Narrative of an exploring voyage up the rivers Kwóra and Bínue (commonly known as the Niger and Tsádda) in 1854 / by William Balfour Baikie.

  • Baikie, William Balfour, 1825-1864.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Narrative of an exploring voyage up the rivers Kwóra and Bínue (commonly known as the Niger and Tsádda) in 1854 / by William Balfour Baikie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    right ahead of us. The pilot wished to pass to the westward, but before the master could make up his mind which course to follow, the “ Pleiad ” was allowed to run right stem on. The mate ran to get a hedge earned out at once, but was ordered not to hurry himself, although we were still within the influence of the tides, and it was just about the top of high water. Some feeble and badly planned efforts were made to get off during the early part of the afternoon, but, as might have been anticipated, they were ineffectual. Mr. May and I went in the gig and measured by triangulation the breadth of the river, which does not exceed 200 yards. Next morning I expected that by daylight at the furthest, fresh exertions would be made to float, but the master did not make his appearance on deck till after seven. I asked him what he intended doing, and on being answered that he did not approve of working on Sunday, or, as he called it, Sabbath, remonstrated with him in strong terms. This roused him a little, and he gave some fresh orders. About ten o’clock, almost entirely by the energy and skill of the chief mate, we were once more afloat, but by the master’s direction we dropped a little way down and anchored close to the bush, and in this unhealthy spot ^ we remained until next morning. The islet on which we stuck, was, we found, “ Sunday Island very appropriately named. Immediately above it on the western side is a small creek, by which canoes come from Wari.