Volume 2

A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen / edited by Robert Chambers.

Date:
1854-1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen / edited by Robert Chambers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    into the interior nas commenced on the 7th of ^ ;Xti I ta™.cc, Wle 1.0 , ,oce.<led by l.io.self to Soccaloo Tl.is part.og ..^ ' ;' »«bcU„gl} detclbod by Ho Loodeo. ' having been prenously nuade, my master came to 'f final instructions relative to proceeding to Bornou and \n death or of any unforeseen .accident that might befaU him. On th.s ea!!h o-ved. Our little party had left their n.ativo comitry full of hope .and enteiinasiiig spirit, and ive had seen thein sicken and die b> our sides without being in a condition to mitigate their sufterin^. or smooth dom he • onely pillow.’ Like the cluaiaacters in Blozart’s ‘ F.arewell,^ they Lad chopped one by one ; .and they avere buried in a strange Laiid, far from the gTaves of theii-fathers, with scarce a memento to point out the solitara spot. These avere my thoughts at the moment of separation trom nn i.alued nuster. knew that it was by no means unlikely we might never meet again, and we were well .assured, that in the event of our dissolution when .ap.art, no one would be found to close our eyes, still less to perforin the rites of Christian our remains. Bly nuaster therefore left me with emotion, hor my oiui part, I was yet, if possible, more sensibly agitated; as soon as the captain w.as out o. sight, I threw myself upon my couch, from which I did not .again arise for twenty-four hours.” ... , -n n . • It was the wish of CLapperton to obtain peianission from saltan Bello to visit Timbuctoo .and revisit Bornou. But .all his plans were frustrated in couse<iuence of Bello having engaged in a war with the Shiekh of Bornoiu Clapperton, in his former visit, had presented the latter individual nith seveinl Congi-eve rockets which he had employed efloctually in setting tire to some of the sultan’s towns ’tIio traveller also bore, on this occasion, some considerable presents from the kill- of England to the Shiekh of Boiaiou; and thus every circumstance consiiired to introduce jealousy into the iniiul of the sultan. Clapi»crlon w.as detained for sever.al months at Soccatoo in bad health, and Lander p.as inveigled by the sultan to come also to that city, .along with the baggage, in order that the presents intended for Bornou might be intercepted. Lander rc.achcd boo- catoo in November, to the surprise of his master, and immediately their bag^go tvas seized in the most sliamcless manner, and the tmvellers expressly forbidden to proceed to Bornou. . To pui-suo the n.arr.ative of Lander : “ Bly m.asicr and myself enjoxed tolerable hc.alth for some weeks after my aia-ival, 1 say tolerable, for ;»er- fect health we felt not even a single day in Africa. Be variously cnn>lo>cd our leisure hours, .as iiicliiialion or circumstances might guide our choice. o