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.

Having passed through the immense valley already mentioned, they had not travelled far before they arrived and halted at a large village called Tudibu; here they rested a while, and then continuing their journey for two hours over even ground between high hills, they rode into the town of Gwen-dekki, in which they purposed passing the night.  The chief was either very poor or very ill natured, for the only thing he sent them was a little boiled yam, with a mess of unpalatable gravy, which he would not have given, if he had not expected ten times its value in return.  Divine service, it being Sunday, was performed in the course of the day, and this was a duty, which to persons in their situation, was found inconceivably pleasant.  It rendered them happy and resigned in the midst or their afflictions and privations; reposing their confidence in the all-protecting arm of that beneficent Being, who is the author and disposer of their destinies, and in whom alone, thus widely separated as they were from home, and kindred and civilization, the solitary wanderer can place his trust.

On the morning of Monday the 26th April, a thick mist obscured the horizon, and hid in deep shade the mountains and the hills; every object indeed was invisible, with the exception of the pathway and the trees growing on each side, which they could hardly distinguish as they passed along.  It continued hazy for two hours after leaving Gwen-dekki, when the mist dispersed and the atmosphere became clear.  Preparatory to ascending a steep granite hill, they halted to refresh their horses under the branches of a high spreading tree, near a town called Eco.  Here they were visited by several of the inhabitants, who, as soon as they were informed of their arrival, came flocking to the spot.  They formed themselves into a line to pay their respects, and entreated them to wait a little for the arrival of their chief, who was momentarily expected.  But after staying as long as they conveniently could, and no chief appearing, they mounted their beasts and began the toilsome ascent.  On attaining the summit of the hill, the coup d’oeil was magnificent indeed, and the fog having been dispersed by the sun, the eye was enabled to range over an extensive horizon, bounded by hills and mountains of wonderful shapes.  Some of them bore a very striking resemblance to the Table mountain at the Cape of Good Hope, and another was not unlike the Lion’s Head and Rump of the same place.  Their course was north-east, and those two mountains bore due west from them.  There was no continued range of hills, but numbers of single unconnected ones, with extensive valleys between them.  In some places, several were piled behind each, and those most distant from them appeared like dark indistinct clouds.  Nothing could surpass the singularity, and it may be added the sublimity of the whole view from the top of the granite hill which they had ascended, and they contemplated it silence for a few seconds, with emotions of astonishment and rapture.

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Lander's Travels from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.