MORTALITY ON BOARD THE VESSEL. 407 



CHAPTER V. 



Rejoin the Alburkah. — Visit Mr. Laird.— His deplorable 



Condition Return of the Steamers to Attah Visit 



to the King of Attah. — Description of his Person and 

 Palace. — Death of another Krooman. — The Steamers sepa- 

 rate. — The Alburkah proceeds up the River. — Mount Ca- 

 ractacus. — Mallani Catab ; his Character. — Straitened 

 for Provisions. — Enter the Tchadda. — Lieutenant Allen 

 taken ill. — The Alburkah runs aground. 



A BOAT was quickly despatched to us from 

 the Quorra, manned by Kroomen, with Harvey 

 and Hector. We learnt from them that Mr. 

 Laird had returned from the Tchadda in an ill 

 state of health, and that since Mr. Lander had 

 been down to the sea, four persons had died on 

 board the vessels ; namely, old Pascoe, Smith, 

 a seaman, and Accrah, a Krooman, in the Albur- 

 kah ; and on board the Quorra, Frying-pan, a 

 Krooman, had died. 



We now proceeded to the Alburkah, and were 

 greeted by Lieutenant Allen on our arrival, who 

 had been left in charge of her. In a short time 



