While He Was Speaking, My Horse Started, And
Looking Round, I Observed A Large Animal Of The Camelopard Kind
Standing At A Little Distance.
The neck and fore-legs were very
long; the head was furnished with two short black horns, turning
backwards; the tail, which reached down to the ham joint, had a tuft
of hair at the end.
The animal was of a mouse colour, and it
trotted away from us in a very sluggish manner - moving its head from
side to side, to see if we were pursuing it. Shortly after this, as
we were crossing a large open plain, where there were a few
scattered bushes, my guide, who was a little way before me, wheeled
his horse round in a moment, calling out something in the Foulah
language which I did not understand. I inquired in Mandingo what he
meant; "Wara billi billi!" ("A very large lion!") said he, and made
signs for me to ride away. But my horse was too much fatigued; so
we rode slowly past the bush from which the animal had given us the
alarm. Not seeing anything myself, however, I thought my guide had
been mistaken, when the Foulah suddenly put his hand to his mouth,
exclaiming, "Soubah an allahi!" ("God preserve us!") and, to my
great surprise, I then perceived a large red lion, at a short
distance from the bush, with his head couched between his forepaws.
I expected he would instantly spring upon me, and instinctively
pulled my feet from my stirrups to throw myself on the ground, that
my horse might become the victim rather than myself. But it is
probable the lion was not hungry; for he quietly suffered us to
pass, though we were fairly within his reach. My eyes were so
riveted upon this sovereign of the beasts that I found it impossible
to remove them until we were at a considerable distance. We now
took a circuitous route through some swampy ground, to avoid any
more of these disagreeable encounters. At sunset we arrived at
Modiboo - a delightful village on the banks of the Niger, commanding
a view of the river for many miles both to the east and west. The
small green islands (the peaceful retreat of some industrious
Foulahs, whose cattle are here secure from the depredations of wild
beasts) and the majestic breadth of the river, which is here much
larger than at Sego, render the situation one of the most enchanting
in the world. Here are caught great plenty of fish, by means of
long cotton nets, which the natives make themselves, and use nearly
in the same manner as nets are used in Europe. I observed the head
of a crocodile lying upon one of the houses, which they told me had
been killed by the shepherds in a swamp near the town. These
animals are not uncommon in the Niger, but I believe they are not
oftentimes found dangerous. They are of little account to the
traveller when compared with the amazing swarms of mosquitoes, which
rise from the swamps and creeks in such numbers as to harass even
the most torpid of the natives; and as my clothes were now almost
worn to rags, I was but ill prepared to resist their attacks.
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