The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-08-08
EXTRACTS FROM LANDER,S JOURNAL
OF AN EXPEDITION IN AFRICA.

Boossh, June Is. This morning we visited
y The lar-iamed Niger or Quorra, which flows by
'he city about mile from our residence, and
!; were greatly disappointed at the appearance ri
? 'hls celebrated river. Black, rugged rocks rose
ABRUPTLY from the centre of the stream, caus-
ing strong ripples and eddies lis surface. II
IS SAID that few miles above 3oossa, the river
, divided INTO three or four branches, by two
shah fertile islands. and that il flows hence in
one continued stream to Funda. The Niger
mere ID It's widest part, is moi more than a
s'"ne throw across at present. The rock on
m"i'h we sat orerlooks the spot where Mr..
ARK ana MS associates met their unhappy fate ::
we could not help meditating on that circum
stance, ahG on the numLer Of valuable lives
: "i''ch nave been sacrificed in attempting TO ex.
ploTe this river, and secretly imolored The All.
mighty that we might be the humble means
OF setting at rest for ever the great question of
lis source and termination.
boossA, June " Our hostess is an agreea-
ole ana good natures. woman, but she is exces
sVeIy vain ofhe pe5Ay; so mnch SO. indeed.
mat she employs several hours in the day in
dressing her hair, which hangs down below the
lace In three plated queues, one of them from
i .he 'oreheau' ana one from each side Of the
head after which she afhxes ornaments on dit.
ierent parts Of her body, stains her lips and
teeth shining red color with honnah Ia species
OF myrtle j and when all this is done, she adj
mires herself in broken looking glass which
we have given her. This is the most whimsi.
cal and diveiting part ofthc ceremony she ap
/ proaches the glass and retreats from it again.
smiles when she fancies she looks pretty. and
disIorts her features, aid throws her body into
| all manner OF comical attitudes, to ascertain
which is the most engaging.
| About mid day we embarked from Kakooie.
and proceeded some distance down the stream
Tor The purpose o. getting into the branch of
The Niger, where there is deeper water This
object vas soon attained, and we found il flow.
/ ing from north 10 south, through a rich and
charming country, which seemed TO improve in
appearance The further we advanced Wewere
| propelled at good rate up channel which
from halt mile in breadth gradually widened
to rather better than mile. Beautiful spread
| ing and spiry trees adorned the country on each
SIDE OF the river, like park corn, neurly ripe,
waved over The waters edge large open vii
! lagos appeared every half hour; and he.ds of
spotted cattle were observed grazing and en-
Joylng the cool of the shade. The appearance
Of the river, for several miles, was no less en-
chanting than IFS borders: il was as smooth as
lake; canoes, laden with sheep and goats
we're padded by women down the almost i'm.
perceFtible current; and a variety Of AQUATIC
: birds, we!e sporting over lis CLASSY surface.
which was ornamented by number of protty
Islands
The river gradually widened TO two miles.
and continued so as far as The eye can reach
1t looked very much like an artificial canal :;
the banks having the appearance of dwarf
wall, with vegetatioH beyond In most places
the water was extremely shallow, but in athers
1t was deep enough to float frigates During
the two first hours of the day the scenery was
as interesting and picturesque as can be mag
ned. The banks were literally covered with
ham!ets and villages; fine trees, bending under
the weight OF their dark and impenetrabe foli-
age, every where relieved the eve from The
glare o! The sun rays, and contrasted with the
lively verdure of the little hills and plains, pro-
duced the most pleasing effect. Afterwards
however, there was a decided chance the
banks, which before consisted Of dark EARTH
clay, or sand, were composed of black
rugged rocks, large sand banks and islands were
scattered in the river, which diverted it into
variety of little channels, and effectually de-
stroyed its appearance. s
AT Jenna 1t is the custom, when governor
dies, for Two Of his iavorite wives to quit the
world on the same day, in order THAT he may
have little pleasant. social company in iu-
ture state; but the late governors wives had
no ambition or inclination to follow their ven
cradle husband to the grave, and went and hid
themselves before the funeral ceremonies were
performed, and have remained concealed ever
since with the remainder of his women. To-
day, however, one of these uniortunates-she
10 whom the house belongs--was discovered in
her hidden place, at the present governors, and
the alternative of poisoned chace, or To have
he: head broken by the club Of the fetish.
priests, was offered hes; she has chosen the
! former mode of dying, as being the less terri.
!, BILE Of the two, and has come TO spend her last
hours in the society Of her faithful slaves
i These address their mistress BY the endearinp
name of mother. Poor creatures as soon as
they learnt her misfortune, they dropped their
spinning; the grinding of corn was also relin-
pushed; their sheep, goats, and poultry were
suffered to roam al large without restraint and
they abandon themselves 10 the most excessive
and most poignant grief; but now the arrival
OF their mistress has added. if possible, to their
I affection. There is moi to be found in the
world, perhaps, an object more truly sorrowfnl
( than a detenceless woman in tears !; and on
such an occasion as this. il may easily be con.
ceived the distress is more peculiarly cutting.
| A heart that could not be touched at a scene of
this nature must be unfeeling indeed Females
have been coming all day to condole with the
old lady, and TO weep with her, so that we have
heard and seen nothing but so5bing from morn
ing I'LL the setting Of the sun The principal
males in the town have likewise been here to
pay their last respects 10 their mistress and so
has the grave-digger, who has jus, risen from
prostratins himself on the ground before her.
Notwithstanding the representations and re
monstrances of the priest, and the prayers of
the venerable victim to her gods Cor fortithde
to undergo the dreadful ordeal, her resolation
has forsaken her more than once. She has ems
tered our yard twice to expire in the arms OF
her women, and twice has she laid aside the ia
ta poison, in order to take another walk and
gaze once more on the spleRdor Of the sun and
the glory of the heavens, for she cannot bear
the idea of losing hit of them for ever. She
Is still restless and uneasy, and would gladly
run away from Death if she burst, for that i'm.
agnary being appears 10 her in more terrible
light than our pictures represent him, with his
shadowy form and fatal dart. Die she must
to life till the very last moment. Meanwhile
her grave is preparing, and preparations are
making for n wake at her funeral. She is &c
be buried here IN one of her own huts the mo-
ment after the spirit has quilted the body
which will be ascertained by striking the
ground near which it may be lying at the time
when il no motion or struggle ensues the ole
woman will be considered as dead The poison
used by the natives on this occasion destroy,
life il is said, in Is minutes.
I Al no great distance fran this place, (Garni
cassa) aud within sight of it, all the branches
of the Niger meet and form a beautiful ant
magnificent body of water, at least seven o.
I eight miles in width aud it is truly astonish
ing what becomes of il, for at Boossa, the rive
is no moro Than a stones throw across, and il
depth is in proportion TO its narrowness Blu
about an hours walk from thence, it again be