United States or Sweden ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Here she was examined, and found to have sustained no damage, but owing to this unseasonable accident, as well as the detention at Attah, and above all, to the deplorable loss of life, which had ensued on board the vessels, the party had not in their power to cultivate their mercantile speculations either to the extent or so successfully as they wished, or as their friends anticipated.
The curiosity of the chief of Attah, having in some measure been gratified, I immediately introduced his brother to his notice, by paying him a high compliment, which Abucco had certainly deserved.
This place has been named English island, and it possesses peculiar facilities for trading purposes in that part of the country. The king of Attah, who seemed to have formed an attachment to Lander, presented him with four small but very beautiful horses, which he succeeded in conveying to Fernando Po.
Poor old Pascoe the black, who buried Belzoni, and whose name occurs so frequently in Clapperton's journal, and the narrative of the Landers, as a faithful and brave servant, died at Attah. For some time, no information which could be relied upon reached this country, relative to the progress of the expedition, although some sinister reports were afloat relative to the fatal termination of it.
From time immemorable it has been a custom with the rulers of Attah, to sacrifice human beings on rejoicing days, and on all public occasions. At the interview, which I have just described to you, two poor creatures were brought before us to be slain, in order that their blood might be sprinkled about the yard.
The following may be considered as the principal circumstances which led to this lamentable result. The vessels were unfortunately detained at a place called Attah, until Mr. Lander, accompanied by one or two of his associates, went to see the king.
Attah, of Akim, laid a contribution on this fort in March 1811. About twenty-seven miles from Berracoe is Accra or Inkran, once subject to Aquamboo, which people, according to Isert, formerly drove them to Popo. We had only the Horatio schooner in company, the African steam-vessel, and Diadem transport, having sailed the preceding evening for Fernando Po. Sunday, 21st.
It should also be remembered, that the Tchadda has not received its name, any more than its gigantic namesake, from Europeans, but from the natives themselves, who have never bestowed on it any other appellation. On a small island, near Attah, Lander erected a kind of mud fort, which would answer the purpose of a depot for British goods.
From Attah, he wrote to his brother John, of which the following is an interesting extract: "You know, that when we were here together, Abucco, chief of Damaggoo, had been at variance with his brother for several years.
The disproportion of mortality in the two vessels, at this period, is ascribed to the superior coolness of the Alburkah, which was rendered more healthy in consequence of her iron hull diffusing through her interior the coolness of the surrounding water. They next anchored off Attah, a picturesque town, situated on the top of a hill which rises nearly 300 feet above the river.
Word Of The Day