Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-07-20

gavolD rotd. tCGfer ctehhQnf, did not Kill them
the crocod,les certainly would do SO before the
morning, and thought afterward, that we nigh
have been carried off, like the Cumbrie people or
the island near Yaeorie, If we had tried the expe
riment. Our canoe is only large enough to hold
us all when sitting so that we have no chance oil
! living down. Had we been able to muster up
| thirty thousand cowries at Rabba, we might have
purchased one which would have carried US all
very comfortably. A canoe of this sort would
| have served US for living in entirely, we should
have had no occasion to land excepting to obtain
our provisions, and having performed our days
journey, might have anchored iearlessly at night.
Finding we could not induce our people to laud,
we agreed to continue ON all night. The eastern
horizon became very dark, and the lightning
more and more vivid, indeed, we never recOllect
having seen such strong forked lightning before
in ovr lives. All this denoted the approach of a
storm. At eleven p. NJ. it blew somewhat strong
er than gale and at midnight the storm was at
its height. The wind was so furious, that 1t
swept the water over the sides Of the canoe seve-
raj times, SO that she was in danger OF h'iing-
Driven about by the wind our lrall little bark be-
came manageable; but at length we got near a
bank, which in some measure protected us, aud
we were fortunate enough to lay hold OF thorDy
tree, against which we were driven; aud which
was growing nearly in the centre OF the stream.
We fastened the canoe to its branches, and wrap.
ping our cl0aks round our persons, tor we felt
ovevpOwered with fatigue, and with our legs dang
ling half over the sides OF the little vessel into the
water, which for want of room we were compel
led to do, we lay down to sleep. There Is some
thing, believe, in the nature OF a tempest, which
is favorable TO slumber, at least so thought my
brother; for though the thunder continued to roar
and the wind to rage,-,hough the rain beat IN
our faces, and our canoe lay rocking like era
die. silt he slept soundly.
The wind kept blowing hard from the eastward
till after midnight, when it became calm. The
rain then descended in torrents, accompanied
with thunder and lightning of the most awful de-
scription. We lay in our canoe drenched with
ram, and our little vessel was filling so fast, that
two people were obliged to be constantly ba,ing
out the water to keep her alloat. The water Gle
plants, as the natives term the hippopotami, fire.
quently came snorting near US, but fortunately
did NOT touch our canoe.
The rain continued until in the morning of
the 18th, when it became clear, and we saw the
stars sparkling like gems over our heads. There
fore, we again proceeded on our journey down
the river, there being sufficient light for US to
see our way, and two hours after, we put into a
small, insignificant ilshinS village, called Dacah-
ME, where we landed very gladly. Before we
arrived at this island, we had passed great ma
nv native towns and villages, but in consequence
of the early hour at which we were travelling,
we considered it would be imprudent to stop at
any of them, as none of the natives were out OF
their huts. Had we landed earlier even near
one Of these towns, we might have alarmed the
inhabitants, and been taken for a party Of rob-
bers, or, as they are called in the country, ia
cailees. They would have taken up arms against
US. and we might have lost our lives; so that for
our own safety we continued down the river, al
though we had a great desire to go on shore.
In the course Of the day and night, we travelled
according to our own estimation. a distance little
short Of a hundred miles. Our course was near
ly east The Niger in many places, and for a
considerable way, presented very magnificent
appearance, aud we believed it TO have been
nearly eight miles in width