The Dooty Asked Park,
Through Amadi, "Whether The White Men Intended To Return To That Place?"
Park Answered That "He Could Not Return Any More." The Dooty Acted In A
Covetous And Dishonourable Manner, Keeping Back The King's Present, And
Retaining It For His Own Use.
Amadi's narrative proves that this actually
caused Park's murder.
After the schooner had gone on her way, Amadi slept
on shore, and then went to do homage to the king. When he entered the
king's residence, he found that the treacherous Dooty had already sent
two messengers to the court, to say that the white men had passed down
the river without giving any thing either to the Dooty or to the king,
and that Amadi was in league with them. The guide was immediately thrown
into prison. The king then dispatched an armed band to attack Park as he
passed the town of Boussa; a place peculiarly fitted for the murderous
deed, as there a ridge of rock almost entirely blocks up the river,
leaving only one channel, which Lander, who saw the spot, describes as
"not more than a stone-cast across." Upon this rock the king's force was
stationed. No sooner did Park and his companions attempt to pass this
point, than they were received with a shower of stones, lances, pikes,
and arrows. They defended themselves bravely, in spite of the
overwhelming numbers opposed to them. At length their efforts became
feebler, for they were soon exhausted. Two of the slaves at the stern of
the canoe were killed; nevertheless they threw every thing in the canoe
into the river, and kept firing. But as the canoe could no longer be kept
up against the current, they endeavoured to escape by swimming; Park took
hold of one of the white men and jumped into the river; Lieutenant Martyn
did the same, and they were all drowned in their attempt to reach the
land. The natives still discharged missiles at the remaining black in the
canoe; but he cried out for mercy, saying, "Stop throwing now, you see
nothing in the canoe, and nobody but myself, therefore cease. Take me and
the canoe, but don't kill me." He was accordingly carried, with the
canoe, to the king. Amadi Fatouma was detained in irons three months, at
the expiry of which period he learned these facts from the slave.
As a proof of the truth of this narrative, Isaaco brought with him the
only relic of Park which he was able to procure - a sword-belt, which the
king of Yaour had converted into a girth for his horse. This he obtained
through the instrumentality of a Poule, who bribed one of the king's
female slaves to steal it for him.
When Isaaco's narrative first reached this country, many of its
statements were thought to be unwarranted by facts; but his veracity has
been fully proved by the researches of subsequent travellers. The
accuracy of his account of the spot where the melancholy catastrophe took
place is acknowledged by Captain Clapperton, who, in 1826, visited
Boussa.
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