Rain Fell During The Whole Night, And As The
Soldiers Went To The Village For Shelter, Park Had To Keep
Watch alone.
The district abounded in corn, which rendered the task very troublesome,
for there is a law in Africa,
That if an ass break a single stem of corn,
the proprietor may seize the animal, and if the owner refuse to indemnify
him for the loss, he may retain the ass, and though he cannot be sold or
employed, he may be killed and eaten - the people of Bambarra reckoning
ass-flesh a delightful repast.
On the 19th August, they kept ascending the mountains to the south of
Touiba till three o'clock, when, having gained the summit of the ridge
which separates the Niger from the remote branches of the Senegal, Park
went on a little before, and, coming to the brow of the hill, he once
more saw the Niger, rolling its immense stream along the plain. At
half-past six o'clock that evening, they arrived at Bambakoo, where the
river becomes navigable, and pitched their tents under a tree near the
town.
CHAPTER XXX.
_Park on the Niger - His Death and Character_.
Park now reached the Niger, the point at which he had too fondly hoped
that all his difficulties would be at an end. He had conceived that, once
afloat upon its waters, he would be swiftly borne onwards towards the
termination of its course. But disaster had attended the enterprise
almost from its commencement; unexpected and formidable difficulties had
caused these flattering prospects to vanish as a dream. On the 29th May,
he had expected to reach the Niger in a month; there had since then
passed away eleven weeks of unparalleled hardship; the deadly influence
of climate, aggravated by the horrors of the rainy season, had caused the
greater part of his little band to fall, one after another, around him;
the few survivors were so wasted by sickness that, instead of proving an
assistance, they only added to his cares and anxieties. No wonder, then,
that the joy inspired by the sight of the Niger was transient, and that
fearful forebodings hanging upon his spirit should make him thus
write: - "After the fatiguing march, which we had experienced, the sight
of this river was no doubt pleasant, as it promised an end to, or, at
least, an alleviation of our toils. But, when I reflected, that
three-fourths of the soldiers had died on the march, and that, in
addition to our weakly state, we had no carpenters to build the boats in
which we proposed to prosecute our discoveries, the prospect appeared
somewhat gloomy." On the 22d August, Park hired a canoe to convey the
baggage to Maraboo, and himself embarked in it, along with Anderson.
Several rapids intervened, but the river was navigable over them, being
much swollen, by the rains. The Niger was here an English mile in
breadth, and at the rapids was spread to nearly two miles. They were
carried along, at the rate of five miles an hour, and on the following
day, arrived in safety at Maraboo.
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