The Niger Journal of Richard and John Lander

Robin Hallett

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781136530524
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Anthropology
• Index: Social Sciences

The journal of the Lander brothers provides a narrative of one of the most important missions of exploration in the history of West Africa. The editor's introduction contains much new material on the Landers and their journey drawn from hitherto unpublished sources, while an epilogue describes Richard Lander's last expedition to the Niger in 1832-4 and his death at Fernando Po.
Originally published in 1965.

Glossary

Caffa	‘A kind of pudding, made into little round balls, from bruised Indian corn, which is first boiled to the consistence of thick paste.’
Calavance	A kind of bean.
Coozie	Round hut.
Falatah	Fulani
Gafflie	Caravan.
Goora nut	Kola nut.
Haussa	Hausa.
Mallam	Muslim teacher.
Tobe	Long Muslim gown, the Hausa riga.
Trona	Natron.
Yarriba	Yoruba.

I

Portsmouth to Badagry

WE EMBARKED FROM PORTSMOUTH on the 9th January, 1830, in the brig Alert, Tyson master, for Cape Coast Castle, where we arrived on the 22nd of the following month. We should be sadly wanting in gratitude, if we were to omit acknowledging the truly handsome and gentlemanly treatment we experienced from Mr George Maclean, President of the Council at Cape Coast, who had been our fellow passenger in the Alert, as well as the merchants resident there, who welcomed us on our arrival.¹ Here we were fortunate enough to engage old Pascoe and his wife, with Jowdie, who had been employed on the last mission, together with Ibrahim and Mina, two Bornou men, who were well acquainted with English manners, and could converse in the Hausa language. These individuals promised to be very useful in the expedition, more especially old Pascoe, whose merits as an interpreter are unquestionable.²

After remaining at Cape Coast Castle eight days, we accompanied Mr Maclean on a visit to Mr Hutchinson, Commandant at Anamaboo. Mr Hutchinson lives in his castle like an English baron in the feudal times, untinctured, however, by barbarism or ignorance, for the polished refinements of life have insinuated themselves into his dwelling, though it is entirely surrounded by savages, and though the charming sound of a lady’s voice is seldom or never heard in his lonely hall. His silken banners, his turreted castle, his devoted vassals, his hospitality, and even his very solitariness, all conspire to recall to the mind the manners and way of life of an old English baron in one of the most interesting periods of our history, whilst the highly chivalrous and romantic spirit of the gentleman alluded to is strictly in unison with the impression.¹

We abode at the fort till the 4th March, when we bade adieu to our kind host, and our much-respected friend Mr George Maclean, and embraced the opportunity of sailing in the Alert for Accra.

In two days we arrived opposite the British fort at Accra. Here we abode with Mr Fry, the commandant, a whole week. Accra is, without exception, the pleasantest and most healthy British settlement on the western coast of Africa. His Majesty’s brig Clinker arrived the day before us.

Richard Lander.

On the 15th we embarked on board the Clinker, Lieutenant Matson commander, and having sailed direct for Badagry, we dropped anchor in the roadstead in front of that town on the 19th. My brother landed and was introduced to the chief by Mr Brown, master of the brig, on the following day, and everything having been arranged to our satisfaction, the luggage was safely landed on the 21st.¹

From Lieutenant Matson we received a young man of colour named Antonio, son to the chief of Bonny, who eagerly embraced the opportunity of proceeding with us into the interior, being impressed with the notion that he should be enabled to reach his home and country by means of the Great River, or Niger.

March 22nd.—Cheered by six hearty huzzas, good-naturedly given us by the crew of the Clinker, at the desire of her gallant commander, we sailed towards the beach in the earlier part of the afternoon, and having been taken into a canoe that was waiting at the edge of the breakers to receive us, we were plyed over a tremendous surf, and flung with violence on the burning sands.

Wet and uncomfortable as this accident had rendered us, we had no change of linen at hand, and we walked to a small creek about the distance of a quarter of a mile from the sea-shore, where we were taken into a native canoe, and conveyed safely through an extremely narrow channel, over-hung with luxuriant vegetation, into the Badagry river, which is a branch of the Lagos. It is a beautiful body of water, resembling a lake in miniature; its surface is smooth and transparent as glass, and its picturesque banks are shaded by trees of a lively verdure. We were soon landed on the opposite side, when our road lay over a magnificent plain, on which deer, antelopes and buffaloes are often observed to feed. Numbers of men, women, and children followed us to the town of Badagry, and they made the most terrific noises at our heels, but whether these were symptoms of satisfaction or displeasure, admiration or ridicule, we could not at first understand. We were soon, however, satisfied that the latter feeling was predominant; and indeed our clothing was exceedingly grotesque, consisting of a straw hat, larger than an umbrella, a scarlet Mohammedan tobe or tunic and belt, with boots and full Turkish trowsers. So unusual a dress might well cause the people to laugh heartily; they were all evidently highly amused, but the more modest of the females, unwilling to give us any uneasiness, turned aside to conceal the titter, from which they were utterly unable to refrain.

On our way we observed various groups of people seated under the spreading branches of superb trees, vending provisions and country cloth; and on our approach many of these arose and bowed, whilst others fell on their knees before us in token of respect. We reached the dwelling which had been prepared for us about three o’clock in the afternoon, but as the day was too far advanced to visit the chief or king, we sent a messenger to inform him of our intention of paying him our respects tomorrow morning.

March 23rd.—At nine o’clock this morning, we visited the chief at his residence. On our entrance he was sitting on a couple of boxes, in a small bamboo apartment, from whose sides were suspended a great quantity of muskets and swords, with a few paltry umbrellas, and a couple of horses’ tails, which are used for the purpose of brushing away flies. King Adooley looked up in our faces without making any observation, and did not rise from his seat to congratulate us on our arrival. He appeared in deep reflection, and thoughtfully rested his elbow on an old wooden table, pillowing his head on his hand. One of the most venerable and ancient of his subjects was squatted at the feet of his master, smoking from a pipe of extraordinary length; whilst Lantern, his eldest son and heir apparent, was kneeling at his side, etiquette not allowing the youth to sit in the presence of his father. Everything bore an air of gloom and sadness totally different from what we had been led to expect. We shook hands, but the pressure of the chief was so very faint that it was scarcely perceptible; yet, notwithstanding this apparent coldness, we seated ourselves, one on each side, without ceremony or embarrassment. The conversation was commenced on our part by inquiring after the chief’s health, which was answered only by a languid smile, and he again relapsed into his former thoughtfulness. We then displayed to the greatest advantage the presents we had brought for him from England; they were accepted, it is true, but without the slightest demonstration of pleasure or satisfaction; they were scarcely looked at, and were carried away by his attendants with real or seeming indifference. This was very mortifying, but we said not a word, though it was the easiest thing imaginable to perceive that all was not right. A reserve, the cause whereof we could not define, and a coldness towards us for which we could in no wise account, marked the conduct of the once spirited and good-natured chief of Badagry, and prepared us to anticipate various difficulties in the prosecution of our plans, which we are persuaded will require much art and influence to surmount. Adooley left us abruptly in the midst of the conversation, and did not return for some time.

Wearied at length with his long delay, we despatched a messenger to acquaint him that we were becoming impatient. On receiving this message the chief hastened back, and entered the apartment with a melancholy countenance, which was partially concealed behind large volumes of smoke from a tobacco-pipe which he was using. He seated himself between us as before, and gave us to understand in a very low tone of voice, that he was but just recovering from a severe illness, and from the effects of a variety of misfortunes, which had rendered him almost broken-hearted. His generals, Bombanee and Poser, and all his most able warriors, had either been slain in battle, or fallen by other violent means. The former in particular, whose loss he more particularly lamented, had been captured by the Lagos people, who were his most inveterate enemies. When this unfortunate man was taken prisoner, his right hand was immediately nailed to his head, and the other lopped off like a twig. In this manner he was paraded through the town, and exposed to the view of the people, whose curiosity being satiated, Bombanee’s head was at length severed from his shoulders, and being dried in the sun and beat to dust, was sent in triumph to the Chief of Badagry. To add to his calamities, Adooley’s house, which contained an immense quantity of gunpowder, had been blown up by accident, and destroyed all his property, consisting of a variety of presents, most of them very valuable, that had been made him by Captain Clapperton, and by European merchants and traders in slaves. The chief and his women escaped with difficulty from the conflagration; but as it was the custom to keep the muskets and other fire-arms constantly loaded, their contents were discharged into the bodies and legs of those individuals that had flocked to the spot on the first alarm. The flames spread with astonishing rapidity, notwithstanding every exertion, and ended in the destruction of a great part of the town. This accounted in some measure for the sad and grievous expression so strongly depicted on the chief’s countenance, but still another and more powerful reason had doubtless influenced him on this occasion.¹

On returning to our residence, a number of ‘principal men’, as they style themselves, were introduced, to compliment us on coming to their country, although their true and only motive for visiting our quarters was the expectation of obtaining rum, which is the great object of attraction to all of them. We have been annoyed during the better part of this day by a tribe of ragged beggars, whose importunity is really disgusting; and the number of old fat-headed and pot-bellied men, and skinny, flap-eared women of the last century, has been immense. To these garrulous ladies and gentlemen have we been obliged to laugh and talk, and shake hands, and crack fingers, and bend our bodies and bow our heads, and place our hands with solemnity on our hands and breasts; make presents, and cringe, fawn, and flatter up to the present moment, which is past bedtime.

Had Job, amongst his other trials, been exposed to the horrors of an interminable African palaver, his patience must have forsaken him. For my own part, I am of opinion that I shall never be a general favourite with this ever-grinning and loquacious people. If I laugh, and laugh I most certainly must, it is done against my inclination, and consequently with a very bad grace. For the first five years of my life, I have been told that I was never seen to smile, and since that period, Heaven knows, my merriment has been confined to particular and extraordinary occasions only. How then is it possible that I can be grinning and playing the fool from morning to night, positively without any just incentive to do so, and sweltering under a sun that causes my body to burn with intense heat, giving it the appearance of shrivelled parchment? Fortunately, these savages, for savages they most certainly are in the fullest extent of the word, cannot distinguish between real and fictitious joy; and although I was vexed at heart, and wished them all at the bottom of the Red Sea, or somewhere else, I have every reason to believe that my forced attempts to please the natives have so far been successful; and I have obtained the reputation, which I certainly do not deserve, of being one of the pleasantest and best tempered persons in the world.

March 24th.—One of the chief’s messengers, who is a Haussa Mallam, or priest, presented himself at the door of our house this morning, followed by a large and handsome spotted sheep from his native country, whose neck was adorned with little bells, which make a pretty jingling noise. We were much prepossessed in this man’s favour by the calmness and serenity of his countenance, and the modesty, or rather timidity of his manners. He was dressed in the Haussa costume, viz., cap, tobe, trousers, and sandals. He wore four large silver rings on his thumb, and his left wrist was ornamented with a solid silver bracelet. This is the only individual that has yet visited us purely with disinterested motives, as all the others make it a practice to beg whenever they favour us with their company. But the Mallam is a Mussulman, and it is the fast of Rhamadan.¹

A Falatah residing in the town has agreed to supply us with cow’s milk every morning, as long as we may have occasion to remain; he is likewise a Mohammedan.

The chief’s eldest son has been with us the greatest part of today. The manners of the young man are reserved, but respectful; he is a great admirer of the English, and has obtained a smattering of their language. Although his appearance is extremely boyish, he has already three wives, and is the father of two children. His front teeth are filed to a point after the manner of the Lagos people, but notwithstanding this disadvantage, his features bear less marks of ferocity than we have observed in the countenance of any one of his countrymen. When asked, whether if it were in his power to do so, he would injure us two, or any European that might hereafter visit Badagry, he made no reply, but silently approached our seat, and falling on his knees at our feet, he pressed me with eagerness to his soft naked bosom, and affectionately kissed my hand.

We have heard today that peace has been established between Porto Novo² and Badagry. This distracted country is ever at war with her neighbours, and consequently is always in a state of agitation and poverty.

Since our conference with the chief on Tuesday we have learned with surprise and sorrow, that a party of the populace have expressed themselves decidedly hostile to our projects, and that its leaders are continually with Adooley. They endeavour to persuade him to demand, ere he grants us leave to pass through his country, a sum of money, which they are all aware it is not in our power to pay, and therefore, they imagine we shall be compelled to abandon the undertaking. The first intimation we received of the effect of these insinuations on the mind of the chief was brought us this morning by one who pronounces himself to be on ‘our side’. This man assured us with an ominous visage, that Adooley had declared in the hearing of all the people, that the coat we had given him was intended for a boy, and not a man; it was therefore unworthy his acceptance as a king, and he considered that we meant to insult him. The coat alluded to is indeed extremely old-fashioned, and belonged to a surgeon in the navy about twenty years ago, notwithstanding which it is now almost as good as new, and was made very showy by the addition of a pair of tarnished gold epaulets. Nothing was so gladly received as this very coat two days ago. To counteract the effects of the malicious, we have been unusually busy today in sounding the dispositions of those, who, we are inclined to believe, from the fondness they evince for our rum, are favourable to our intentions.¹

Two mulattoes reside in the town, one of whom, by name Hooper, acts as interpreter to Adooley, and shares a good deal of his confidence. He was born at Cape Coast Castle in 1780, and was for many years a soldier in the African corps. His father was an Englishman, and he boasts of being a British subject. He is excessively vain of his origin; yet he is the most confirmed drunkard alive, always getting intoxicated before breakfast, and remaining in a soaking state all day long. This does not, however, make him regardless of his personal interests, to which, on the contrary, he is ever alive. The other mulatto can read and write English tolerably well, having received his education at Sierra Leone; he is a slave to Adooley, and is almost as bad as Hooper as to drinking.² These political advisers of the chief we have had little difficulty in bribing over to our interests: we have likewise been tampering with several native chiefs, apparently with equal success. Unfortunately, every one styles himself a great and powerful man, and old Hooper himself calls a host of ragged scoundrels, ‘noblemen and gentlemen’. Each of these he advises and conjures us to conciliate with presents, and especially spirituous liquors. There is hardly any knowing who is monarch here, or even what form of government prevails. Besides the king of kings himself, the redoubtable Adooley, four fellows assume the title of royalty; namely, the kings of Spanish Town, of Portuguese Town, or English Town, and of French Town—Badagry being divided into four districts, bearing the names of the European nations just mentioned. This evening we received an invitation from the former of these chieftains. He now lives in retirement, and subsists by purchasing slaves and reselling them to Spanish and Portuguese traders. In him we found a meek and venerable old man, of respectable appearance. A table was brought out into the court before the house, whereon decanters, and glasses, with a burning liquor obtained from the Portuguese, were placed. In one corner of the yard was a little hut, not more than two feet in height, wherein had been placed a fetish figure, to preserve the chief from any danger or mischief, which our presence might otherwise have entailed upon him. A portion of the spirit was poured into one of th...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Title Page
• Original Copyright Page
• Contents
• Illustrations
• INTRODUCTION
• JOURNAL
• Epilogue: The Brothers’ Return to England and Richard Lander’s Last Expedition 1831–34
• Appendixes: I. Richard Lander’s Instructions
• Bibliography
• Place-Name Index and Gazetteer
• General Index