Journal of a second expedition into the interior of Africa, from the Bight of Benin to Soccatoo : $b To which is added, the journal of Richard Lander from Kano to the sea-coast, partly by a more eastern route.Clapperton, Hugh
History
Journal of a second expedition into the interior of Africa, from the Bight of Benin to Soccatoo : $b To which is added, the journal of Richard Lander from Kano to the sea-coast, partly by a more eastern route.
Clapperton, Hugh
Sudan (Region) -- Description and travel
had previously struggled hard to save a warrant officer; but finding
himself nearly exhausted, he was obliged to desist, and he perished.
They then dropped off, one after the other, until the bowman and
Clapperton were the only two remaining out of the whole boat’s crew.
The latter then made use of a common sea expression to the bowman,
“Thank God, I am not the Jonah!” meaning that he was not, by his bad
conduct in life, the cause of the Almighty visiting them with his
vengeance. The bowman seconded him in the exclamation, and they kept
cheering each other until the gale so far abated, that another boat was
got out and sent to their relief.
They then proceeded upon their voyage; and in March, 1810, Clapperton
joined his majesty’s ship Clorinde, where he received the greatest
attention from Captain Briggs during the time he was on board. In 1812,
when lying in Bombay harbour, he was joined by another messmate, the
Hon. F. Mackenzie, youngest son of the late Lord Seaforth, between
whom a most sincere friendship was contracted. Not long after this,
Mr. Mackenzie was attacked with a severe illness, on which occasion
Clapperton never left him, but nursed him as he would his own brother,
until he died; when he added a lock of his hair to his locket, which
contained that of his father and some friends. He returned to England
in the end of 1813, or beginning of 14; and he was then sent, with some
other intelligent midshipmen, to Portsmouth dock-yard, for the purpose
of being instructed in Angelo’s sword exercise, in which he afterwards
excelled. When these midshipmen were distributed to the different ships
in the fleet as drill-masters, Clapperton volunteered his services for
the Canadian lakes, and was sent on board Sir Alexander Cochrane’s
flag ship, the Asia. This ship continued at Spithead till the end of
January, 1814. During the passage to Bermudas, Clapperton’s services as
a drill were performed on the quarter-deck. On her arrival, he was sent
to Halifax, and from thence to the lakes, just then about to become
the scene of warlike operations. During his passage out and his stay
at Bermuda, nothing could exceed his diligence in the discharge of his
duty with the officers and men. At his own and the other mess-tables,
he was the soul and life of the party: he could sing a good song, tell
humorous tales, and his conversation was extremely amusing. He bade
adieu to all on board the Asia, and pursued his voyage to Halifax; from
that to Upper Canada.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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