202 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
the people came up from the coast to exchange the 
merchandise of the whites for slaves brought in large 
numbers from Fundass, on the opposite bank. 
As the Landers passed a large town called Kirree they 
were stopped by war-canoes, each containing forty men 
wearing European clothes, minus the trousers. Each 
canoe carried what at first sight appeared to be the 
Union Jack flying from a long bamboo cane fixed in the 
stern, a four or six pounder was lashed to each prow, 
and every black sailor was provided with a musket. 
The two brothers were taken to Kirree, where a palaver 
was held upon their fate. Fortunately the Mallams or 
Mohammedan priests interfered in their favour, and 
some of their property was restored to them, but the 
best part had gone to the bottom of the river with 
John Lander’s canoe. 
“ To my great satisfaction,” says Lander, “ I immedi¬ 
ately recognised the box containing our books, and one 
of my brother’s journals ; the medicine-chest was by its 
side, but both were filled with water. A large carpet 
bag, containing all our wearing apparel, was lying cut 
open, and deprived of its contents, with the exception 
of a shirt, a pair of trousers, and a waistcoat. Many 
valuable articles which it had contained were gone. 
The whole of my journal, with the exception of a note¬ 
book with remarks from Rabba to this place, was lost. 
Four guns, one of which had been the property of the 
late Mr. Park, four cutlasses, and two pistols, were gone. 
Nine elephants’ tusks, the finest I had seen in the 
country, which had been given us by the kings of Wow- 
Wow and Boussa; a quantity of ostrich feathers, some 
handsome leopard skins, a great variety of seeds, all our 
buttons, cowries, and needles, which were necessary for 
us to purchase provisions with, all were missing, and 
said to have been sunk in the river.” 
This was like going down in port. Although their 
stolen property was partially restored to them, and 
the negro who had begun the attack upon them was 
condemned to be beheaded, the brothers were none the 
less regarded as prisoners, and they were marched off 
