PICTURESQUE VIEWS ON THE NIGER. 
13 
The most beautiful scenery on the banks of the Niger, is in the neighbourhood of the confluence of this river with the Chadda. Although 
the Niger will always command tlie greater interest, the latter is to all appearance the more important ; since, at its junction, it is about a mile and 
a half wide, while the Niger is scarcely half a mile. 
The mountains below the Confluence are irregular in their outline, and about 3000 feet high ; — a part of the Kong range, whicli was 
formerly supposed to turn the course of the Niger to the interior, cutting oif its communication with the sea, and puzzling geographers of all ages. 
Those above the confluence on both sides, are uniform tabular elevations of about 1200 feet, with a sloping talus covered with beautiful woods, and 
surmounted by perpendicular cliffs about thirty or forty feet high, cresting them with the appearance of an immense fortification, where imagination 
might trace turrets and watch-towers without number : — 
" Buttress and rampire's circling bound, 
And mighty keep and tower." 
The sketch is taken from the summit of a little hill detached^ from one of these, on the right bank of the river. To the left is the 
Niger coming from between two ranges of table mountains. The Chadda is seen over the trees in the middle of the picture, and the united streams 
flow to the right, through the formidable Kong mountains, to the sea. On the plain to the right, I witnessed the deplorable effects of the 
disorganized state of society, in an attempt by a large party of mountaineers to enslave the inhabitants of a village situated in a little wood. I had 
scarcely landed one morning to take my ride — which I usually did when I was strong enough, — when there was a report from some of the natives 
that "war was coming from the mountain;" and in fact I very soon saw a number of men coming down the paths and gullies. At first it was 
said they were coming to attack us with 1000 men ! At all events it evidently was not their intention to take us by surprise, as they gave ample 
note of their approach by shouting and blowing on a trumpet made of a small elephant's tooth. Tliey gazed at us some time over the brow of the 
hill ; but their hostile intentions, if they had any towards us, were speedily disconcerted by the nine-pounder, which was fired from the Alburkah, 
and soon sent them scampering down the back of the hill. In the meantime, a deputation came from the village of Panda'iki — the real object 
of this slaving party — to ask for aid, which it was not deemed prudent to afford them out of our small force. I stationed the Krumen 
by the huts, where Lander was lying very unwell ; and, learning from a scout that " the war which for a space did fail," was gathering on the 
