122 TUCKEV. 



Captain Tuckey was introduced to the chenoo, who, with 

 his huge gilt buttons, stockings of pink sarsenet, red half- 

 boots, and high-crowned embroidered hat, reminded him of 

 punch in a puppet-show. It was vain to attempt to convey 

 to this sage prince any idea of the objects of the expedition. 

 The terms wliich express science and an enlightened cu- 

 riosity did not excite in his mind a single idea, and he rang 

 continual changes on the questions, "Are you come to 

 trade ]" and " Are you come to make war 1" — unable to con- 

 jecture any other motive. At length, having received a solemn 

 declaration that there was no intention to make war, he 

 sealed peace by the acceptance of a large present of brandy. 

 After sailing between ridges of high rocky hills, the ex- 

 pedition came to the Yellala, or Great Cataract ; and here 

 they met with a second disappointment. Instead of an- 

 other Niagara, which general report had led them to expect, 

 they saw only " a comparative brook bubbling over its stony 

 bed." The fall appears to be occasioned merely by masses 

 of granite, fragments of which have fallen down and blocked 

 up the stream. Yet this obstruction rendered it quite im- 

 possible for the boats to pass ; nor could they be carried 

 across the precipices and deep ravines by which tlie coun- 

 try was intersected. The discoverers were therefore obliged 

 to proceed by land through this difficult region, which, 

 without a guide on whom they could rely, was attended 

 with overwhelming toil. Cooloo, Inga, andMavoonda, the 

 principal villages, were separated by wide intervals, which 

 placed the travellers under the necessity of often sleeping in 

 the open air. At length the country began to improve and 

 become more level, the river to widen, while the obstacles 

 to its navigation gradually disappeared. But just as the 

 voyage began to assume a prosperous aspect, indications 

 of its fatal termination were already perceptiWe. The health 

 of the party was rapidly giving way under the effects of 

 fatigue, as well as the malignant influence of a damp and 

 burning atmosphere. Tudor, Cranch, and Galwey were 

 successively obliged to return to the ship. Captain Tuckey, 

 after struggling for some time against the increasing pres- 

 sure of disease and exhaustion, as well as the accumuilating 

 difficulties of the undertaking, saw the necessity of putting 

 a stop to the farther progress of the e-xpe^ition- Mr. Smith 

 at iirst expressed deep disappoijttmcat at this resolution^ 



