Hearing That The Governor Had Sent The Travellers A Bullock, And Something Besides, He Presented Richard Lander With A Similar One, And A Large Calabash Of Pitto (Country Beer,) Which Lander Distributed Amongst Those Who Had Accompanied Him.

A bottle of honey completed the list of presents, and they were forthwith forwarded to their habitation, but Richard Lander remained a considerable time afterwards with the chief.

He was filled with amazement at the formation and ticking of Lander's watch, which he gazed on and listened to with transport. The spurs which he wore, also excited his eager curiosity, and he examined them with the greatest attention. He hoped, he said, that God would bless them both, and that they had his best wishes for their safety. He remarked further, that white men worshipped the great God alone, and so did black men also, and that every blessing of life was derived from that source.

On the return of Richard, he found his brother extremely ill, he had been so faint and sick during his absence, that his recovery seemed doubtful, but in a few hours afterwards he became better. In the afternoon they sent to the governor and the minister, who had behaved so handsomely to them, three yards of fine red cloth, a common looking-glass, tobacco pipe, a pair of scissors, snuffbox, and a large clasp knife. The tobacco pipe was much admired, but the red cloth was the most valued; with the whole, however, they were both perfectly well pleased, and were extravagant in their expressions of gratitude.

One of the bullocks was slaughtered this morning, and about two thirds of it distributed by the governor and his chief man to the poor in the town; the remainder of the carcass was divided equally amongst the attendants of the travellers, who appeared by no means anxious to leave the place, while their present, unusually good fare, was to be had.

John Lander was now so far recovered as to excite a hope that they might be able to proceed on their journey, on the following day. His recovery was, however, considerably retarded by the continual noises to which he was subject. Perhaps, of all evils that can afflict a sick person, noises of any kind are the greatest. In Africa, whether a person be ill or well, it is exactly the same, nothing like peace or quiet is any where to be found; independently of the continual fluttering of pigeons, which roosted close to their ears, the bleating of sheep and goats, and the barking of numerous half-starved dogs, they were still more seriously annoyed by the incessant clatter of women's tongues, which pursued them every where, and which it was believed nothing less than sickness or death on their part could eventually silence. The shrillness of their voices drowns the bleating of the sheep, and the yellings of the canine race; and notwithstanding all the exertions of Richard Lander, seconded by those of their attendants, their noise in this town considerably retarded the recovery of his brother.

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