Lander's Travels eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,054 pages of information about Lander's Travels.

Lander's Travels eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,054 pages of information about Lander's Travels.
cutlasses, with rude native knives, were likewise exhibited, half-devoured by cankering rust.  Clumsy muskets and fowling-pieces, as well as Arab pistole, were also handled with delight by the joyful Mussulmans.  In number the religionists were about a hundred and fifty.  Not long after the arrival of the two brothers, they formed themselves into six lines, and having laid aside many of their superfluous ornaments, and a portion of their clothing, they put on the most sedate countenance, and commenced their devotional exercises in a spirit of seriousness and apparent fervour, worthy of a better place and a more amiable creed.  In the exterior forms of their religion, at least, the Mussulmans are here complete adepts, as this spectacle was well calculated to convince the two Europeans, and the little which they had hitherto seen of them, led them to form a very favourable opinion of their general temperance and sobriety.  The ceremony was no sooner concluded, than muskets, carbines, and pistols were discharged on all sides.  The clarionet again struck up a note of joy, and was supported by long Arab drums, strings of bells, and a solitary kettle-drum.  The musicians, like the ancient minstrels of Europe, were encouraged by trifling presents from the more charitable of the multitude.  All seemed cheerful and happy, and, on leaving the Landers, several out of compliment, it was supposed, discharged their pieces at their heels, and were evidently delighted with themselves, with the two English, and the whole world.

In the path, the Landers met a fellow approaching the scene of innocent dissipation, clothed most fantastically in a flannel dress and riding on the back, on what they were informed was a wooden horse.  He was surrounded by natives of all ages, who were laughing most extravagantly at the unnatural capering of the thing, and admiring the ingenuity of the contrivance.  The figure itself was entirely concealed with cloths, which rendered it impossible to discover by what agency it was moved.  Its head was covered with red cloth, and a pair of sheep’s ears answered the purpose for which they were intended tolerably well.  Yet, on the whole, though it was easy to perceive that a horse was intended to be represented by it, the figure was executed clumsily enough.  As soon as this party had joined the individuals assembled near the place of worship, a startling shriek of laughter testified the tumultuous joy of the wondering multitude.  The sun shone out resplendently on the happy groups of fancifully dressed persons, whose showy, various-coloured garments, and sooty skin, contrasted with the picturesque and lovely appearance of the scenery, produced an unspeakably charming effect.  The foliage exhibited every variety and tint of green, from the sombre shade of the melancholy yew, to the lively verdure of the poplar and young oak.  “For myself,” says John Lander, “I was delighted with the agreeable ramble, and imagined that I could distinguish

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Lander's Travels from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.