Life and Travels of Mungo Park in Central Africa by Mungo Park

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The army, amounting to 50,000 men, under the sultan's command, surrounded
the walls of Coonia. The account which Clapperton gives of the action
which then took place is curious, "After the midday prayers, all except
the eunuchs, camel drivers, and such other servants as were of use only
to prevent theft, whether mounted or on foot, marched towards the object
of attack, and soon arrived before the walls of the city. I also
accompanied them, and took up my station close to the Gadado. The march
had been the most disorderly that can be imagined; horse and foot
intermingling in the greatest confusion, all rushing to get forward;
sometimes the followers of one chief tumbling amongst those of another,
when swords were half unsheathed, but all ending in making a face, or
putting on a threatening aspect. We soon arrived before Coonia, the
capital of the rebels of Goobur, which was not above half a mile in
diameter, being nearly circular, and built on the bank of one of the
branches of the rivers or lakes, which I have mentioned. Each chief, as
he came up, took his station, which, I suppose, had previously been
assigned to him. The number of fighting men brought before the town could
not, I think, be less than fifty or sixty thousand, horse and foot, of
which the foot amounted to more than nine-tenths. For the depth of two
hundred yards all round the walls, was a dense circle of men and horses.
The horse kept out of bow-shot, while the foot went up as they felt
courage or inclination, and kept up a straggling fire, with about thirty
muskets and the shooting of arrows. In the front of the Sulfcaa, the
Zeg-Zeg troops had one French fusil: the Kano forces had forty-one
muskets. These fellows, whenever they fired their pieces, ran out of
bow-shot to load; all of them were slaves: not a single Fellatah had a
musket. The enemy kept up a sure and slow fight, seldom throwing away
their arrows, until they saw an opportunity of letting fly with effect.
Now and then a single horseman would gallop up to the ditch, taking care
to cover himself with his large leather shield, and return as fast as he
went, generally calling out lustily when he got among his own party,
'Shields to the wall!' 'You people of the Gadado or Atego,' &c, 'why
don't you hasten to the wall?' To which some voices would call out, 'Oh!
you have a good large shield to cover you!' The cry of 'Shields to the
wall!' was constantly heard from the several chiefs to their troops; but
they disregarded the call, and neither chiefs nor vassals moved from the
spot. At length the men in quilted armour went up. They certainly cut not
a bad figure at a distance, as their helmets were ornamented with black
and white ostrich feathers, and the sides of the helmets with pieces of
tin, which glittered in the sun, their long quilted cloaks of gaudy
colours, reaching over part of the horses' tails, and hanging over their
flanks. On the neck, even the horses' armour was notched or vandyked, to
look like a mane; on his forehead and over his nose, was a brass or tin
plate, as also a semi-circular piece on each side. The rider was armed
with a large spear and he had to be assisted to mount his horse, as his
quilted cloak was too heavy; it required two men to lift him on, and
there were six of them belonging to each governor, and six to the Sultan.
I at first thought the foot would take advantage of going under cover of
these unwieldy machines; but no, they went alone as fast as the poor
horses could bear them, which was but a slow pace. They had one musket in
Coonia, and it did wonderful execution, for it brought down the foremost
of the quilted men, who fell from his horse like a sack of corn thrown
from a horse's back at a miller's door, but both horse and man were
brought off by two or three footmen. He had got two balls through his
breast: one went through his body and both sides of the robe, the other
went through and lodged in the quilted armour opposite the shoulders."

Clapperton was desired by the sultan to repair to Sockatoo, where he
found the same house in which he had formerly lodged prepared for his
reception. He resided there six months, harassed by disappointment, and
worn down by severe illness. No farther was this gallant and intrepid
traveller to be permitted to advance; in the midst of his discoveries he
was to be cut down, his dying couch tended by none but his faithful and
kind companion and servant, the depth and fidelity of whose attachment is
attested by the affectionate manner in which he speaks of his master.

The feelings of the natives and of the king seemed to have undergone a
most unfavourable change towards the travellers. The Africans entertained
some vague suspicion, that the King of England, in sending the white men
to their country, had some sinister object in view. A letter had reached
the sultan from Bornou, intimating, that in sending missions to Africa,
the English were acting in the same manner as they had done, in order to
subdue the Indian princes, and even advising that Clapperton should be
put to death. Bello evidently put some faith in this ridiculous
assertion. He seized Clapperton's baggage, under the pretence that he was
conveying arms and warlike stores to the sultan of Bornou, and ordered
Lord Bathurst's letter to that prince to be given up to him. Clapperton's
remonstrances against this unfair treatment were vain; grief preyed upon
his ardent spirit, and though the sultan, some time afterwards began to
treat him more favourably, this returning kindness came too late. He was
attacked with dysentery, brought on by a cold, caught by lying down under
a tree on soft and wet ground, when fatigued and heated with walking.
"Twenty days," says Lander, "my poor master continued in a low and
distressed state. His body, from being robust and vigorous, became weak
and emaciated, and indeed was little better than a skeleton." Towards the
beginning of April, his malady increased in violence. His sleep was short
and disturbed, broken by frightful dreams. One day he called Lander to
his bedside, and said, "Richard, I shall shortly be no more,--I feel
myself dying." Almost choked with grief, Lander replied, "God forbid, my
dear master,--you will live many years yet." "Do not be so much affected,
my dear boy, I entreat you," said he; "it is the will of the Almighty,
and cannot be helped." Lander promised strict attention to his directions
concerning his papers and property. "He then," says Lander, "took my hand
within his, and looking me full in the face, while a tear stood
glistening in his eye, said in a low but deeply affecting tone; '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 kindness and attachment to
me; and if I could have lived to return with you, you should have been
placed beyond the reach of want; but God will reward you.'"

He lingered a few days, and even seemed to rally a little. But on the
morning of the 13th April, Lander was alarmed by hearing a peculiar
rattling sound in his throat. He called out "Richard," in a low and
hurried tone. Lander hastened to his side, and found him sitting upright,
and staring wildly around. He clasped his master in his arms, and felt
his heart palpitating violently; he leant his head upon his shoulder to
catch his last words, but only "some indistinct expressions quivered on
his lips, and as he vainly strove to give them utterance, his heart
ceased to vibrate, and his eyes closed for ever." Bello permitted Lander
to bury the body near a village about five miles from the town. The
grave was dug by two slaves, and Lander, having saddled his camel, placed
the body upon it, covered it with the British flag, and having reached
the grave, read over it the funeral service of the Church of England,
"showers of tears" falling from his eyes upon the book. He then gave the
natives a sum of money to erect a shed over the spot, to preserve it from
the wild beasts.

Lander returned in sadness from the grave of that master to whom he was
so justly attached. Bello allowed him to depart, and he resolved to make
his way to the coast by the negro countries. In spite of the limited
nature of his resources, he even attempted the solution of the great
problem of the Niger's termination. He proceeded to Kano, and struck off
to the eastward of his former route, passing on his way several towns,
the inhabitants of which all treated him kindly. He travelled through the
beautiful plain of Cuttup, which contains five hundred little villages,
situated near to each other, and surrounded by groves of trees, among
which towered the plantain, the palm, and the cocoa-nut. The sun shone
brightly upon the numerous hamlets; the oxen, cows, and sheep, presented
a picture of comfort and peace; and the air was filled with the song of
birds. Thence he proceeded to Dunrora, and conceived that a few days
farther journey would enable him to attain his object, when four armed
men, mounted on foaming steeds, dashed into the town, and ordered him
immediately to return to the king of Zeg-Zeg. He was obliged to journey
back by his former route. After being exposed to various dangers from the
enmity of the Portuguese slave-traders on the coast, he embarked on the
13th February, and reached England on the 30th April 1828.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

_Laing and Caillie_.

At the same time that Clapperton undertook his second journey, Major
Laing, who had on a former excursion penetrated a little way into the
interior, attempted to reach Tombuctoo, from Tripoli, across the desert,
by Ghadamis. In the midst of the desert, the party with whom he travelled
was attacked during the night by a formidable band of Tuaricks; and
Laing, having received twenty-four wounds, was left for dead. He
afterwards recovered by the care of his companions, though several
splinters of bone were extracted from his head. Undismayed by this
unpropitious accident, he after a short delay resumed his journey, and
reached Tombuctoo on the 18th August, 1826. There he resided for a month,
during which several letters from him reached England. He described the
city as every way equal, except in size, to his expectation. It was not
above four miles in circumference. During his short residence, he had
collected much valuable information concerning the geography of Central
Africa. He was obliged to depart in consequence of instructions reaching
the governor of the city that the Christian must instantly remove. He
accordingly engaged a merchant, called Barbooshi, to guide him to the
coast. Before he had advanced three days journey from Tombuctoo, the
treacherous Moor murdered him at night, and seized his baggage and
journal. His papers were reported to have been carried to Tripoli; but
they have never since been recovered.

[Illustration: Burial of Clapperian.]

[Illustration: Body Guard, of the Sheik, of Bornoiu.]

The next traveller was a Frenchman, M. Caillie, who, after having
previously resided some years at Senegal, returned to Africa in 1824.
Disguised as a Mahomedan, he departed for the interior on the 19th of
April, 1827, and arrived at Tangier in safety in the following August.
His countrymen rewarded him with a pension and the cross of the legion of
honour, and claimed for him a high place among distinguished travellers.
Doubts have been thrown upon the authenticity of his narrative, some
having gone so far as to say that the greater part of it is a
fabrication. Many errors have been detected in it, particularly with
regard to the observation of the heavenly bodies; but this may have
arisen from ignorance. It is now generally agreed that his account is
entitled to consideration; especially as in the present state of our
knowledge concerning Africa there is not sufficient ground to disprove
it. At all events, his want of education and defective observation
prevent him from laying any claims to accuracy.

M. Caillie travelled along with a caravan of Mandingoes through a steep
and rocky district, diversified however, at intervals, with picturesque
views, and in many places in a state of comparative cultivation. At the
village of Couroussa he first saw the Niger, which was already about ten
feet deep. He remained a month at Kankan, which contains about 6000
inhabitants, and has a well-supplied market. To the north of it lies the
district of Boure, which abounds in gold. He then came to Time, the
country around which is fertile, producing many different species of
fruits and vegetables. M. Caillie was here detained by illness for five
months. After which he accompanied a caravan for Jenne; and on the 10th
March crossed the Niger, which appeared to be about 500 feet broad at
that point. On the 23rd March he embarked on the Joliba, in a
slight-built vessel, fastened together by cords, and of about 60 tons
burden. On the 2nd April they came to the place where the river widens
into the great lake Dibbe. They then passed through a country thinly
peopled by Foulah herdsmen, and bands of roving Tuaricks. In a few days
he came to Cabra, the port of Tombuctoo, which consists of a long row of
clay huts, thatched with straw. It contains about 1200 inhabitants, who
are solely employed in conveying merchandize from the vessels to
Tombuctoo.

On the 20th April M. Caillie entered Tombuctoo. His feelings at the sight
of this celebrated city were those of disappointment. Perhaps in his
wanderings he had fed his imagination with dreams of a flourishing and
splendid capital reared amid the waste. He thus describes it:--"The
spectacle before me did not answer my expectation. At first sight it
presents but a heap of houses, neither so large nor so well peopled as I
expected. Its commerce is less considerable than is stated by public
report, a great concourse of strangers coming from every part of Soudan.
I met in the streets only the camels coming from Kabra. The city is
inhabited by negroes of the Kissour nation. They form the principal
population. The city is without any walls, open on all sides, and may
contain 10,000 or 12,000 inhabitants, including the Moors." The houses
are built of brick; and there are seven mosques, the principal one of
great size, having a tower fifty feet high. The city depends exclusively
on trade, which is entirely in the hands of the Moors. The chief article
of commerce is salt, which is dug out of the mines of Sahara; but other
articles, both of European and native manufacture, are likewise sold. The
goods are embarked for Jenne, and bartered for gold, slaves, and
provisions. The city is surrounded with plains of moving sand. "The
horizon is of a pale red. All is gloomy in nature. The deepest silence
reigns--not the song of a single bird is heard."

On the 4th May, M. Caillie departed from Tombuctoo, and in a few days
arrived at Aroan, a town containing 3000 inhabitants, on the route to
which neither herb nor shrub was seen; and their only fuel was the dung
of camels. On the 19th May he prepared to cross the desert, along with a
large caravan. Scarcely a drop of water could be found, and many of the
wells were dried up. "Before us appeared a horizon without bounds, in
which our eyes distinguished only an immense plain of burning sand,
enveloped by a sky on fire. At this spectacle the camels raised long
cries, and the slaves mournfully lifted up their eyes to heaven." They
suffered much from thirst during this dreary march, and their strength
was almost exhausted before they reached the springs of Telig. After many
days harassing toil, they came to the frontiers of Morocco, and M.
Caillie, having crossed the Atlas, contrived to make his way to Tangier.

CHAPTER XXXV.

_Lander's Journey_.

In the preceding chapter the reader must have admired the fortitude and
resolution manifested by Lander, when, after the death of Clapperton, he
had to travel to the coast alone. His attempt to reach the Niger shewed
that his disposition was ardent and enterprising, and that, but for
untoward circumstances, he would have effected his object. On his return
to England, he again offered his services to government, and accompanied
by his brother John, embarked from Portsmouth on the 9th January 1830,
and reached Cape Coast Castle on the 22d of the following month.

Having hired several native attendants, one of whom, called Pascoe, was
well qualified to act as an interpreter, the travellers sailed to
Badagry, and landed on the 22d. They resided some days at this place, the
chief being unwilling to part from them till he had obtained as presents
almost every article which he coveted. As if in contrast with the beauty
of the country, the inhabitants of Badagry are a dissolute, sensual, and
greedy race. While they resided in the town, the Landers were invited to
visit the spot where the Mahomedans perform some of their religious
rites. Two Mussulmen guided them to the place, which was about a mile
distant. They came to a bare space of sandy ground, surrounded with
trees; here they found the Mussulmen engaged in prostration and ablution.
Each group as it arrived, was received with flourishes of musical
instruments. Every one was clad in his best apparel. "Loose robes, with
caps and turbans, striped and plain, red, blue, and black, were not
unpleasingly contrasted with the original native costume of fringed
cotton thrown loosely over the shoulders, and immense rush hats.
Manchester cloths, of the most glaring patterns, were conspicuous amongst
the crowd; but these were cast in the shade, by scarfs of green silk
ornamented with leaves and flowers of gold, and aprons covered with
silver spangles." No sooner were the religious ceremonies finished, than
there was a general discharge of fire-arms; and clarionets, drums, and
strings of bells betokened the joy felt on the occasion.

The soil of Badagry is fertile, and consists of a layer of fine white
sand over loam, clay, and earth; the sand is so deep as to render walking
difficult. The inhabitants depend for subsistence on fishing, and the
cultivation of the yam and Indian corn. They fish with nets and spears,
and also with a peculiarly formed earthen pot, which they bait with the
palm nut. The more wealthy possess bullocks, sheep, goats, and poultry.
The houses, which are neatly constructed of bamboo, and thatched with
palm leaves, contain several rooms; almost all have yards attached to
them, to the cultivation of which some little attention is paid.

On the night of the 31st March they set sail from Badagry in the chief's
war canoe, which was about forty feet long, and propelled by poles. The
banks of the river were low, covered with stunted trees; and a
slave-factory and fetish hut were the only buildings visible. At
intervals, at a winding of the river, they saw "a noble and solitary
palm-tree, with its lofty branches bending over the water's edge." At
this point, the atmosphere is loaded with pestilential miasmata. For a
considerable way the water is almost hid by a profusion of marine plants,
but these gradually disappear, and the boughs of beautiful trees hang
over the banks, and screen the travellers from the sun's rays. A number
of aquatic birds resort to this place; and the ear is absolutely stunned
with the noise of parrots and monkeys. They landed, and walked on to Wow,
which is an extensive town. After passing through several villages, their
route lay through woods and patches of open ground, till they came to a
beautiful and romantic glen in the very heart of a wood. It abounded in
butterflies, whose shining wings displayed an infinity of colours.

The Landers now followed nearly the same route which Clapperton had
pursued on his second journey. On the 6th April, they arrived at Jenne,
where they were well received by the governor, who had recently been
appointed to his office by the king of Badagry. The inhabitants are
industrious and temperate, living chiefly on vegetable food. The chief
labour, however, is devolved upon the females, who carry merchandize from
place to place upon their heads, and bear with great patience their heavy
burdens. Their path continued to lie through a most beautiful and fertile
region, covered with exuberant vegetation. With the slightest attention
and care, the soil would yield an abundant return; but the people are
satisfied if they merely supply the cravings of nature, contenting
themselves with slightly turning up the ground with the hoe. As they left
Chouchow, a delightful morning following a rainy night, caused the
flowers and shrubs to exhale delicious perfumes. On each side of the path
were granite mountains of irregular shapes, the tops of which were
covered with trees, and in the hollows of their slopes were clusters of
huts. A great number of birds frequented the valley, and the delightful
notes of a few were strangely contrasted with the harsh and discordant
croaking of others. "The modest partridge appeared in company with the
magnificent Balearic crane, with his regal crest; and delicate humming
birds hopped from twig to twig with others of an unknown species; some of
them were of a dark shining green; some had red silky wings and purple
bodies; some were variegated with stripes of crimson and gold; and these
chirped and warbled from among the thick foliage of the trees."

They arrived at Katunga on the 18th May, and immediately had an interview
with king Mansolah. His head was ornamented with a turban resembling in
shape a bishop's mitre, to which many strings of coral were attached.
"His robe was of green silk, crimson silk damask, and green silk velvet,
which were all sewn together like pieces of patchwork. He wore English
cotton stockings, and neat leathern sandals of native workmanship. A
large piece of superfine light blue cloth, given him by the late Captain
Clapperton, served as a carpet." The monarch, after some hesitation,
granted them permission to visit Botissa and the neighbourhood, and said
he would dispatch a messenger to the neighbouring princes, to facilitate
the progress of the travellers through their dominions. The city had a
melancholy and cheerless aspect; the walls had fallen to decay, and the
streets were nearly deserted.

After passing Kushee, the travellers were joined by a Borgoo _fatakie_,
or company of merchants. Their route lay through a vast and lonely
forest, infested by robbers. At one opening a band of twenty marauders
armed with lances and bows and arrows, appeared from behind the trees,
and stationed themselves in the middle of the path before the men who
carried the baggage, who were much frightened, and seemed disposed to
throw down their burdens and run away. But when Richard Lander presented
his gun at their leaders, their courage failed, and they took to flight.
On the road to Kiama, the appearance of the country was completely
changed, and the road lay through a vast tract of mountain forest, the
haunt of savage animals. The crossing of a narrow brook introduced them
to a people speaking a different language, of different manners and creed
from those of Yarriboo. Lander gives the following account of the first
night which they spent in this new territory:--"We occupy a large round
hut, in the centre of which is the trunk of a large tree, which supports
the roof; it has two apertures for doors, above which are a couple of
charms, written in Arabic. It is now eleven P.M.; our attendants, with
several of their fellow-travellers, are reposing on mats and skins, in
various parts of the hut. Bows and arrows, and quivers ornamented with
cows' tails, together with muskets, pistols, swords, lances, and other
weapons, are either hanging on the wall or resting upon it. The scene is
wild and singular. Outside our hut it is still more striking. There
though it rains and thunders, the remainder of the _fatakie_, consisting
of men, women, and children, are sitting on the ground in groups, or
sleeping near several large fires, which are burning almost close to the
hut, whilst others are lying under the shelter of large spreading trees
in its immediate vicinity. Their only apparel is drawn over their half
naked persons; their weapons at their sides, and their horses are grazing
near them." After entering Kiama, they were introduced to King Yarro, who
sat by himself upon a heap of buffalo hides; the walls of the apartment
were ornamented with portraits of George IV. the Duke of York, the Duke
of Wellington, and Lord Nelson; opposite to these were suspended horse
accoutrements, and on each side were scraps of paper, on which were
written sentences from the Koran. On the floor lay a confused heap of
muskets, lances, and other weapons. The king assigned to them a dwelling
near the palace. The travellers had one day the gratification of
witnessing an African horse-race. The entertainment was preceded by the
ceremonies of Mahometan devotion. The head Mallam read a few pages from
the Koran, after which a sheep was sacrificed; the blood was then poured
into a calibash, and the king and some of his subjects washed their hands
in it, and sprinkled the drops on the ground. After this a few old
muskets were discharged, and the king and his chiefs rode about the
ground, armed, and in gay attire. It was evening before the races
commenced, which were attended by a joyful and noisy crowd. The monarch
and his guards came upon the ground in procession, mounted on handsome
steeds. The horses and their riders soon appeared. The men wore turbans
of blue and white cotton, red morocco boots, and robes of every possible
hue. The horses were gaily caparisoned, and had strings of bells hanging
from their necks. The signal for starting was given, and they set off at
full gallop. "The riders brandished their spears, the little boys
flourished their cows' tails, the buffoons performed their antics,
muskets were discharged, and the chief himself, mounted on the finest
horse on the ground, watched the progress of the race, while tears of
delight were starting from his eyes. The race was well contested, and
terminated only by the horses being fatigued, and out of breath."

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