The feelings of the natives and of the king seemed to have undergone a most unfavourable change towards the travellers. The Africans entertained some vague suspicion, that the King of England, in sending the white men to their country, had some sinister object in view. A letter had reached the sultan from Bornou, intimating, that in sending missions to Africa, the English were acting in the same manner as they had done, in order to subdue the Indian princes, and even advising that Clapperton should be put to death. Bello evidently put some faith in this ridiculous assertion. He seized Clapperton's baggage, under the pretence that he was conveying arms and warlike stores to the sultan of Bornou, and ordered Lord Bathurst's letter to that prince to be given up to him. Clapperton's remonstrances against this unfair treatment were vain; grief preyed upon his ardent spirit, and though the sultan, some time afterwards began to treat him more favourably, this returning kindness came too late. He was attacked with dysentery, brought on by a cold, caught by lying down under a tree on soft and wet ground, when fatigued and heated with walking. "Twenty days," says Lander, "my poor master continued in a low and distressed state. His body, from being robust and vigorous, became weak and emaciated, and indeed was little better than a skeleton." Towards the beginning of April, his malady increased in violence. His sleep was short and disturbed, broken by frightful dreams. One day he called Lander to his bedside, and said, "Richard, I shall shortly be no more,—I feel myself dying." Almost choked with grief, Lander replied, "God forbid, my dear master,—you will live many years yet." "Do not be so much affected, my dear boy, I entreat you," said he; "it is the will of the Almighty, and cannot be helped." Lander promised strict attention to his directions concerning his papers and property. "He then," says Lander, "took my hand within his, and looking me full in the face, while a tear stood glistening in his eye, said in a low but deeply affecting tone; 'My dear Richard, if you had not been with me I should have died long ago; I can only thank you with my latest breath for your kindness and attachment to me; and if I could have lived to return with you, you should have been placed beyond the reach of want; but God will reward you.'"
He lingered a few days, and even seemed to rally a little. But on the morning of the 13th April, Lander was alarmed by hearing a peculiar rattling sound in his throat. He called out "Richard," in a low and hurried tone. Lander hastened to his side, and found him sitting upright, and staring wildly around. He clasped his master in his arms, and felt his heart palpitating violently; he leant his head upon his shoulder to catch his last words, but only "some indistinct expressions quivered on his lips, and as he vainly strove to give them utterance, his heart ceased to vibrate, and his eyes closed for ever." Bello permitted Lander to bury the body near a village about five miles from the town. The grave was dug by two slaves, and Lander, having saddled his camel, placed the body upon it, covered it with the British flag, and having reached the grave, read over it the funeral service of the Church of England, "showers of tears" falling from his eyes upon the book. He then gave the natives a sum of money to erect a shed over the spot, to preserve it from the wild beasts.
Lander returned in sadness from the grave of that master to whom he was so justly attached. Bello allowed him to depart, and he resolved to make his way to the coast by the negro countries. In spite of the limited nature of his resources, he even attempted the solution of the great problem of the Niger's termination. He proceeded to Kano, and struck off to the eastward of his former route, passing on his way several towns, the inhabitants of which all treated him kindly. He travelled through the beautiful plain of Cuttup, which contains five hundred little villages, situated near to each other, and surrounded by groves of trees, among which towered the plantain, the palm, and the cocoa-nut. The sun shone brightly upon the numerous hamlets; the oxen, cows, and sheep, presented a picture of comfort and peace; and the air was filled with the song of birds. Thence he proceeded to Dunrora, and conceived that a few days farther journey would enable him to attain his object, when four armed men, mounted on foaming steeds, dashed into the town, and ordered him immediately to return to the king of Zeg-Zeg. He was obliged to journey back by his former route. After being exposed to various dangers from the enmity of the Portuguese slave-traders on the coast, he embarked on the 13th February, and reached England on the 30th April 1828.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Laing and Caillie.
At the same time that Clapperton undertook his second journey, Major Laing, who had on a former excursion penetrated a little way into the interior, attempted to reach Tombuctoo, from Tripoli, across the desert, by Ghadamis. In the midst of the desert, the party with whom he travelled was attacked during the night by a formidable band of Tuaricks; and Laing, having received twenty-four wounds, was left for dead. He afterwards recovered by the care of his companions, though several splinters of bone were extracted from his head. Undismayed by this unpropitious accident, he after a short delay resumed his journey, and reached Tombuctoo on the 18th August, 1826. There he resided for a month, during which several letters from him reached England. He described the city as every way equal, except in size, to his expectation. It was not above four miles in circumference. During his short residence, he had collected much valuable information concerning the geography of Central Africa. He was obliged to depart in consequence of instructions reaching the governor of the city that the Christian must instantly remove. He accordingly engaged a merchant, called Barbooshi, to guide him to the coast. Before he had advanced three days journey from Tombuctoo, the treacherous Moor murdered him at night, and seized his baggage and journal. His papers were reported to have been carried to Tripoli; but they have never since been recovered.
[Illustration: Burial of Clapperian.]
[Illustration: Body Guard, of the Sheik, of Bornoiu.]
The next traveller was a Frenchman, M. Caillie, who, after having previously resided some years at Senegal, returned to Africa in 1824. Disguised as a Mahomedan, he departed for the interior on the 19th of April, 1827, and arrived at Tangier in safety in the following August. His countrymen rewarded him with a pension and the cross of the legion of honour, and claimed for him a high place among distinguished travellers. Doubts have been thrown upon the authenticity of his narrative, some having gone so far as to say that the greater part of it is a fabrication. Many errors have been detected in it, particularly with regard to the observation of the heavenly bodies; but this may have arisen from ignorance. It is now generally agreed that his account is entitled to consideration; especially as in the present state of our knowledge concerning Africa there is not sufficient ground to disprove it. At all events, his want of education and defective observation prevent him from laying any claims to accuracy.
M. Caillie travelled along with a caravan of Mandingoes through a steep and rocky district, diversified however, at intervals, with picturesque views, and in many places in a state of comparative cultivation. At the village of Couroussa he first saw the Niger, which was already about ten feet deep. He remained a month at Kankan, which contains about 6000 inhabitants, and has a well-supplied market. To the north of it lies the district of Boure, which abounds in gold. He then came to Time, the country around which is fertile, producing many different species of fruits and vegetables. M. Caillie was here detained by illness for five months. After which he accompanied a caravan for Jenne; and on the 10th March crossed the Niger, which appeared to be about 500 feet broad at that point. On the 23rd March he embarked on the Joliba, in a slight-built vessel, fastened together by cords, and of about 60 tons burden. On the 2nd April they came to the place where the river widens into the great lake Dibbe. They then passed through a country thinly peopled by Foulah herdsmen, and bands of roving Tuaricks. In a few days he came to Cabra, the port of Tombuctoo, which consists of a long row of clay huts, thatched with straw. It contains about 1200 inhabitants, who are solely employed in conveying merchandize from the vessels to Tombuctoo.