Travels in the Interior of Africa — Volume 02 — John Shaqi
Travels in the Interior of Africa — Volume 02Park, Mungo
History
Travels in the Interior of Africa — Volume 02
Park, Mungo
Africa -- Discovery and exploration; Niger River
While I was conversing with the dooty, and remonstrating against the
guide for having left me in such a situation, I heard a horse neigh in
one of the huts; and the dooty inquired with a smile if I knew who was
speaking to me. He explained himself by telling me that my horse was
still alive, and somewhat recovered from his fatigue; but he insisted
that I should take him along with me, adding that he had once kept a
Moor’s horse for four months, and when the horse had recovered and got
into good condition, the Moor returned and claimed it, and refused to
give him any reward for his trouble.
_August_ 1.—I departed from Modiboo, driving my horse before me, and in
the afternoon reached Nyamee; where I remained three days, during which
time it rained without intermission, and with such violence that no
person could venture out of doors.
_August_ 5.—I departed from Nyamee; but the country was so deluged that I
was frequently in danger of losing the road, and had to wade across the
savannas for miles together, knee-deep in water. Even the corn ground,
which is the driest land in the country, was so completely flooded that
my horse twice stuck fast in the mud, and was not got out without the
greatest difficulty.
In the evening of the same day I arrived at Nyara, where I was well
received by the dooty; and as the 6th was rainy I did not depart until
the morning of the 7th; but the water had swelled to such a height, that
in many places the road was scarcely passable, and though I waded
breast-deep across the swamps I could only reach a small village called
Nemaboo, where however, for a hundred kowries, I procured from some
Foulahs plenty of corn for my horse and milk for myself.
_August_ 8.—The difficulties I had experienced the day before made me
anxious to engage a fellow-traveller, particularly as I was assured that,
in the course of a few days, the country would be so completely
overflowed as to render the road utterly impassable; but though I offered
two hundred kowries for a guide, nobody would accompany me. However, on
the morning following, August 9th, a Moor and his wife, riding upon two
bullocks, and bound for Sego with salt, passed the village, and agreed to
take me along with them; but I found them of little service, for they
were wholly unacquainted with the road, and being accustomed to a sandy
soil, were very bad travellers. Instead of wading before the bullocks to
feel if the ground was solid, the woman boldly entered the first swamp,
riding upon the top of the load; but when she had proceeded about two
hundred yards the bullock sunk into a hole, and threw both the load and
herself among the reeds. The frightened husband stood for some time
seemingly petrified with horror, and suffered his wife to be almost
drowned before he went to her assistance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account