Having Expressed Their Intention Of Continuing Their Journey, The Elders Of The Town Remonstrated With Them, That It Would Be Highly Dangerous To Go By Themselves, And Endeavoured To Persuade Them To Alter The Arrangement For Their Own Sakes.

They promised to procure them a convoy of traders, if they would consent to wait three days longer, which was to leave Egga at the end of that time to attend a famous market called Bocqua.

When they sent word to the chief that they intended departing on the following day, he begged of them to remain a few days longer, declaring the banks of the river to be inhabited by people, who were little better than savages, and plundered every one that came near them. He was then asked, if he would send a messenger with them, but he refused, saying, that the Fellata power and his own extended no further down the river; that Egga was the last town of Nouffie, and that none of his people traded below it. "If that be the case," said Richard Lander, "it will be as safe for us to go to-morrow as any other day," and with this determination he left him.

He then proceeded to give directions for his people to prepare themselves for starting, when to the great astonishment of himself and his brother, Pascoe and the mulatto Ibrahim were the only two who agreed to go, the rest of them refusing to a man. Richard said all he could to them to change their determination; he talked to them half an hour, telling them they were cowards, and that his life and that of his brother were as good as theirs, but he could not make the slightest impression upon them, and therefore told them to go out of his sight, and that they would do without them. Partly, however, by threats, and partly by bribes, the men agreed to accompany them, although the impression could not be effaced from their minds, that they were going where they should be murdered, or at least sold as slaves.

At length every thing being in readiness, they bade farewell to the old chief, and several of the principal inhabitants came hurrying down to the waterside to take their leave, to give them their blessing, and to wish them a successful voyage. The men at first paddled sluggishly, and the canoe went slowly through the water, for which reason they were two hours before they reached the middle of the river. A few miles from the town, they saw with emotions of pleasure a seagull, which flew over their heads, which to them was a most gratifying sight, for it reminded them forcibly of the object which they had in view, and they fondly allowed it to confirm their hopes, that they were drawing very near their journey's end.

For many miles they could see nothing but large, open, well-built villages on both banks of the river, but more especially on the eastern, yet they touched at none of these goodly places, but continued their journey till the sun began to decline, when they stopped at a small hamlet on an island, with the intention of sleeping there, cut the inhabitants mistrusted their intentions, and were alarmed at their appearance; they would not even grant them an accommodation for the night, although they assured them, that the most homely, the most shattered hut would answer their purpose; fearing, however, that they might enforce their request, they did all they could to induce them to proceed onwards a little further, when they would arrive at a city of considerable importance called Kacunda, where plenty of provisions could be obtained, and where the inhabitants would pay the greatest attention to them.

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