Cornish Characters and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Cornish Characters and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Cornwall (England : County) -- Biography; Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
"September 13th.--From 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. no refreshments excepting
earth-nuts, palm-wine, and water. However, we persevered, and at dusk
reached Juga, where we found Butler sick, and had the misery of being
told that poor Tudor and Cranch were no more, Galway despaired of, and
many of the crew sick. Melancholy enough, God knows, but hold on.
Mansa, the slave, has deserted with poor Galway's knapsack.
"September 14th.--Mizzling rain; melancholy morning. The captain and
Dr. Smith sick. Packing up for ship. Hodder sets out with ten men and an
advanced guard. Dr. Smith worse; decide on removing him to-day;
difficulty in getting bearers; prepared hammocks for the sick. At noon
both the captain and Dr. Smith better; Dawson rather worse; get Butler
into a house. Corporal Middleton arrives with the sad news of Galway's
death, that of poor Stirling and Berry, and a long list of sick. Here I
am in the tent. Poor Tuckey ill, asleep, or perhaps feigning it to avoid
conversation. Dr. Smith groaning under a rheumatic fever, and his trusty
David Lockhart attending him. My ideas are wandering round the world,
and the only consolation is that perhaps it may be the means of my
seeing my dear European friends sooner than I had expected. Five only of
the _Congo's_ are capable of duty, except the warrant officers. Saturday
night. God bless you all, my dear, dear friends!
"September 15th.--Broke up at Juga, and such a scene I never before
witnessed, and hope never to witness again. As soon as Tuckey was
gone, the natives rushed in upon us like so many furies, each taking
what he could get hold of; the things we were obliged to abandon. A
part of our guides and bearers ran away with the things they were to
carry, and poor Butler was obliged to come away with only two bearers,
who tottered under him, and who were mocked by their compassionate
countrymen. I left him near the ravine of Bondé, and passed on to
Dawson, who was coming on pretty well, as he had four bearers and was
not very heavy. Not far from Vouchin-semnis we were assailed with
horrid shrieks and cries, and soon saw a dozen women, or rather
furies, holding their idols towards us, rolling their eyes, foaming at
the mouth, and making the most violent contortions. They had lost
some manioc, and were exorcising the thieves. I believe the gangam
(priest) had accused us of the robbery. We continued our march, rather
a forced one, to Noki. Far different was the night, and far different
our feelings, on the 23rd of last month! I was colder than charity,
and it rained very hard for more than two hours.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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