Major Gray takes the Command — Departure from Sierra Leone
— Arrival at Bathurst, St. Mary’s — Occurrences there —
Departure for, and Arrival at Kayaye — Description of a tribe of
wandering Foolahs — Description of Kayaye, the surrounding Country,
and Inhabitants — Their Amusements, &c. — Visit to Katoba —
The King’s Visit to us — Arrival of Camels from Senegal — Our
Guide’s proposal respecting the path — My Decision, and Reasons
— Fatality among our Animals — Arrival of Mr. Partarrieau from
St. Mary’s — Arrangements for Departure.
Such was the state of the expedition, when, in the month of November,
1817, I volunteered my services to conduct it. Mr. Dochard, who
was second in command, had been despatched some time before, on
board a transport to the Cape Verde Islands, to procure animals,
and from thence proceed to Bathurst, St. Mary’s, river Gambia;
but although Mr. Stokoe had packed, previous to his death, and sent
forward with that officer, a part of the baggage, much yet remained
at Sierra Leone in a confused state, the arranging and packing of
which, together with selecting from amongst the men who composed the
former expedition, such as were both willing and able to proceed on
a second attempt, and equipping them, occupied so much time that it
was not before the 14th of December, 1817, that we sailed, on board
the colonial brig Discovery, from Sierra Leone for the Gambia.
We had been but a week at sea, when we fortunately found that the
casks, which contained the water for our use, and that of eleven
horses, were in so leaky a state that a few days more would have
left us without a drop. This obliged us to put into the Isles des
Loss, where, with the assistance of a Mr. Lee, then resident there,
we soon remedied the evil, and again put to sea.
A strong north-west wind, and a heavy sea, opposed our progress for
several days, and, as if all things combined to retard us in the very
first stage of our proceedings, the brig sprung a leak, and nearly
carried away her mainmast in a squall. In this state, with constant
work at the pumps, we were kept out until the 13th of January, when
we reached Cape St. Mary’s, with only one day’s half allowance
of water on board. Our horses (one of which died) were reduced to
the very last stage of want, having subsisted, for several days, on
a little rice and biscuit dust, with a very small quantity of water.
On landing at Bathurst, St. Mary’s, I found Mr. Dochard had
arrived there from the islands, where he could not procure more
than ten horses and six mules, and he was in such very bad health,
and apparently so ill calculated to undergo a second series of the
exposures, privations, watchings, and disappointments incident to such
a service, that I almost despaired of his being able to accompany me.
He had, a few days before my arrival, despatched Ensign Pattoun a
second time to the islands, in order to procure if possible a few
more horses.
I proceeded myself to Goree, to endeavour to obtain a few of
any description at the towns on the opposite main. I so far
succeeded as to purchase seven horses, and was fortunate enough
to meet there fifteen camels that had been purchased at Senegal,
by Governor M‘Carthy’s orders, for the use of the expedition,
and had arrived there the day only before I intended leaving it.
On my return to the Gambia, I found Ensign Pattoun had arrived,
having purchased eighteen horses; but as we had not yet a sufficient
number, I sent Ensign Burton, of the Royal African Corps (who had
volunteered to accompany the mission), up the river, to try if any
could be procured there. I was, in the mean time, enabled to collect
a few on the island, and having despatched Mr. Nelson on the 16th of
February, and made all the necessary preparations, we left Bathurst
on the 3rd of March.
On our voyage up the river, we called at Tendebar, where we were
enabled to purchase three small horses. I also landed at Kawour in
the Salum country. The ground for some distance in the vicinity
of this town, bore the marks of cultivation, but at that season
was completely destitute of verdure; the soil, which was a mixture
of brown mould and light-colored sand, appeared good; a few small
onions were the only vegetable I observed growing, and those were
regularly watered morning and evening.
The town is a considerable one, and may contain from 500 to 800
inhabitants. Their huts are composed of cane reeds and long dry
grass, and are very neat and comfortable. The natives, who are a
mixture of Jaloffs and Soosoos, are a peaceable inoffensive race,
and are chiefly engaged in trade, except when the approach of the
rains summons them to the corn and rice grounds.
We lost one of our native soldiers in consequence of a slight cut
in the hand, which caused mortification; the existence of which,
and of cold spasms and rigours, deterred Mr. Dochard from performing
amputation.
The country in the immediate vicinity of the river, is very low, and
bears the evident marks of inundation during the rains. It is much
wooded, some of which is large, and no doubt fitted for general use.
The hippopotamus and alligator are to be found in great numbers
in the river, and are hunted by the natives, who make use of their
flesh as food, and consider it a delicacy. The river swarms with a
great variety of fish, but the natives are either unacquainted with
the proper mode of taking them, or too indolent to take advantage
of so valuable a supply, at least to the extent they might.
Soon after leaving Kawour, I went on shore on the right bank of the
river, with the intention of walking to Yani Maroo, accompanied by
Lamina, and two of my men armed. At about half a quarter of a mile
from the water-edge, we came to a range of hills, running parallel
with the river. On ascending them, I found they were flat on the
top to a considerable distance, and covered with wood and long dry
grass; they were composed of a red compact clay, light sand of the
same colour, and large masses of red sand-stone. At the foot of
one of the hills forming this range, I observed some small huts,
in the vicinity of which was feeding a herd of black cattle, but I
could not discern any people. I therefore descended to the huts,
where I found an old man, the only person there. He, with much
apparent apprehension for his own safety, desired me to keep off,
which requisition he seemed determined to enforce, for he laid hold
of his bow, and snatched up one of a few arrows that were lying at
his side on the ground. By means of my interpreter, I endeavoured
to explain to him his fears were without cause, and that chance
only, not intention, led us to his retreat. This, however, did not
convince him; he still desired us to keep off. A little tobacco,
and a few beads, in exchange for which we requested some milk,
induced him to think more favourably of us. It was, nevertheless,
with much difficulty I convinced him of his error, and prevailed on
him to go in search of his companions, who, on our approach, had ran
into the woods, driving their cattle before them. In about fifteen
minutes, he returned, and in a few more, the whole tribe made its
appearance. The women and children, however, could not be induced
to approach nearer than three hundred yards of us. Their numbers did
not exceed four men, as many women, and ten or twelve children; the
latter totally naked. They are of a dark copper colour, and belong
to the Dhyangele tribe, the chief of which resides in a wilderness
of three days’ journey, lying in latitude 14° and 15°, between
the kingdoms of Joloff and Bondoo. There they always remain during
the rains, at which time they find a sufficiency of pasturage and
water for their cattle, but are obliged to wander in search of both
after January; the banks of the rivers are their last resource. Their
appearance is extremely filthy and poor. They subsist chiefly on milk,
a little corn, which they obtain in exchange for butter when in the
vicinity of towns, and such game as they can kill.
Their only furniture consists of a few mats to lie on, some wooden
bowls and calabashes, and a few leather bags; the latter serve them
as churns, and to carry water in when encamped at a distance from
where it is to be found.
Their dress is very plain, being nothing more than a piece of cotton
cloth, about two and a half yards long and three quarters wide,
wrapped round the waist, and descending a little below the knees,
with another of the same kind thrown over the shoulders. The men
wear a cotton cap besmeared with grease, to which is sometimes
added, by way of ornament, the end of a cow’s tail, died blue or
red. Like all other pagans, they are very superstitious, and wear
a great number of grigres, or charms, round their necks, arms and
legs. They are inordinately fond of red cloth, which they make use
of in covering those charms. Their weapons are long spears, bows
and arrows, and occasionally a long gun. They are good marksmen with
all these, and seldom throw away a shot; but this arises more from
the difficulty they find in obtaining powder, ball, and small shot,
than from any dislike to miss their mark.
[Illustration: W. Gray del.
WANDERING FOOLAH.
_Published Feb. 1825. by John Murray, London._]
We also visited the town of Yanimaroo. It is beautifully situated
at a short distance from the river-side, on an elevated spot,
thinly sprinkled with large shady trees of the mahogany kind, and
interspersed with evergreens and other shrubs, and a great number
of that kind of palm from which is extracted the palm wine.
The greater proportion of the inhabitants are pagans; a few,
however, profess the Mahomedan religion, retaining many of their pagan
superstitions. The latter are much respected, and enjoy a considerable
degree of influence over their unenlightened brethren. The soil about
Yanimaroo is a light yellow sand, mixed with stiff clay of the same
colour, except where there are groves of palm trees, and then it is
invariably a dark, rich, vegetable mould, mixed with a light red or
white sand.
There are, on the banks of the river, a little above Yanimaroo,
a great number of the self-consuming tree. We never saw any of them
on fire, nor yet smoking, but their appearance would lead a person
to suppose they had been burnt.
On our arrival at Kayaye, we landed our men, animals, and baggage,
and encamped on an elevated spot between the river and the town,
which are distant from each other about half a quarter of a mile.
Mr. Bellaby, a British merchant resident there, accommodated us
with a large mud house, which served at the same time as quarters
for the officers, and a store for some of our baggage.
Kayaye is but a very small and insignificant village, and is
remarkable for nothing but its situation, and the residence of a
Mulatto lady, who possesses considerable influence in the country. The
town does not contain above fifty huts; its inhabitants are all either
relatives to, or dependants on Madame Eliza Tigh, whose name the
place takes, being called by the natives Tigh Cunda, or the town of
Tigh. The people of Kayaye, and the neighbouring towns, are a mixture
of Mandingoes and Sousous; the former from a country in the interior
so called, and the latter from the south bank of the river. They are
chiefly engaged in trade and agriculture, and are a very shrewd active
race, subject to the king of Katoba, and professing the Mahomedan
religion; but I believe the greater proportion of them do so, not
from any religious motive, but in order to ensure to themselves that
protection which the followers of Mahomet invariably meet with,
wherever they go in their trading excursions. Caravans from the
interior frequently stop there, on their way to the settlements on
the coast, and dispose of their goods to the masters of some of the
small trading vessels from St. Mary’s, or to the native merchants,
who carry on at that place, and the towns lower down the river, a
very considerable trade in gold, ivory, and bees’ wax; in exchange
for which they receive fire-arms, powder, India-goods, coral, amber,
glass beads, iron, tobacco, rum, and cutlery.
The dress of these people is far from being inelegant or inconvenient:
the men wear on the head a white cotton cap, very neatly worked
with different coloured silks or worsteds; a close shirt of white
cotton, with short sleeves, next the skin, covers the body from
the neck to the hips, and is surmounted by a very large one of the
same materials, with long loose sleeves, not unlike a surplice; this
descends below the knees, and is embroidered, in the same way as the
cap, about the shoulders and breast. The small-clothes, which are
very roomy above, descend about two inches below the knee, where it
is only sufficiently large not to be tight. This part of their dress
is generally blue. They wear their hair cut close, and make use of
none of the grease or rancid butter of which the Joloff men are so
lavish. Sandals or slippers protect their feet from the heat of the
sand, and from thorns; and complete the catalogue of their wardrobe.
The dress of the women is neither so decent nor so clean. The body,
from the waist upward, is almost always naked, except when _enceinte_,
in which case a sort of short chemise, without sleeves, covers the
neck and stomach. They plat their hair neatly into a profusion of
small braids, but are so lavish of butter or palm oil on them and
their skins (which are generally of a very fine black) that they
cannot be approached without experiencing the very unpleasant effects
of such anointings, rendered doubly offensive by the addition of
profuse and constant perspiration.
The huts and yards of these people are extremely clean, and,
although small, are comparatively comfortable. The walls of both
are, for the most part, composed of split cane formed into a sort of
wicker work resembling hurdles. The roofs of the former are conical,
and covered with long dry grass, fastened on with a small line made
from the inner bark of the monkey-bread tree. On the whole, their
houses have a very neat appearance.
The amusements of these people are confined to dancing and music,
which take place almost every fine evening at a late hour, in the
centre of the village, where, when the moon does not afford them
light, a large fire is made for that purpose.
The young of both sexes, dressed in their gayest attire, attend on
these occasions; a ring is formed by them and the spectators, and the
former dance in regular succession by pairs. The instrument which
accompanies this dance is called a ballafo[6], and affords better
music than might be expected from such rude materials; it is composed
of cane and wood, in the following manner. A frame, three feet long,
eighteen inches wide at one end, and nine at the other, is made of
cane, split very thin, and supported at the corners, about nine inches
from the ground, by four upright sticks of nearly an inch diameter;
across this frame are laid twenty pieces of hard wood, diminishing
in size in the same proportion progressively, from one end to the
other, as the frame to which they are slightly attached with thin
twine. Under each of these cross pieces, is suspended an empty gourd,
of a size adapted to the tone of note required, having a hole in the
part where it comes in contact with the stick, and another at the
bottom; the latter is covered with a thin piece of dried sheep’s
gut. It is played on with two small sticks, by a man who sits cross
legged on the ground, and is accompanied by one or more small drums.
I also observed here a sort of amusement, or rather inquisitorial
exhibition, called by the natives Kongcorong. It was thus: a man,
covered from head to foot with small boughs of trees, made his
appearance in the afternoon near the town, and gave notice to
the young women and girls that he would pay them a visit after
sunset. At the appointed time he entered the village, preceded by
drums, and repaired to the assembly place, where all were collected
to meet him with the music and singing. He commenced by saying
that he came to caution the ladies to be very circumspect in their
conduct towards the whites, meaning the men of the Expedition, and
related some circumstances, with which he said he was acquainted,
little to their credit:—but, as it was his first time, he would
neither mention names, nor inflict the usual punishment, namely,
flogging. He, however, would take advantage of the first opportunity
which they would be imprudent enough to afford him.
All he said was repeated by the girls in a sort of song, accompanied
by the music and clapping of hands. Every one who had any thing to
fear from his inquisitorial authority, made him a present; and I
observed that not one of the girls withheld this proof of their fear
of his tongue, or of their own consciousness of guilt. He remained
with them until near midnight.
[Illustration: W. Gray del.
FIG. I.]
[Illustration: KONGKORONG.
_Published Feb. 1825. by John Murray, London._]
An instance of the manner in which the young men of that country
obtain wives, also came under our observation. One of the inhabitants
of the neighbouring villages, having placed his affections, or
rather desires, on a young girl at Kayaye, made the usual present
of a few colas to her mother, who, without giving her daughter any
intimation of the affair, consented to his obtaining her in any way
he could. Accordingly when the poor girl was employed preparing some
rice for supper, she was seized by her intended husband, assisted by
three or four of his companions, and carried off by force. She made
much resistance, by biting, scratching, kicking, and roaring most
bitterly. Many, both men and women, some of them her own relations,
who witnessed the affair, only laughed at the farce, and consoled
her by saying that she would soon be reconciled to her situation.
Soon after our arrival at Kayaye, we paid a visit to the chief, or,
as he is there called, the king of Katoba. He resides at a town
of that name distant from Kayaye about twenty miles north. The
road or path to it lies over a flat uncultivated country thinly
covered with brush wood and stunted trees. The soil, for the most
part, is an ocre-coloured clay intermixed here and there with small
fragments of ferruginous stone, which, in several places, makes its
appearance above the surface in the form of large rocks. Some small
eminences are entirely composed of this rock, which the natives
say contains a large proportion of iron, but, from the facility the
river affords them of procuring an abundant supply of that metal from
the English merchants, they do not now think it worth the trouble
of extracting. The blacksmiths of the country say, that it is more
malleable than English iron, and better suited to all their wants,
were the process of obtaining it not so difficult.
The king received us hospitably, and, on being made acquainted with
the purport of our visit, promised every protection and assistance
he could afford us, adding that whenever we wished to proceed on
our journey, he would furnish us with a guide to Woolli.
On our way to this town, which is a walled one, of no very great
extent or respectable appearance, we passed only two small villages,
one of which is about a mile from Kayaye, and is solely inhabited
by Mahomedan priests (_bushreens_).
From the very great want we were in of a sufficient number of
animals, to transport our baggage, in consequence of the death of
all our camels and some of our horses, since our arrival at Kayaye,
and the difficulty, nay impossibility, of procuring a supply there,
we had determined on leaving behind us a large proportion of it,
and moving without delay; for which purpose it became necessary to
open the greater number of the packages, to select the most valuable
articles. This had scarcely been begun, when Mr. Partarrieau, whom
I had sent from Bathurst to Senegal to purchase camels, arrived,
bringing intelligence that he had despatched a moor, named Bon-ama,
from that place before he had left it, with ten camels and five
horses, whom I might expect to see in a few days, as he was coming by
the shortest land route from Senegal, namely, through Kayor and Salum.
All preparations being made, we only waited the arrival of Bon-ama,
who not making his appearance on the 15th, I began to apprehend that
some accident had happened, either to himself, or the animals. The
17th, however, brought him to Kayaye, having had two of his horses
killed by lions, and been obliged to leave two of the camels sick at
a village about fifteen miles from us. His arrival at that moment
was particularly fortunate, as it enabled us to take forward the
whole of our baggage, and a good supply of rice, which we had just
received from St. Mary’s.
On the 18th, the king, whose presence we had requested, in order
to make him a present, arrived, accompanied by about fifty people,
armed with guns and spears. He was himself mounted on a most wretched
animal in the shape of a horse, and was attended by a troop of drums
and singing people (_Jallikeas_), making a most hideous attempt at
instrumental and vocal music, intended to inspire their royal master
with a high idea of his own dignity.
In a few minutes we went to see him; he was seated in a small
hut, surrounded by his followers, but the place was so crowded
and intolerably hot (not to say any thing of the impurity of the
air) from tobacco smoke, and other vapours, that we were obliged
to request he would move to one of our huts. This being done, we
mentioned to him our intention of leaving Kayaye in a few days, and
requested that he would appoint a guide to conduct us to Medina, the
capital of Woolli. He made some objections, of an irrelevant nature,
but at length consented, in consideration of a present, amounting
to about one hundred bars in baft, muslin, coral, amber, tobacco,
scarlet cloth, and a pair of pistols. He was drunk and extremely
vociferous. The interview, however, terminated amicably, and his
majesty was present at a dance which the inhabitants of the village
brought forward in honour of his arrival, and in order to amuse him.
We had seen several of the chiefs of Western Africa, both moors and
negroes, but never saw any so wretchedly poor and unlike what he
intended to represent as this man; he is intolerably fond of rum,
and would be for ever drunk if he could obtain the means of being so;
his last demand was for two bottles of it, which I gave him. He left
us on the 19th, in a state of excessive inebriety, as were most of
his followers.
Aware of the great respectability Bon-ama, in his character of
Mahomedan priest, would enjoy in all the countries in the interior,
and of his having before offered his services to Governor M‘Carthy,
we endeavoured to prevail on him to accompany us to Sego, Tombuctoo,
or further, but it was not without much difficulty and objection
on his part, together with the promise of a very large reward,
that he could be induced to do so. He, however, at length agreed,
in consideration of a recompense of five hundred pounds British,
to accompany us to Tombuctoo or Jinnê, but no sum, however large,
or other advantage, he said, would induce him to go further. He made
it a previous article in his agreement, to be allowed to return to
Cayor, to arrange some private affairs, and promised to join us in
Bondoo. We did every thing in our power to induce him to give up
this point, but to no effect: it was his _sine qua non_. We bought
a camel from him, and hired two moors, who came along with him,
to conduct and have the care of those animals as far as we went.
Lamina, our Sego guide, told us, on the 20th, that it was now time
he should inform us, that as he was sent by the king of Bambarra,
to conduct the expedition to that country, he felt it his duty
to say, that the road leading through Woolli, Bondoo, Kasson,
and Fooledoo, was the only one in which he thought it safe to
take us, as there were, in all those countries, people belonging
to his master waiting to escort us; that he had himself received
from those in Bondoo, a horse to ride, and six asses to carry
his baggage. As there appeared nothing in this request but what
was fair, and, as we conceived (in case of any unforeseen delay,
we should be obliged to make a halt during the rains), that Bondoo,
from its high situation and its vicinity to the river Senegal, would
be most advantageous for that purpose, we acceded to his proposal,
and were moreover induced to take this step in consequence of the
very high and upright character we were taught, by Mr. Partarrieau,
who had been before in that country, to entertain of Almamy Isata,
the king: the result will prove how much our informant was himself
deceived in his opinion of that man, and how little confidence can be
placed in any information but that obtained by the most strict self
observation, in all matters connected with this unfortunate country.
Our means of transport decreased daily; we had lost since the 2d,
one camel, one mule, and four horses, and there was no possibility of
procuring any at Kayaye; the camels left on the road by Bon-ama, had
not yet come up, although we had despatched a man to bring them. Every
thing, however, being ready, we fixed the 25th for our departure.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 6: See figure 1, plate 9.]