Kacunda Is Situated On The Western Bank Of The River, And At A Little Distance, It Has An Advantageous And Uncommonly Fine Appearance.

The only access to the town was by winding channels, that interspersed an unwholesome swamp, nearly two miles in breadth.

It was evening when they arrived there, and the people at first were alarmed at their appearance, but they were soon welcomed on shore by an old mahommedan priest, who speedily introduced them into an excellent and commodious hut, once the residence of a prince, but then the domicile of a schoolmaster.

Kacunda, properly speaking, consists of three or four villages, all of them considerably large, but unconnected, though situated within a very short distance of each other. It is the capital of a state or kingdom of the same name, which is quite independent of Nouffie, or any other foreign power. The only dress that the natives wear, is a piece of cotton cloth round the loins. The women wear small ear-rings of silver, but use no paint, nor do they bedaub their persons with any sort of pigment.

On the morning subsequently to their arrival, a large double bank canoe arrived at Kacunda, and they shortly found that the king's brother had come in her to pay them a visit. He was saluted on landing with a discharge from five old rusty muskets. A messenger was immediately despatched to the Landers, announcing that he was ready to see them. Their meeting was very cordial, and they shook hands heartily with him, and explained to him their business. He brought a goat as a present, and in return Richard Lander presented him with a pair of silver bracelets, but he did not appear to be much interested about them, or indeed to care at all for them, but looking round their room, he perceived several little things to which he took a fancy, and which being of no value whatever to them, were readily presented to him.

They had now become great friends, and he commenced giving them a dreadful account of the natives down the river, and advised them by no means to go amongst them, but return by the way they had come. He said to them with much emphasis, "If you go down the river, you will surely fall into their hands and be murdered." "Go we must," said Richard Lander, "if we live or die by it, and that also on the morrow." He was then asked if he would send a messenger with them, for that he might ensure their safety, coming from so powerful a person as the chief of Kacunda. But he replied directly, "No, if I were to do such a thing, the people at the next town would assuredly cut off his head;" but, he added, "if you will not be persuaded by me to turn back, and save your lives, at least you must not leave this by day light, but stop until the sun goes down, and then you may go on your journey, you will then pass the most dangerous town in the middle of the night, and perhaps save yourselves." He was asked, if the people of whom he spoke had muskets, or large canoes.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 482 of 587
Words from 253900 to 254442 of 309561