Departure from Kussaye — Pass through the Simbani Woods —
Loss of Camels — Ruins of Muntobe — Leave Muntobe — Arrive
at Sansanding — Halt there — Our Woolli guides leave us —
Discharge of Corporal Harrop — Arrival at Sabee, the first Town
of Bondoo — Loss of Animals — Opposition on the part of our
Guides to our moving thence — Arrival at Loonchea — Death of
the Camels — Supply of provisions from Almamy — Mr. Dochard sent
in advance with a present to Almamy — Departure from Loonchea —
Arrival at Dachadoonga — Difficulty and delay in carrying forward
the Baggage — Description of the Red Water, and its use — Arrival
at Goodeerri — Mr. Dochard returns from the Capital — Arrival of
Almamy’s eldest Son — Transactions with Almamy and difficulty in
arranging matters with him — Departure from Goodeerri, and arrival
at Boolibany, the Capital of Bondoo.
Having put the baggage in order, and fed the animals well on
pistacio tops and corn, since our arrival here, we moved forward
at six o’clock on the morning of the 9th, at a slow rate to the
ENE., over a much wooded country, until noon, when we halted at the
ruins of a town called Bantanto, in the Simbani woods, where the
well, though very deep, thirteen fathoms, was still in repair, and
supplied us with great plenty of water, but of a bad taste and smell,
occasioned by its not being much used. Mr. Nelson, Corporal Pickard,
and Privates Nicholson and Richmond had attacks of fever since the
evening of the 7th; with these exceptions, the party continued to
enjoy good health. We could not say as much for our animals: three
horses died since our arrival at Metafodia Cunda, and more than one
half of the remaining ones were unable to carry their loads, for the
transport of which it was found impossible to procure a sufficient
number of carriers from among the natives: some of our own African
soldiers, however, very cheerfully supplied their places, and we
managed, in one way or other, to take all forward, but not without
considerable trouble and fatigue. The many men we were obliged to
employ as carriers, left the animals without a sufficient number to
guide them and keep their loads from falling off, an occurrence which
took place at every twenty yards with some one or other of them. The
asses we had procured on the path were very good, but whether we did
not understand the proper way of loading them, or that our bales,
from being nearly round, were ill calculated to sit steady on their
_round_ backs, we could not determine; it appeared, however, something
was wrong, the consequence of which was much trouble and delay.
We moved from Bantanto at six o’clock on the morning of the 10th,
but one of our camels having been either stolen, or strayed from
the place where they had been feeding, I remained behind with that
division until four, P.M., up to which time a fruitless search had
been made for it in all directions. I then went forward alone,
leaving Mr. Partarrieau to wait until the following morning, in
hopes of recovering it, as it was a loss we could but badly afford
at that moment.
I joined the front at the ruins of Montobe, at nine o’clock. The
situation of this town, which must have been a very large one,
is beautiful: it was in two parts, that where we halted being the
smallest, and built on a hill shaded with fine large trees, the
other is in the centre of an extensive plain, bearing the marks of
cultivation, surrounded on all sides, at the distance of nearly a
quarter of a mile, by woods; both are plentifully supplied with water,
from wells only three or four feet deep, but which, in consequence
of being neglected, had fallen in so much that we were obliged
to clear them out before a sufficient quantity of water could be
obtained. The soil appeared to be better than any I had before seen;
it was composed of dark-brown mould, intermixed with white sand and
sand-stone. The walls and many of the houses were both strongly and
well built with yellow clay, raised from about four feet below the
surface, and intermixed with cut straw or withered grass and cow-dung.
It was destroyed about twelve months before by the people of Bondoo,
in one of their plundering excursions, and many of its inhabitants
were either killed or made prisoners (slaves), a fate but too common
in this country, where the strongest party always finds an excuse
for making war on the weaker, not unfrequently carrying off whole
towns of miserable inoffensive beings, without either any previous
intimation of their hostile intentions, or indeed any cause given
by those wretched objects of their avaricious encroachments. On
all such occasions, the only object in view is the attainment of
money, as they call it, and in this they succeed by selling their
unfortunate fellow-creatures, and, what is still more unnatural,
their compatriots, to slave-dealers.
A multitude of ideas, bringing with them the conviction of how much
Englishmen, and indeed all civilized nations, are favoured by Divine
Providence, in enjoying freedom and security against such unwarranted
and barbarous practices, rushed on my mind, as we surveyed the silent
and awful remains of some human bodies which lay outside the walls
of this once respectable and no doubt happy town, the inhabitants of
which were torn by unrelenting savages from that native spot, so dear
to all mankind. Even the strongest ties of nature riven asunder, and
all this to gratify the brutal desires of some neighbouring tyrant,
or to enrich a set of savages, who are daily exposed to a similar
fate themselves, at least as long as they can find people ready to
purchase their unnatural booty.
Mr. Partarrieau not having come up, we left Muntobe at six o’clock
on the morning of the 11th, and travelled slowly to the east until
noon, when we reached Sansanding, a small town, the last of the
kingdom of Woolli, beautifully situated on an eminence surrounded
by high grounds, through the valleys of which winds a branch of the
Gambia, now nearly dry; its banks are covered with cane, acacias,
and mimosas, which afforded us an agreeable shelter from the intense
heat of the sun. Here we decided on halting one day, in order to rest
the animals, particularly the camels, which were become very weak
for the last two days, owing to an insufficiency, indeed a scarcity,
of that species of food on which they are used to feed. One gave up on
the path, and died in a few hours, which the moors said resulted from
having eaten some poisonous weed in which that country abounds. The
men also wanted the opportunity of washing their linen, which this
place afforded. We eagerly took advantage of it as a great distance
of uninhabited country (which from a want of water it was necessary
to get over as quick as possible) lay between us and the frontier
town of Bondoo. Private Pickard, too, was so ill as to be unable to
ride, and was left on the path, under the shade of a tree, until the
afternoon, when we sent eight men with a hammock to bring him up. He
had, however, before they reached him, recovered sufficiently to come
forward on Mr. Partarrieau’s horse. The camel lost at Bantanto was
stolen by one of the king of Woolli’s people, and was traced as
far back as Kussaye by our men who went in search of it: the thief,
however, effected his escape with his prize, leaving Mr. Partarrieau
with only one camel to bring up the two loads. The asses, although
heavily loaded, travelled well, and were, if properly managed,
better adapted to this service than either horses or camels.
Our guide refused to accompany us beyond this town, giving, as
a reason, his fear of being detained in Bondoo, should he enter
that country. I was sorry for it, as the fellow really was very
accommodating and attentive; but no entreaties could induce him
to go on. I believe he was afraid that if we got him into one of
the towns in Bondoo, he would be detained until our camel should be
returned. In this he was deceived; for although such a step had been
talked of by the officers as likely to have a good effect, we never
had the least intention of doing so. I therefore dismissed him with
a present of twenty-two bars.
We here discharged Corporal Harrop, a native of Woolli, who had been
sold as a slave, when very young, and liberated by some of the British
cruizers on the coast. He met his mother at Medina, and expressed a
wish to remain there, a refusal to comply with which we were aware
would be useless, as he had it in his power to desert, and thereby
deprive us of the opportunity, which was thus offered, of acting in
a manner likely to convince the people of that part of the interior,
that our intentions towards them were liberal and humane. The man
himself seemed very thankful, and said he would never forget the
English, to whose settlements on the Gambia he would return, in order
to lay out the money we had then given him as pay and allowance
up to that date. He took a cordial farewel of all his companions,
and returned to Medina with the guide, to glad the heart of an aged
mother, who no doubt looked on her son as one risen from the dead.
We tasted some drink made from honey and millet, somewhat like mead;
but from its acidity, acquired by fermentation, and the non use
of bitters in its composition, it had a very unpleasant effect on
the stomach.
Having purchased here six asses, we started at six o’clock in
the forenoon of the 13th, and entered the wilderness, through which
we travelled at a smart pace to the east until near mid-day, when
we came to a watering place in an open space in the woods, which
bore evident marks of inundation during the rains, and was said to
be the resort of large herds of elephants, which come thither in
search of water. This was evidently the case, as their foot-tracks
were visible in all directions; indeed, one of our men, who had gone
some distance from the path, said he had seen two of them.
A town belonging to Woolli formerly stood here; but little or no proof
of its having ever existed now remained. We however took advantage
of the only one, namely, the shade of the large trees which are in or
near all the towns we have seen in Africa. It is called Sabee Looroo.
As the distance from this last place to the frontier of Bondoo
was destitute of water, and too great to attempt marching it in
the heat of the day, without a plentiful supply of that necessary
article, we moved forward at six in the evening, having filled all
our soofroos[10], and marched very expeditiously in an east and by
north direction, through wood, until half after ten, when we were
obliged to halt, in consequence of its being very dark, and many of
the animals being much fatigued and considerably in the rear. Four
horses were left in a dying state, and Mr. Pilkington and four men
remained with their loads, until asses could be sent to bring them
up: they did not arrive at our bivouac until day-light the following
morning. We lost six horses during that march, and were likely to
lose more every day: our provisions, too, were becoming scarce;
but the prospect of being able to replenish all our wants in Bondoo,
did not allow things to appear as bad as they really were.
We reached Sabee at seven on the morning of the 14th, and took up
our position on an elevated spot to the NE. and distant about half a
quarter of a mile from the town, which is a very large one, walled,
and situated in an extensive plain, gently rising to the ESE., in
which direction it is bounded by mountains: through it runs a small
watercourse, now nearly dry, and which the natives call the Neerico.
The inhabitants of this town are all Mahomedans, who are
Surrawoollies, and came originally from Kajaga or Galam: they appeared
a mild inoffensive race, and were not only better clothed, but cleaner
in their persons than the people of Woolli. Their provisions, also,
were in greater plenty. We purchased from them three asses, three
small bullocks, and a goat, together with some fowls, milk, butter,
and eggs. Latitude of Sabee, by meridian altitude, sun’s lower limb,
14° 10′ 58″. Thermometer in shade 100°.
They cultivate, on the banks of the Neerico, in moist places, a sort
of tobacco, which is of a small growth and a pale green colour,
bearing a yellow blossom: it is manufactured into snuff, in which
state alone that sort is used. They also cultivate a larger kind,
more resembling the American tobacco in size and colour: this bears
a white blossom, and when dried is used in smoking. These, with
millet, maize, two other varieties of corn, rice, cotton, indigo,
and a few small onions and pompions, are the productions I noticed
here, and for which the ground appeared well adapted.
When we were about moving on the morning of the 15th, Masiri Cabba,
a man who had come from Bondoo to Lamina, and joined us at Kayaye,
came to say that a messenger had just arrived from Almamy, to
direct that we should not advance further into his country, until
we had sent a person to him. As we conceived this to be all a plan
between Masiri Cabba and Lamina, for we saw them talking together
a few minutes before, we paid no attention to it, and moved on, at
half after six, to the south of east, over a fine open country, much
cultivated, and more diversified by hill and dale than we had before
met with: we reached a large straggling village, Jumjoury, situate
on a rising ground, without any defence whatever. There appeared
to be large quantities of cotton grown here, and the plantations
looked in fine order. The chief here made us a present of a goat and
some cous cous, in return for which he received double their value:
indeed, taking those presents is a bad plan, but it would be wrong
to insult those people, and they would certainly regard a refusal of
any thing offered by them, only in such a point of view. We purchased
here two fine sheep, five goats, and some corn.
Having left Jumjoury at six, on the morning of the 16th, and
travelled east over a fine, open, and, for the most part, well
cultivated country, to Deedey, a small village, which we passed,
and arrived at Loonchea, lying ESE. from the former. The camels
travelled badly this day; one died shortly after our arrival, and
the remainder looked very sickly. We halted under some large trees
on the side of a considerable gully or ravine, having a mud bottom,
at that time dried up, but which, during the rains, was the bed and
course of a torrent running to the SSW.
The supply of rice we brought from Kayaye was here exhausted, with the
exception of a few pints, and we had not as yet been able to procure
a sufficiency of either cous cous or meal to make a full allowance,
for two days. The only provisions we could find here was a little
milk and some fowls.
One of the camels, having every appearance of approaching death,
was killed, and the meat made use of by our men. We tasted it,
and found it as good as any beef we could procure. This gave a
sufficiency for the day.
The chief of the town called on us in the afternoon, and told us that
he had received directions from Almamy to provide us with some corn,
which he was ready to deliver; but, as it was not in a state to be
made use of, we requested him to have it converted into cous cous and
meal, which he undertook to have done. The necessity we were under
of waiting for this supply, and the loss of three of our camels by
death, since our arrival here, obliged us to make a halt. I had also
determined on sending Mr. Dochard from this place to the capital,
in order to see Almamy, and arrange with him for our passage through
his country, and his protection and assistance while in it.
I accordingly despatched him on the morning of the 18th, accompanied
by Masiri Cabba Dharra (one of the king of Sego’s men), and four
of our own people. He took with him some large amber as a present
for the king.
Having received from the master of the town a quantity of cous cous
and meal, sufficient for six days, and divided the loads of the three
camels that died here among the remaining ones and the other animals,
we moved forward at five in the afternoon to the ENE. over a flat
country much intersected by the dry beds of torrents, the banks of
which are covered with acacias and mimosas: one of them was very
deep, and so difficult to pass, that most of the asses fell and
threw their loads, which delayed us some time. One of the camels
died on the path; this also delayed us considerably, and we did not
reach Gongally until near midnight, all very much fatigued. In the
course of the forenoon of the 19th, I purchased two asses, being
all that I could induce the inhabitants of this town to part with,
although they had many more, and the prices I offered were large. I
was therefore obliged to hire some more carriers; a most troublesome
mode of transport, for it required a good look-out to prevent those
fellows from running away with their loads. We left Gongally at four
in the afternoon, and arrived at Dachadoonga, after a very fatiguing
march of three hours and a half, over a much broken country covered
with wood. The chief of this town, which is a small one, is married
to one of Almamy’s daughters.
The few remaining horses, and the camels, were become so weak as
to be unable to carry, and we had not yet been able to purchase a
sufficient number of asses for the whole of the baggage; I therefore
sent Mr. Burton forward to Goodeerie, on the 20th, with as much of it
as all the asses would carry, and directed him to send them back next
morning to bring forward the remainder, but from some mistake of their
guides, or from having straggled too much, they took different paths,
which led them all (with the exception of two or three) much out of
their way, and it was not until eight o’clock in the afternoon of
the 21st, after despatching Lamina to conduct them into the right
path, that the asses returned. Having purchased three very good asses
here, we left it at seven o’clock on the morning of the 22d, and
arrived at Ganado, another small village, at eleven. Messrs. Nelson
and Pilkington had gone on to Goodeerie, when, not finding any of
the party, they returned to Ganado, where we passed the night, and
lost four horses and (six) all our sheep, in consequence of their
having eaten the leaves of a tree (called Talee, by the natives)
which is common throughout this country. It is a strong poison, and
has a very sweet taste. The pagan natives of some parts of Africa,
make use of an infusion of the bark of this tree to ascertain whether
a person among them, suspected of witchcraft, be guilty or not. The
accused is obliged to drink a quantity of this liquor, and which,
according to its strength, sooner or later produces nausea, vomiting,
and pain in the stomach and abdomen, and not unfrequently terminates
in the death of the person; in which case he is considered to have
been guilty: but should the person recover, either in consequence
of the weakness of the dose (sometimes arising from a large bribe
administered to the person who made it), or a great strength of
constitution and timely antidotes, he is declared innocent. This
horrid method is seldom practised by the Mahomedan natives of Africa.
On the morning of the 23d, I again sent forward Mr. Burton (being
the only officer now with me, able to do duty) to Goodeerie, with
all the asses, loaded, and directions to send them back to me in
the evening. He left us at four o’clock, and the asses returned
at nine the same afternoon. The country about this town is really
beautifully diversified with hill and dale, both covered with wood,
some of which is very large. At a short distance to the SE. is the
dry bed of a stream which, during the rains, runs to the SW. and
joins the Gambia. The inhabitants here had commenced preparing their
corn and rice grounds, in consequence of the very great appearance
of approaching rain for the last two or three days, during which we
had some thunder and lightning, accompanied with a perfect calm and
intense heat of the sun and atmosphere.
Little trouble is indeed necessary in this country for the purpose of
cultivation; the ground is merely cleared of the old corn stalks, and
such weeds and young wood as have sprung up during the dry weather;
all which are burnt, and the ashes strewed on the surface. Small
holes are then made in the ground, distant from each other about a
foot or eighteen inches, and two or three grains of corn dropped into
each, which is filled by pushing a portion of the earth and the ashes
before mentioned into it. In this state it remains, until it arrives
at about two feet above the surface, when the ground between is hoed
up and cleared of weeds, a process which takes place as often as the
growth of the weeds renders it necessary, and which, in this country,
where vegetation is so rapidly going on during the rains, grow apace.
We left Ganado at seven o’clock on the morning of the 24th, passed
two small villages, situated in an open and well cultivated country,
and reached Goodeerie at noon, having met an immense host of black
monkeys, who, on our approach, set up a hideous barking noise, and
scampered into the woods. Some of them were as large as a mastiff dog.
Goodeerie is a small straggling village, inhabited by Surrawoollies
and Foulahs. Masiri Cabba, who is chief of it, accommodated us with
a sufficient number of huts to shelter both the men and baggage
from rain, which was fast approaching. As I feared it was likely we
should have to remain a few days here, in order to the arrangement
of matters with Almamy, I cheerfully accepted his offer, and now,
for the first time since our leaving Kayaye, we entered and took up
quarters inside a town.
I was here informed that Almamy was not at the capital when
Mr. Dochard went there, and that it was probable he might have to
wait there some time before he could see him, as he was absent on some
business connected with the war between him and the people of Galam.
Mr. Dochard, however, arrived on the 21st, without having seen
Almamy. He was accompanied by Almady Gay (one of Almamy’s nephews),
who was sent to procure for us a supply of bullocks and corn. Almamy
sent Mr. Dochard word that he was extremely glad to hear of our
arrival in his country, and would give us every assistance and
protection in his power as far as Foolidoo, to which country we
should be accompanied by one of his chiefs, who would be a sufficient
safeguard to us. He further requested that we would remain where
we were until he could come to see us, which should be in a very
few days. The prospect of being thus delayed even for a few days,
as I then thought, was irksome in the extreme, as the rains were
fast approaching, and, in the space of another month, travelling
would become, if not wholly impossible, at least very difficult
and dangerous. But so it was, that attempting to move through this
country without having first arranged matters with Almamy, would
have been madness. We were therefore obliged to submit with patience.
Since our arrival here, we were beset by a multitude of beggars of
all descriptions. Princes and their wives without number, came to make
to us trifling presents, with the hope of receiving in return double
their value, and their attendants were not less troublesome. Goulahs,
or singing people, who in Africa always flock around those who have
any thing to give, no doubt thought this a good opportunity to turn to
good account their abilities in music, and we were continually annoyed
by their horrid noise. Dozens of them would, at the same moment,
set up a sort of roaring extempore song in our praise, accompanied
by drums and a sort of guitar, and we found it impossible to get
rid of them by any other means than giving something. They were not,
however, to be put off with a trifle. People who lived by that sort
of gain, and not unfrequently received from their own chiefs presents
to the amount of several slaves, were not to be put off with trifles,
particularly by persons with (apparently to them) so much riches as
we had. The consequence was, we were in a continual state of uproar
with those wretches. Never did I find my patience so much tired as
on those occasions.
On the 31st a man arrived from Boolibany, to say that Almamy would be
at Goodeerie on the following day, but it was not until the 5th of
June that we heard any thing more of him. During this time we were
plagued out of our lives by a host of his nephews, nieces, cousins,
&c. all begging.
On the 5th, Saada, Almamy’s eldest son, accompanied by two of
his majesty’s ministers and three other grandees of the country,
came to announce his father’s arrival at a small town of the
same name as this, distant about five miles east. They made some
objections to call on me first, and I would have waved all ceremony
in favour of the expediting in the least our business; but Lamina
said it was their place to call on me: they were the bearers of
a message from Almamy, and to deliver it they must come to me,
and not I to them. This they did, and entered on the business with
all the indifference and hauteur imaginable. Saada himself would
not uncover his mouth or nose, which he had closely wrapped up in
a part of his turban which hung down, for fear he might inhale the
air breathed by an infidel. Many words, expressed in a strangely
slow and authoritative manner, went to say that Almamy had arrived,
and would see me whenever I wished to call upon him, or would come
himself to see me if I preferred it. The former I adopted, as I was
aware that his presence here would draw around us a set of beggars,
whose importunities would be insupportable, and therefore decided on
going, without delay, to see him. Messrs. Dochard and Partarrieau
accompanied me. Lamina, Masiri Cabba, and one of my own men to act
as interpreter, composed the whole of our attendants.
On our arrival at the village, we had to wait nearly half an hour
before we could obtain an interview. After the usual compliments of
salutation, &c., I explained to him, by means of my interpreter, in
as few words as possible, the object we had in view in travelling
through his country, and requested that we might be detained as
short a time as possible. He said that we might depend on his doing
all in his power to forward our views, and that the time of our
stay chiefly depended on ourselves. By this he meant to say, that
if we paid him handsomely, he would allow us to pass. He said much
about the trifling nature of the present I sent him by Mr. Dochard,
insinuating that it was scarcely fit for one of his Goulas.
We took the hint and requested that people might be sent to receive
the present I intended for him. These were soon nominated, and with
them and Saada, who was sent to remain with us (as Almamy said, to
see we were well treated, but, we believe, as a spy on our actions),
we returned to our quarters.
Having laid out a considerable present, amounting to more than ten
times that given to the king of Woolli, we showed it to the persons
sent for that purpose, on the morning of the 6th, and made Saada a
very handsome present indeed, for which he appeared very thankful,
but said that we should first settle with his father. We were asked
if what we had laid before them was intended merely as _service_
(as they call it), meaning thereby a present or douceur, or as all
we intended to give him; and we answered that we intended it as
the full amount of present. To which they replied, they were only
directed to receive service, that was then shewn, and objected to,
as too small. After much conversation on both sides, without being
able to arrange with those fellows, we determined on again going
to Almamy, to endeavour to settle with him personally. In this,
however, we were deceived; he was, if possible, more difficult to
please than his ministers, and told us, that as we did not choose to
act in compliance with their wishes, he should not wait where he was
any longer, but return to his house, where we might come to see him
when we thought proper to act consistently with, what he considered,
our duty, namely, the increasing of the present; that as all the
surrounding kings were averse to our going to the east, and even
his own chiefs did not like it, he was taking a great responsibility
on himself in allowing us to do so. This, and much more of the same
nature, too tedious to mention, closed the interview. We therefore,
to avoid more delay, determined on giving those insatiable rascals
as much as we could afford, and thereby, if possible, get rid of
them. The rains had already commenced, and no time was to be lost,
which could, in any way, consistently with the future safety of the
expedition, be avoided.
Having selected an enormous present, we despatched Mr. Partarrieau
to lay it before his majesty, and it was not until the 9th that he
returned, having, in some measure, satisfied the avaricious appetite
of the great man, who, however, still said much about receiving six
bottles of gunpowder and a musket for each ass load; and insinuated
that he had been informed we had loads composed entirely of gold and
silver. Fresh demands were continually made, and we were not able,
before the 13th, finally to settle with him. This was done by our
giving him an order on the Gambia for one hundred and twenty bottles
of gunpowder, twenty common guns and a blunderbuss.
He came to see us in a friendly way, as he said, on the 14th,
accompanied by a host of ministers, chiefs, &c., who all expected
no doubt to receive something. On this occasion he appeared to be
perfectly satisfied with what had been given him and his followers,
and promised we should have a guide wherever we wished to move, and
in whatever direction we pleased. This, however, we could not obtain
until the 17th, and then he would not listen to our pursuing any route
but that through Kasson, the chief of which country was his friend,
which we knew to be the case, but we feared he was only too much so,
and ready to put in execution any plan Almamy might devise to annoy
and delay us, and ultimately frustrate the object we had in view.
Notwithstanding Almamy’s having sent his nephew to procure supplies
for us, since our arrival at Goodeerie we had been very scantily
supplied with provisions, although large prices were offered, and
men sent in all directions to collect corn, rice, or any kind of
food that could be procured.
A fine moor boy, about eight years of age, a slave, was sent us
by the king, to purchase bullocks with, but hungry as we were we
preferred remaining so, to eating that procured at the expense of
liberty to a fellow-creature, who, from his horrified appearance, no
doubt thought we were going to eat him. He spoke the language well, by
which means we explained to him the happy change that had taken place
in his situation, but he did not appear to believe it for some days.
In some instances the princes and chiefs who flocked round us in
hopes of receiving presents (and they invariably got something, but
which was not as great as they either expected or could have wished),
prevented the natives from bringing to market even the scanty supply
which their reduced means at that time of the year would have enabled
them to do.
For several days we submitted to a very scanty allowance indeed,
and we had no appearance of obtaining a more plentiful supply by any
other means than that of arranging matters to the satisfaction of
Almamy, which we were at length (by means of considerable presents
to him and his followers) enabled to do. Indeed the latter, a set
of cringing liars, and all either Goulas (singing people) or Bilos
(blacksmiths), were as difficult to be pleased as their master, with
whom they had such influence that no matter was decided on, or step
taken, without their advice, and whose interest it was absolutely
necessary to purchase, though, I believe, to little purpose; as
they will make the fairest promises to attain their end, and then
betray their benefactor; or, at least, in their private conferences
with Almamy, give him advice directly contrary to that expressed as
their opinion in public, and by no means conducive to the attainment
of our wishes. No sooner was one promise made by him and them, on
the proviso of receiving a present, and those terms complied with
on our part, than some contrary construction was put on the same,
and we were left to devise such other means of attaining our object
as the moment might suggest. It is really impossible for a person
not conversant with such affairs, or acquainted with such people, to
have any idea of the irksome and perplexing nature of their duplicity
and falsehood, or of the situation a man finds himself placed in,
when dependent in a great measure on their will and pleasure for
the common necessaries of life.
Such was our situation on the 16th, when we went to Almamy’s
residence, in order to endeavour, by any possible means, to gain
permission to choose our own route. But in this, however, we were
unfortunately not able to succeed, and consequently submitted with
an apparent good grace, for any other line of conduct would have
tended to no good purpose; telling him that we would be ready to
move on the 18th, and as he seemed to think he could protect us more
effectually in that road than any other, we requested that guides
might be immediately appointed to conduct us. This was directly
complied with; when we returned to our huts, and made the arrangements
necessary in consequence of so long and unpleasant delays.
We left Goodeerie at half after five in the evening of the 18th June,
and halted for the night at the village where Almamy had been. We
were under the disagreeable necessity (now, for the first time,)
of leaving one of the party behind (Private Pickard), who was
reduced to such a state of debility and emaciation from dysentery,
that he was not only unable to ride, but reported, by Mr. Dochard,
as unlikely to recover. Two men were left with him, and directed,
in case of his getting better in a few days, to bring him forward to
Boolibany, where we intended halting, to procure provisions; and in
case of his death to bury him, and follow us with as much expedition
as possible. A supply of the means of procuring subsistence was
given them, and I really felt much at abandoning to his fate one of
the most active and useful men we had.
Messrs. Nelson and Pilkington were also in a very bad state of health,
and many of the European soldiers, although not decidedly unwell,
were occasionally complaining of headaches and pains in their limbs,
indicating the approach of fever and dysentery.
Much rain had already fallen, and vegetation was going on most
rapidly in consequence of the intense heat of the sun and humidity
of the soil. To the north of Goodeerie, was a range of high hills,
covered with wood, and running from NE. to SW. About half way between
where we left and it, we crossed the partly dry bed of a torrent,
which, at this time, comes from some hills lying south of east from
our path, and running, with many windings, to the west of north,
to empty itself into the Senegal.
We left Goodeerie (there are many towns of the same name in that
district, named after a people who came from a town in Galam formerly
so called,) at seven o’clock on the morning of the 19th; and after
a march of five hours and a half to the north of east, over a well
cultivated and thickly inhabited country, we arrived at a large
town, or rather a large collection of small villages, called Baigh
Baigh, beautifully situated on eminences rising gently on either
side of a narrow valley, in which ran a considerable torrent of
water, collected by the neighbouring hills, and contributing to
the periodical overflowing of the Senegal. The corn grounds were
beginning to look green, and the entire face of the country, which
had for some months presented a most arid and fatiguing prospect,
was now progressively assuming all the varied gaiety of spring. The
natives, too, were busily employed in cultivation, which, in Africa,
is indiscriminately carried on by men and women.
Many of our men did not come up before night. The march was a long
one, and the day excessively hot and calm, with every appearance of
rain, of which we had a smart fall during the night.
On the following morning, we moved forward to the north of east,
over a gently rising country, beautifully diversified by hill and
dale, and thickly covered in every direction with small villages,
in the vicinity of which, cultivation appeared to be carrying on to a
considerable extent. We crossed, about five miles west of Boolibany,
a range of small hills, running nearly north and south, covered with
stunted underwood, and composed of a dark brown stone resembling
volcanic eruption, and having a strong magnetic attraction. One
piece, bearing a high metallic polish, drew to it small needles
from the distance of three quarters of an inch. From those hills
the natives procure a large supply of iron, which they esteem much
for its goodness, and which is extracted from the ore, or stone
containing it, in the manner mentioned by Mr. Park.
We reached Boolibany at noon, and were accommodated with huts in the
town, a division of which was given up entirely for our use, and from
which Almamy, who paid us a visit in the afternoon, desired us to
keep off the mob, in the same way we should do were we in an English
fort. This, however, we found much difficulty in accomplishing against
a host of visitors of all ages and descriptions, coming to see, for
the first time in their lives, a white man. Shortly after our arrival
some of the king’s wives sent us two or three large calabashes, full
of fine milk and cous cous, which was not at all a despicable present.
Many of the great men of the town paid us visits of ceremony and
curiosity; all which we would have most willingly dispensed with,
but they were not to be sent off in a hurry, and we were often
reduced to the necessity of walking out of our huts, in hopes of
their doing so too. But even this did not always succeed, and we
were necessitated to submit with an apparent good grace to their
importunities for presents. I do believe they thought that asking
alone was necessary to the filling of their pockets with amber, &c.,
and covering their backs with silks, bafts, &c.; for the procuring
of all of which they seldom brought any more valuable articles than a
little milk, or some rice, or corn. Indeed we wanted nothing else, but
the miserable handfuls which they presented, were scarcely worth the
trouble of receiving, much less giving more than the value in return.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 10: Leather bags.]