Narrative of Travels and Discoveries in Northern and Central Africa: In the Years 1822, 1823, and 1824

Front Cover
Cummings, Hilliard & Company, 1826 - Africa, Central - 471 pages
 

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 104 - ... when, under my hand, as the branch yielded to the weight of my body, a large liffa, the worst kind of serpent this country produces, rose from its coil, as if in the very act of striking. I was horror-struck, and deprived, for a moment, of all recollection — the branch slipped from my hand, and I tumbled headlong into the water beneath : this shock, however, revived me : and, with three strokes of my arms, I reached the opposite bank, which, with difficulty, I climbed up, and then, for the...
Page 49 - ... heads, without checking the speed of their own until the moment of their halt, while the whole body moved onwards. These parties were mounted on small but very perfect horses, who stopped, and wheeled from their utmost speed with great precision and expertness, shaking their spears over their heads, exclaiming 'Barca! barca! Alia hiakkum cha, alia cheraga! — Blessing! blessing! Sons of your country!
Page 22 - Kahtan,t out of Arabia, to the western coast between Egypt and Abyssinia. From that spot they advanced into the interior of Africa, till they reached Yarba, where they fixed their residence.
Page 63 - Gumsoo, the principal Arab of the city, to whom I had a letter of introduction from Hat Salah at Kano. The sultan was sitting in the same apartment in which he received me in the morning. I now laid before him a present, in the name of His Majesty the King of England, consisting of two new blunderbusses highly ornamented with silver, the double-barrelled pistols, pocket-compass, and embroidered jacket of the late Dr.
Page 69 - ... season, boats could only pass at a certain point. He told me that some timbers of the boat, fastened together with nails, remained a long time on the rocks; and that a double-barrelled gun, taken in the boat, was once in his possession ; but it had lately burst. His cousin, Abderachman, however, had a small printed book, taken out of the boat ; but he was now absent on an expedition to Nyffee. The other books were in the hands of the sultan of Youri, who was tributary to him. I told the sultan,...
Page 68 - By his account the river ran parallel to the sea coast for several days' journey, being in some places only a few hours', in others a day's journey, distant from it. Two or three years ago the sea, he said, closed up the mouth of the river, and its mouth was at present a day or two farther south; but, during the rains, when the river was high, it still ran into the sea by the old channel. He asked me if the King of England would send him a consul and a physician, to reside in Soudan, and merchants...
Page 8 - Our camels did not come up until it was quite dark, and we bivouacked in the midst of these unearthed remains of the victims of persecution and avarice, after a long day's journey of twenty-six miles, in the course of which, one of our party counted 107 of these skeletons.
Page 81 - I may here add, that the capital punishments inflicted in Soudan are beheading, impaling, and crucifixion ; the first being reserved for Mahometans, and the other two practised on Pagans. I was told, as a matter of curiosity, that wretches on the cross generally linger three days, before death puts an end to their sufferings.
Page 54 - ... drawing water. I asked several times for a gourd of water, by way of excuse to enter into conversation with them. Bending gracefully on one knee, and displaying at the same time teeth of pearly whiteness, and eyes of the blackest lustre, they presented it to me on horseback, and appeared highly delighted when I thanked them for their civility ; remarking to one another, ' Did you hear the white man thank me ?' " After having passed through Kano, Captain Clapperton proceeded towards Sackatoo.
Page 79 - No, my lord gadado. I consider books of dreams to be full of idle conceits. God gives a man wisdom to guide his conduct, while dreams are occasioned by the accidental circumstances of sleeping with the head low, excess of food, or uneasiness of mind.

Bibliographic information