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The party then set out for Kouka, passing on their way through Angornou, the largest city in the kingdom, containing at least thirty thousand inhabitants.
The explorers had sent a messenger to Sheikh El Khanemy, to ask permission to enter his capital, and an envoy speedily arrived to invite Boo-Khaloum and his companions to Kouka.
On Denham's return to Kouka, he found the sheikh with a large army collected to attack the Begharmis, who were scouring the country. As, however, he was suffering from fever, he went on to Kouka, where he heard of the death of Dr Oudney at a place called Murmur. The sheikh's expedition was successful, and the people were highly delighted with the plunder which had been obtained.
Surrounded by three hundred of these great men, sat the sultan, enclosed in a species of cane basket covered with silk, his features scarcely discernible beneath his huge turban. The presents were received in silence. The travellers departed for Kouka, passing Angornou, a city containing thirty thousand inhabitants.
So soon as Clapperton arrived in England, he submitted to Lord Bathurst his scheme for going to Kouka viâ the Bight of Benin in other words by the shortest way, a route not attempted by his predecessors and ascending the Niger from its mouth to Timbuctoo. In this expedition three others were associated with Clapperton, who took the command.
Oudney were proceeding through Houssa, by a route less varied and hazardous indeed, but disclosing forms both of nature and society fully as interesting. They departed from Kouka on the 14th December 1823, and passing the site of old Birnie, found the banks of the Yeou fertile, and diversified with towns and villages.
The Arab was so importunate, and appeared so determined that Clapperton should have one of his ladies, that to satisfy him, he at length selected the oldest of the groupe, who made him an excellent nurse in his illness. Lieutenant Clapperton rejoined Major Denham at Kouka, whence they set out, and crossed the desert in the latter part of 1824.
On the 8th July, he reached Kouka, where he was joined by Major Denham, and both returned in safety, after having suffered much in their harassing march across the desert. Clapperton's Second Journey. Encouraged by the discoveries made by Denham and Clapperton, and by the safe return of two members of the mission, government resolved to send out another expedition.
At the next camping-place hyaenas came close to their tents and killed a camel, on the carcase of which a lion, when he had driven them away, banqueted, when they returned and devoured what he had left. Several days' journey took the caravan into the neighbourhood of Kouka.
The effect on the people was such that a hundred families quitted Kouka to take up their abode in other towns, where this rigour did not exist. It will be remembered that Captain Clapperton, accompanied by Dr Oudney, set out from Kouka on the 14th of December, 1823, for the purpose of exploring Soudan. Their party consisted of Jacob, a Jew, two servants, and three men of Fezzan.
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