Chap. XXVII. GRAVE OF MR. RICHARDSON. 
219 
at present somewhat in decay, lies in a wide and ex- 
tensive plain, with very few trees, about two miles 
N.E. from Bandego ; but the town itself is well shaded, 
and has, besides korna and bito, some wide-spreading 
umbrageous fig-trees, under one of which Mr. Eich- 
ardson had been buried. His grave, well-protected 
with thorn-bushes, appeared to have remained un- 
touched, and was likely to remain so. The natives 
were well aware that it was a Christian who had died 
here ; and they regarded the tomb with reverence. 
The story of his untimely end had caused some sensa- 
tion in the neighbourhood. He arrived in a weak 
state in the evening, and early the next morning he 
died. The people had taken great interest in the 
matter ; and the report they gave me of the way in 
which he was buried agreed in the main circumstances 
with that which I afterwards received from his ser- 
vants, and of which I forwarded an account from 
Kiikawa. Unfortunately I had no means of bestow- 
ing gifts on the inhabitants of the place where my 
companion had died. I gave, however, a small pre- 
sent to a man who promised to take especial care of 
the grave ; and I afterwards persuaded the vizier of 
Bornu to have a stronger fence made round it. 
It was late in the evening when I returned to my 
tent engrossed w^ith reflections on my own probable 
fate, and sincerely thankful to the Almighty Ruler of 
all things for the excellent health which I still en- 
joyed notwithstanding the many fatigues which I had 
undergone. My way of looking at things was not 
