Narrative of the Niger, Tshadda, and Binue Exploration Volume . 1; Including a Report on the Position and Prospects of Trade Up Those Rivers, with Remarks on the Malaria and Fevers of Western Africa

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 Excerpt: ...aspect of the country all through; and we found the city to be on the top of a hill, the front of which was all garnished in the granite rocks, and up whose rough road would have been no easy access, but that we were met about a mile outside Hamarrua by a reinforcement of two horses, which clambered across the rocky roadway with agility and security. We fired a few pistol-shots before getting inside the walls, to announce our coming, and were con ducted through the streets by a single file of javelinarmed men--some before, and some behind our horses---past the king's palace to the residence of his head trading man, Saraki Houssa, who had accompanied us from the ship, having come down with Rev. Mr. Crowther and Richards this morning. It was nearly dark when we reached his house; and, as we were all tired with our fifteen miles' journey, very little observation could be taken of the city, save to see that it was a most extensive place--more so than Zhibu; the houses more substantial, gardens attached to each of them, and huge baobab-trees rearing their lofty branches in the many spaces that existed throughout. Directly we had been seated in the apartment assigned to us for the night, the sultan sent his compliments and salutations, with the expression of his pleasure at our visit to his town. With this an extensive supper was brought, very welcome to us after our journey. " Take a drink, Dotta," said Ali Hare to me, handing over a calabash, in which was a white liquid whose fragrant smell at once revealed to me what it was. " What--milk l Ali Hare?" I said, inquiringly. "Yes l" he replied; "he be bullock's milk for thrue I" and the comical simplicity of his answer for a momerit put us all into ...