for about forty minutes, refused to go further, and they were compelled to wait till they could obtain a fresh crew. Indeed, at the different places at which they stopped, they were vexatiously delayed on various pretexts by the natives.
At Belee Island a messenger arrived to inform them that they would be visited in the morning by the King of the Dark Water.
They embarked at an early hour, and at about ten o'clock the sound of voices singing, which reached their ears over the surface of the stream, warned them of the approach of the monarch. A small canoe came first, and then another propelled by upwards of twenty fine young men. In this, under a decorated awning, with a piece of scarlet cloth ornamented with beads and gold lace in front, sat the King of the Dark Water. In the stern were a number of musicians--drummers and a trumpeter--and in the bow four little boys, neatly clad. The king, of coal-black hue, was a fine-looking man, well stricken in years. He was dressed in a bournous of blue cloth, under which was a variegated _tobe_, made of figured satin, Haussa trousers, sandals of coloured leather, and a red cloth cap on his head. He was accompanied by six fine, handsome, jet-black girls, his wives, also picturesquely dressed, their wrists ornamented with silver bracelets and their necks with coloured necklaces.
The travellers saluted him with a discharge from their muskets, and while he went on shore, Richard arrayed himself in an old naval uniform coat, and his brother in the handsomest dress he possessed; their attendants put on new, white, Mahommedan _tobes_, while the British flag flew from the bow of their boat, so that they might show him all the respect in their power. These arrangements being concluded, the English led the way down the river, followed by the King of the Dark Water, and a squadron of canoes, to the island of Zagozhi, on which a town of considerable size was situated. Opposite to it was the town of Rabba, said to be very large and populous.
The Niger flows at this spot in a direction south of east.
While staying at this place, Lander was surprised by receiving an over-warm and affectionate salutation from a little, ugly, old Arab, whom he recognised as having been employed by Clapperton, having afterwards acted as his own guide from Kano. He had cheated Clapperton, and had also stolen Captain Pearce's sword and a sum of money when sent back to Kano, from which he had decamped. When reminded of his rogueries he only laughed, and then in the most impertinent manner begged for everything he saw. Lander consequently turned him out of the hut.
They found here Mallam Dendow, a cousin of Bello, very old and feeble.
He was pleased with the presents he received, and through his means the King of the Dark Water promised to supply them with canoes and a guide to conduct them to the sea.
Funda, the town near which the Niger was supposed to flow, was, as far as they could learn, at a considerable distance from this neighbourhood.
Mallam Dendow had lately planned an expedition against it, but it terminated by his warriors taking fright and returning to their homes without accomplishing anything.
These Arabs, throughout Africa, were the greatest curse of the country, and were the chief cause of the devastating wars which were constantly taking place, while they in no way contributed to the real civilisation of the people.
Just as the travellers were hoping to recommence their voyage, old Pasco returned from Mallam Dendow with the unpleasant information that the chief was dissatisfied with the gifts he had received, and that unless they would present him with others of more value he would take their guns and powder from them before he would permit them to leave Zagozhi.
Having no articles left among their stores, they were most unwillingly compelled to present him with Mr Park's _tobe_, which had been given by the King of Boussa. With this he was highly delighted, and now, declaring that he would be their friend for ever after, he not only obtained for them the restitution of their canoe, which had been seized by the King of the Dark Water, but made them a present of a number of handsome mats and a supply of cowries and provisions.
On the 16th they again launched into the river, firing two muskets and uttering three cheers as a salute to the King of the Dark Water and the hundreds of spectators gazing at them, whom they soon left out of sight.