that they are more immediately under the influence of the Mahomedan laws;
for all the chief men, (the king excepted,) and a large majority of the
inhabitants of Bondou, are Mussulmen, and the authority and laws of the
Prophet are every where looked upon as sacred and decisive. In the
exercise of their faith, however, they are not very intolerant towards
such of their countrymen as still retain their ancient superstitions.
Religious persecution is not known among them, nor is it necessary; for
the system of Mahomet is made to extend itself by means abundantly more
efficacious. By establishing small schools in the different towns, where
many of the Pagan as well as Mahomedan children are taught to read the
Koran, and instructed in the tenets of the Prophet, the Mahomedan priests
fix a bias on the minds, and form the character of their young disciples,
which no accidents of life can ever afterwards remove or alter. Many of
these little schools I visited in my progress through the country, and
observed with pleasure the great docility and submissive deportment of
the children, and heartily wished they had had better instructors, and a
purer religion.
With the Mahomedan faith is also introduced the Arabic language, with
which most of the Foulahs have a slight acquaintance. The native tongue
abounds very much in liquids, but there is something unpleasant in the
manner of pronouncing it. A stranger, on hearing the common conversation
of two Foulahs, would imagine that they were scolding each other. Their
numerals are these:--
One ......... _Go_.
Two ......... _Deeddee_.
Three ......... _Tettee_.
Four ......... _Nee_.
Five ......... _Jouee_.
Six ......... _Jego_.
Seven ......... _Jedeeddee_.
Eight ......... _Je Tettee_.
Nine ......... _Je Nee_.
Ten ......... _Sappo_.
The industry of the Foulahs, in the occupations of pasturage and
agriculture, is everywhere remarkable. Even on the banks of the Gambia,
the greater part of the corn is raised by them; and their herds and
flocks are more numerous and in better condition than those of the
Mandingoes; but in Bondou they are opulent in a high degree, and enjoy
all the necessaries of life in the greatest profusion. They display great
skill in the management of their cattle, making them extremely gentle by
kindness and familiarity. On the approach of night, they are collected
from the woods, and secured in folds, called korrees, which are
constructed in the neighbourhood of the different villages. In the middle
of each korree is erected a small hut, wherein one or two of the herdsmen
keep watch during the night, to prevent the cattle from being stolen, and
to keep up the fires which are kindled round the korree to frighten away
the wild beasts.
The cattle are milked in the mornings and evenings; the milk is
excellent, but the quantity obtained from any one cow is by no means so
great as in Europe. The Foulahs use the milk chiefly as an article of
diet, and that not until it is quite sour. The cream which it affords is
very thick, and is converted into butter by stirring it violently in a
large calabash. This butter, when melted over a gentle fire, and freed
from impurities, is preserved in small earthen pots, and forms a part in
most of their dishes; it serves likewise to anoint their heads, and is
bestowed very liberally on their faces and arms.
But although milk is plentiful, it is somewhat remarkable that the
Foulahs, and indeed all the inhabitants of this part of Africa, are
totally unacquainted with the art of making cheese. A firm attachment to
the customs of their ancestors makes them view with an eye of prejudice
every thing that looks like innovation. The heat of the climate, and the
great scarcity of salt, are held forth as unanswerable objections: and
the whole process appears to them too long and troublesome to be attended
with any solid advantage.
Besides the cattle, which constitute the chief wealth of the Foulahs,
they possess some excellent horses, the breed of which seems to be a
mixture of the Arabian with the original African.
CHAPTER V.
_Account of Kajaaga.--Serawoollies--their manners and language.--Account
of Joag.--The Author is ill treated, and robbed of half of his effects,
by order of Batcheri, the king.--Charity of a female slave.--The Author
is visited by Demba Sego, nephew of the King of Kasson, who offers to
conduct him in safety to that kingdom.--Offer accepted.--The Author and
his protector, with a numerous retinue, set out and reach Samee, on the
banks of the Senegal.--Proceed to Kayee, and, crossing the Senegal,
arrive in the kingdom of Kasson._
The kingdom of Kajaaga, in which I was now arrived, is called by the
French Gallam; but the name that I have adopted is universally used by
the natives. This country is bounded on the south-east and south by
Bambouk; on the west by Bondou and Foota Torra; and on the north by the
river Senegal.
The air and climate are, I believe, more pure and salubrious than at any
of the settlements towards the coast; the face of the country is
everywhere interspersed with a pleasing variety of hills and valleys; and
the windings of the Senegal river, which descends from the rocky hills of
the interior, make the scenery on its banks very picturesque and
beautiful.
The inhabitants are called Serawoollies, or (as the French write it)
_Seracolets_. Their complexion is a jet black: they are not to be
distinguished in this respect from the Jaloffs. The government is
monarchical; and the regal authority, from what I experienced of it,
seems to be sufficiently formidable. The people themselves, however,
complain of no oppression; and seemed all very anxious to support the
king in a contest he was going to enter into with the sovereign of
Kasson. The Serawoollies are habitually a trading people; they formerly
carried on a great commerce with the French in gold and slaves, and still
maintain some traffic in slaves with the British factories on the Gambia.
They are reckoned tolerably fair and just in their dealings, but are
indefatigable in their exertions to acquire wealth, and they derive
considerable profits by the sale of salt and cotton cloth in distant
countries. When a Serawoolli merchant returns home from a trading
expedition, the neighbours immediately assemble to congratulate him upon
his arrival. On these occasions the traveller displays his wealth and
liberality, by making a few presents to his friends; but if he has been
unsuccessful, his levee is soon over; and every one looks upon him as a
man of no understanding, who could perform a long journey, and (as they
express it) _bring back nothing but the hair upon his head_.
Their language abounds much in gutterals, and is not so harmonious as
that spoken by the Foulahs; it is, however, well worth acquiring by those
who travel through this part of the African continent, it being very
generally understood in the kingdoms of Kasson, Kaarta, Ludamar, and the
northern parts of Bambarra. In all these countries the Serawoollies are
the chief traders. Their numerals are:--
One ......... _Bani_.
Two ......... _Fillo_.
Three ......... _Sicco_.
Four ......... _Narrato_.
Five ......... _Karrago_.
Six ......... _Toomo_.
Seven ......... _Nero_.
Eight ......... _Sego_.
Nine ......... _Kabbo_.
Ten ......... _Tamo_.
Twenty......... _Tamo di fillo_.
We arrived at Joag, the frontier town of this kingdom, on the 24th of
December; and took up our residence at the house of the chief man, who is
here no longer known by the title of _Alkaid_, but is called the _Dooty_.
He was a rigid Mahomedan, but distinguished for his hospitality. This
town may be supposed, on a gross computation, to contain two thousand
inhabitants. It is surrounded by a high wall, in which are a number of
port-holes, for musketry to fire through; in case of an attack. Every
man's possession is likewise surrounded by a wall; the whole forming so
many distinct citadels; and amongst a people unacquainted with the use of
artillery, these walls answer all the purposes of stronger
fortifications. To the westward of the town is a small river, on the
banks of which the natives raise great plenty of tobacco and onions.
The same evening Madiboo the Bushreen, who had accompanied me from
Pisania, went to pay a visit to his father and mother, who dwelt at a
neighbouring town called Dramanet. He was joined by my other attendant
the blacksmith; and as soon as it was dark, I was invited to see the
sports of the inhabitants, it being their custom, on the arrival of
strangers, to welcome them by diversions of different kinds. I found a
great crowd surrounding a party who were dancing, by the light of some
large fires, to the music of four drums, which were beat with great
exactness and uniformity. The dances, however, consisted more in wanton
gestures than in muscular exertion or graceful attitudes. The ladies vied
with each other in displaying the most voluptuous movements imaginable.
December 25th. About two o'clock in the morning a number of horsemen came
into the town, and having awakened my landlord, talked to him for some
time in the Serawoolli tongue; after which they dismounted, and came to
the Bentang, on which I had made my bed. One of them thinking that I was
asleep, attempted to steal the musket that lay by me on the mat; but
finding that he could not effect his purpose undiscovered, he desisted:
and the strangers sat down by me till daylight.
I could now easily perceive, by the countenance of my interpreter,
Johnson, that something very unpleasant was in agitation. I was likewise
surprised to see Madiboo and the blacksmith so soon returned. On
inquiring the reason, Madiboo informed me that as they were dancing at
Dramanet, ten horsemen, belonging to Batcheri, king of the country, with
his second son at their head, had arrived there, inquiring if the white
man had passed: and on being told that I was at Joag, they rode off
without stopping. Madiboo added, that on hearing this, he and the
blacksmith hastened back to give me notice of their coming. Whilst I was
listening to this narrative, the ten horsemen mentioned by Madiboo
arrived; and coming to the Bentang, dismounted and seated themselves with
those who had come before, the whole being about twenty in number,
forming a circle round me, and each man holding his musket in his hand. I
took this opportunity to observe to my landlord, that as I did not
understand the Serawoolli tongue, I hoped, whatever the men had to say
they would speak in Mandingo. To this they agreed; and a short man,
loaded with a remarkable number of saphies, opened the business in a very
long harangue, informing me that I had entered the king's town without
having first paid the duties, or giving any present to the king, and
that, according to the laws of the country, my people, cattle, and
baggage, were forfeited. He added, that they had received orders from
the king to conduct me to Maana,[8] the place of his residence; and if I
refused to come with them, their orders were to bring me by force; upon
his saying which, all of them rose up and asked me if I was ready. It
would have been equally vain and imprudent in me to have resisted or
irritated such a body of men; I therefore affected to comply with their
commands, and begged them only to stop a little until I had given my
horse a feed of corn, and settled matters with my landlord. The poor
blacksmith, who was a native of Kasson, mistook this feigned compliance
for a real intention, and taking me away from the company, told me that
he had always behaved towards me as if I had been his father and master;
and he hoped I would not entirely ruin him, by going to Maana; adding,
that as there was every reason to believe a war would soon take place
between Kasson and Kajaaga, he should not only lose his little property,
the savings of four years industry, but should certainly be detained and
sold as a slave, unless his friends had an opportunity of paying two
slaves for his redemption. I saw this reasoning in its full force, and
determined to do my utmost to preserve the blacksmith from so dreadful a
fate. I therefore told the king's son that I was ready to go with him,
upon condition that the blacksmith, who was an inhabitant of a distant
kingdom, and entirely unconnected with me, should be allowed to stay at
Joag till my return: to this they all objected; and insisted, that as we
had all acted contrary to the laws, we were all equally answerable for
our conduct.
[8] Maana is within a short distance of the ruins of Fort St. Joseph,
on the Senegal river, formerly a French factory.
I now took my landlord aside, and giving him a small present of
gunpowder, asked his advice in so critical a situation. He was decidedly
of opinion that I ought not to go to the king: he was fully convinced, he
said, that if the king should discover anything valuable in my
possession, he would not be over scrupulous about the means of obtaining
it. This made me the more solicitous to conciliate matters with the
king's people; and I began by observing, that what I had done did not
proceed from any want of respect towards the king, nor from any wish to
violate his laws, but wholly from my own inexperience and ignorance,
being a stranger, totally unacquainted with the laws and customs of their
country. I had indeed entered the king's frontier, without knowing that I
was to pay the duties beforehand, but I was ready to pay them now; which
I thought was all that they could reasonably demand. I then tendered
them, as a present to the king, the five drachms of gold which the King
of Bondou had given me: this they accepted, but insisted on examining my
baggage, which I opposed in vain. The bundles were opened; but the men
were much disappointed in not finding in them so much gold and amber as
they expected; they made up the deficiency, however, by taking whatever
things they fancied; and after wrangling and debating with me till
sunset, they departed, having first robbed me of half my goods. These
proceedings dispirited my people, and our fortitude was not strengthened
by a very indifferent supper, after a long fast. Madiboo begged me to
turn back; Johnson laughed at the thoughts of proceeding without money,
and the blacksmith was afraid to be seen, or even to speak, lest any one
should discover him to be a native of Kasson. In this disposition we
passed the night by the side of a dim fire, and our situation the next
day was very perplexing: it was impossible to procure provisions without
money, and I knew that if I produced any beads or amber, the king would
immediately hear of it, and I should probably lose the few effects I had
concealed. We therefore resolved to combat hunger for the day, and wait
some favourable opportunity of purchasing or begging provisions.
Towards evening, as I was sitting upon the Bentang, chewing straws, an
old female slave, passing by with a basket upon her head, asked me _if I
had got my dinner_. As I thought she only laughed at me, I gave her no
answer; but my boy, who was sitting close by, answered for me, and told
her that the king's people had robbed me of all my money. On hearing
this, the good old woman, with a look of unaffected benevolence,
immediately took the basket from her head, and showing me that it
contained ground nuts, asked me if I could eat them; being answered in
the affirmative, she presented me with a few handfuls, and walked away
before I had time to thank her for this seasonable supply. This trifling
circumstance gave me peculiar satisfaction. I reflected with pleasure on
the conduct of this poor untutored slave, who, without examining into my
character or circumstances, listened implicitly to the dictates of her
own heart. Experience had taught her that hunger was painful, and her own
distresses made her commiserate those of others.
The old woman had scarcely left me, when I received information that a
nephew of Demba Sego Jalla, the Mandingo King of Kasson, was coming to
pay me a visit. He had been sent on an embassy to Batcheri, King of
Kajaaga, to endeavour to settle the disputes which had arisen between his
uncle and the latter; but after debating the matter four days without
success, he was now on his return; and hearing that a white man was at
Joag, in his way to Kasson, curiosity brought him to see me. I
represented to him my situation and distresses; when he frankly offered
me his protection, and said he would be my guide to Kasson, (provided I
would set out the next morning,) and be answerable for my safety. I
readily and gratefully accepted his offer; and was ready, with my
attendants, by daylight on the morning of the 27th of December.
My protector, whose name was Demba Sego, probably after his uncle, had a
numerous retinue. Our company at leaving Joag consisted of thirty persons
and six loaded asses; and we rode on cheerfully enough for some hours,
without any remarkable occurrence, until we came to a species of tree,
for which my interpreter, Johnson, had made frequent inquiry. On finding
it, he desired us to stop; and producing a white chicken, which he had
purchased at Joag for the purpose, he tied it by the leg to one of the
branches, and then told us we might now safely proceed, for that our
journey would be prosperous. This circumstance is mentioned merely to
illustrate the disposition of the Negroes, and to show the power of
superstition over their minds; for although this man had resided seven
years in England, it was evident that he still retained the prejudices
and notions he had imbibed in his youth. He meant this ceremony, he told
me, as an offering or sacrifice to the spirits of the woods; who were, he
said, a powerful race of beings of a white colour, with long flowing
hair. I laughed at his folly, but could not condemn the piety of his
motives.
At noon we had reached Gungadi, a large town, where we stopped about an
hour, until some of the asses that had fallen behind came up. Here I
observed a number of date trees, and a mosque built of clay, with six
turrets, on the pinnacles of which were placed six ostrich eggs. A little
before sunset we arrived at the town of Samee, on the banks of the
Senegal, which is here a beautiful but shallow river, moving slowly over
a bed of sand and gravel. The banks are high and covered with verdure;
the country is open and cultivated; and the rocky hills of Felow and
Bambouk add much to the beauty of the landscape.
December 28th. We departed from Samee, and arrived in the afternoon at
Kayee, a large village, part of which is situated on the north, and part
on the south side of the river. A little above this place is a
considerable cataract, where the river flows over a ledge of whinstone
rock with great force: below this the river is remarkably black and deep;
and here it was proposed to make our cattle swim over. After hallooing,
and firing some muskets, the people on the Kasson side observed us, and
brought over a canoe to carry our baggage. I did not, however, think it
possible to get the cattle down the bank, which is here more than forty
feet above the water; but the Negroes seized the horses, and launched one
at a time down a sort of trench or gulley that was almost perpendicular,
and seemed to have been worn smooth by this sort of use. After the
terrified cattle had been plunged in this manner to the water's edge,
every man got down as well as he could. The ferryman then taking hold of
the most steady of the horses by a rope, led him into the water, and
paddled the canoe a little from the brink; upon which a general attack
commenced upon the other horses, who, finding themselves pelted and
kicked on all sides, unanimously plunged into the river, and followed
their companion. A few boys swam in after them; and by laving water upon
them when they attempted to return, urged them onwards, and we had the
satisfaction in about fifteen minutes to see them all safe on the other
side. It was a matter of greater difficulty to manage the asses: their
natural stubbornness of disposition made them endure a great deal of
pelting and shoving before they would venture into the water; and when
they had reached the middle of the stream, four of them turned back, in
spite of every exertion to get them forwards. Two hours were spent in
getting the whole of them over; an hour more was employed in transporting
the baggage; and it was near sunset before the canoe returned, when Demba
Sego and myself embarked in this dangerous passage-boat, which the least
motion was like to overset. The king's nephew thought this a proper time
to have a peep into a tin box of mine, that stood in the forepart of the
canoe; and in stretching out his hand for it, he unfortunately destroyed
the equilibrium, and overset the canoe. Luckily we were not far advanced,
and got back to the shore without much difficulty; from whence, after
wringing the water from our clothes, we took a fresh departure, and were
soon afterwards safely landed in Kasson.
CHAPTER VI.
_Arrival at Teesee.--Interview with Tiggity Sego, the king's
brother,--The Author's detention at Teesee.--Some account of that place
and its inhabitants.--Incidents which occurred there.--Rapacious conduct
of Tiggity Sego toward the Author on his departure--Sets out for
Kooniakary, the capital of the kingdom.--Incidents on the road, and
arrival at Kooniakary._
We no sooner found ourselves safe in Kasson, than Demba Sego told me that
we were now in his uncle's dominions, and he hoped I would consider,
being now out of danger, the obligation I owed to him, and make him a
suitable return for the trouble he had taken on my account by a handsome
present. This, as he knew how much had been pilfered from me at Joag, was
rather an unexpected proposition; and I began to fear that I had not much
improved my condition by crossing the water; but as it would have been
folly to complain, I made no observation upon his conduct, and gave him
seven bars of amber and some tobacco, with which he seemed to be content.
After a long day's journey, in the course of which I observed a number of
large loose nodules of white granite, we arrived at Teesee on the evening
of December 29th, and were accommodated in Demba Sego's hut. The next
morning he introduced me to his father Tiggity Sego, brother to the King
of Kasson, chief of Teesee. The old man viewed me with great earnestness,
having never, he said, beheld but one white man before, whom by his
description I immediately knew to be Major Houghton. I related to him, in
answer to his inquiries, the motives that induced me to explore the
country. But he seemed to doubt the truth of what I asserted; thinking, I
believe, that I secretly meditated some project which I was afraid to
avow. He told me, it would be necessary I should go to Kooniakary, the
residence of the king, to pay my respects to that prince, but desired me
to come to him again before I left Teesee.
In the afternoon one of his slaves eloped; and a general alarm being
given, every person that had a horse rode into the woods, in the hopes of
apprehending him; and Demba Sego begged the use of my horse for the same
purpose. I readily consented: and in about an hour they all returned with
the slave, who was severely flogged, and afterwards put in irons. On the
day following, (Dec. 31,) Demba Sego was ordered to go with twenty
horsemen to a town in Gedumah, to adjust some dispute with the Moors, a
party of whom were supposed to have stolen three horses from Teesee.
Demba begged a second time the use of my horse; adding, that the sight of
my bridle and saddle would give him consequence among the Moors. This
request also I readily granted, and he promised to return at the end of
three days. During his absence I amused myself with walking about the
town, and conversing with the natives, who attended me everywhere with
great kindness and curiosity, and supplied me with milk, eggs, and what
other provisions I wanted, on very easy terms.
Teesee is a large unwalled town, having no security against the attack of
an enemy except a sort of citadel, in which Tiggity and his family
constantly reside. This town, according to the report of the natives, was
formerly inhabited only by a few Foulah shepherds, who lived in
considerable affluence by means of the excellent meadows in the
neighbourhood, in which they reared great herds of cattle; but their
prosperity attracting the envy of some Mandingoes, the latter drove out
the shepherds, and took possession of their lands.
The present inhabitants, though they possess both cattle and corn in
abundance, are not over nice in articles of diet; rats, moles, squirrels,
snakes, locusts, &c., are eaten without scruple by the highest and
lowest. My people were one evening invited to a feast given by some of
the townsmen, where, after making a hearty meal of what they thought fish
and kouskous, one of them found a piece of hard skin in the dish, and
brought it along with him, to show me what sort of fish they had been
eating. On examining the skin, I found they had been feasting on a large
snake. Another custom, still more extraordinary, is, that no woman is
allowed to eat an egg. This prohibition, whether arising from ancient
superstition, or from the craftiness of some old Bushreen who loved eggs
himself, is rigidly adhered to, and nothing will more affront a woman of
Teesee than to offer her an egg. The custom is the more singular, as the
men eat eggs without scruple in the presence of their wives, and I never
observed the same prohibition in any other of the Mandingo countries.
The third day after his son's departure, Tiggity Sego held a palaver on a
very extraordinary occasion, which I attended; and the debates on both
sides of the question displayed much ingenuity. The case was this: A
young man, a Kafir, of considerable affluence, who had recently married a
young and handsome wife, applied to a very devout Bushreen, or Mussulman
priest of his acquaintance, to procure him saphies for his protection
during the approaching war. The Bushreen complied with the request; and
in order, as he pretended, to render the saphies more efficacious,
enjoined the young man to avoid any nuptial intercourse with his bride
for the space of six weeks. Severe as the injunction was, the Kafir
strictly obeyed; and without telling his wife the real cause, absented
himself from her company. In the meantime, it began to be whispered at
Teesee, that the Bushreen, who always performed his evening devotions at
the door of the Kafir's hut, was more intimate with the young wife than
he ought to be. At first, the good husband was unwilling to suspect the
honour of his sanctified friend, and one whole month elapsed before any
jealousy rose in his mind; but hearing the charge repeated he at last
interrogated his wife on the subject who frankly confessed that the
Bushreen had seduced her.
Hereupon the Kafir put her into confinement, and called a palaver upon
the Bushreen's conduct. The fact was clearly proved against him; and he
was sentenced to be sold into slavery, or to find two slaves for his
redemption, according to the pleasure of the complainant. The injured
husband, however, was unwilling to proceed against his friend to such
extremity, and desired rather to have him publicly flogged before Tiggity
Sego's gate. This was agreed to, and the sentence was immediately
executed. The culprit was tied by the hands to a strong stake; and a long
black rod being brought forth, the executioner, after flourishing it
round his head for some time, applied it with such force and dexterity to
the Bushreen's back, as to make him roar until the woods resounded with
his screams. The surrounding multitude, by their hooting and laughing,
manifested how much they enjoyed the punishment of this old gallant; and
it is worthy of remark, that the number of stripes was precisely the same
as are enjoined by the Mosaic law, _forty, save one._
As there appeared great probability that Teesee, from its being a
frontier town, would be much exposed, during the war, to the predatory
excursions of the Moors of Gadumah, Tiggity Sego had, before my arrival,
sent round to the neighbouring villages, to beg or to purchase as much
provisions as would afford subsistence to the inhabitants for one whole
year, independently of the crop on the ground, which the Moors might
destroy. This project was well received by the country people, and they
fixed a day on which to bring all the provisions they could spare to
Teesee; and as my horse was not yet returned, I went in the afternoon of
January 4th, 1796, to meet the escort with the provisions.
It was composed of about 400 men marching in good order, with corn and
ground nuts in large calabashes upon their heads. They were preceded by a
strong guard of bowmen, and followed by eight musicians or singing men.
As soon as they approached the town, the latter began a song, every verse
of which was answered by the company, and succeeded by a few strokes on
the large drums. In this manner they proceeded amidst the acclamations of
the populace, till they reached the house of Tiggity Sego, where the
loads were deposited; and in the evening they all assembled under the
Bentang tree, and spent the night in dancing and merriment. Many of these
strangers remained at Teesee for three days, during which time I was
constantly attended by as many of them as could conveniently see me; one
party giving way to another, as soon as curiosity was gratified.
On the 5th of January an embassy of ten people belonging to Almami
Abdulkader, King of Foota Torra, a country to the west of Bondou, arrived
at Teesee; and desiring Tiggity Sego to call an assembly of the
inhabitants, announced publicly their king's determination, to this
effect: "That unless all the people of Kasson would embrace the Mahomedan
religion, and evince their conversion by saying eleven public prayers, he
(the King of Foota Torra) could not possibly stand neuter in the present
contest, but would certainly join his arms to those of Kajaaga." A
message of this nature, from so powerful a prince, could not fail to
create great alarm; and the inhabitants of Teesee, after a long
consultation, agreed to conform to his good pleasure, humiliating as it
was to them. Accordingly, one and all publicly offered up eleven prayers,
which were considered a sufficient testimony of their having renounced
Paganism, and embraced the doctrines of the Prophet.
It was the 8th of January before Demba Sego returned with my horse; and
being quite wearied out with the delay, I went immediately to inform his
father, that I should set out for Kooniakary early the next day. The old
man made many frivolous objections; and at length gave me to understand,
that I must not think of departing, without first paying him the same
duties he was entitled to receive from all travellers; besides which, he
expected, he said, some acknowledgment for his kindness towards me.
Accordingly, on the morning of the 9th, my friend Demba, with a number of
people, came to me, and said that they were sent by Tiggity Sego for my
present, and wished to see what goods I had appropriated for that
purpose. I knew that resistance was hopeless, and complaint unavailing;
and being in some measure prepared, by the intimation I had received the
night before, I quietly offered him seven bars of amber and five of
tobacco. After surveying these articles for some time very coolly, Demba
laid them down, and told me this, was not a present for a man of Tiggity
Sego's consequence, who had it in his power to take whatever he pleased
from me. He added, that if I did not consent to make him a larger
offering, he would carry all my baggage to his father and let him choose
for himself. I had not time for reply; for Demba and his attendants
immediately began to open my bundles, and spread the different articles
upon the floor, where they underwent a more strict examination than they
had done at Joag. Every thing that pleased them they took without
scruple; and amongst other things, Demba seized the tin box, which had so
much attracted his attention in crossing the river. Upon collecting the
scattered remains of my little fortune after these people had left me, I
found that as at Joag I had been plundered of half, so here, without even
the shadow of accusation, I was deprived of half the remainder. The
blacksmith himself, though a native of Kasson, had also been compelled to
open his bundles, and take an oath that the different articles they
contained were his own exclusive property. There was, however, no remedy;
and having been under some obligation to Demba Sego for his attention
towards me in the journey from Joag, I did not reproach him for his
rapacity, but determined to quit Teesee at all events the next morning.
In the meanwhile, in order to raise the drooping spirits of my
attendants, I purchased a fat sheep, and had it dressed for our dinner.
Early in the morning of January 10th, therefore, I left Teesee, and about
mid-day ascended a ridge, from whence we had a distant view of the hills
round Kooniakary. In the evening we reached a small village, where we
slept, and departing from thence the next morning, crossed in a few hours
a narrow but deep stream called Krieko, a branch of the Senegal. About
two miles farther to the eastward, we passed a large town called Madina;
and at two o'clock came in sight of Jumbo, the blacksmith's native town,
from whence he had been absent more than four years. Soon after this, his
brother, who had by some means been apprised of his coming, came out to
meet him, accompanied by a singing man; he brought a horse for the
blacksmith, that he might enter his native town in a dignified manner;
and he desired each of us to put a good charge of powder into our guns.
The singing man now led the way, followed by the two brothers; and we
were presently joined by a number of people from the town, all of whom
demonstrated great joy at seeing their old acquaintance the blacksmith,
by the most extravagant jumping and singing. On entering the town, the
singing man began an ex-tempore song in praise of the blacksmith,
extolling his courage in having overcome so many difficulties; and
concluding with a strict injunction to his friends to dress him plenty of
victuals.
When we arrived at the blacksmith's place of residence we dismounted and
fired our muskets. The meeting between him and his relations was very
tender; for these rude children of nature, free from restraint, display
their emotions in the strongest and most expressive manner. Amidst these
transports, the blacksmith's aged mother was led forth, leaning upon a
staff. Every one made way for her; and she stretched out her hand to bid
her son welcome. Being totally blind, she stroked his hands, arms, and
face, with great care, and seemed highly delighted that her latter days
were blessed by his return, and that her ears once more heard the music
of his voice. From this interview I was fully convinced, that whatever
difference there is between the Negro and European, in the conformation
of the nose and the colour of the skin, there is none in the genuine
sympathies and characteristic feelings of our common nature.
During the tumult of these congratulations, I had seated myself apart, by
the side of one of the huts, being unwilling to interrupt the flow of
filial and parental tenderness; and the attention of the company was so
entirely taken up with the blacksmith, that I believe none of his friends
had observed me. When all the people present had seated themselves, the
blacksmith was desired by his father to give them some account of his
adventures, and silence being commanded, he began; and after repeatedly
thanking God for the success that had attended him, related every
material occurrence that had happened to him from his leaving Kasson to
his arrival at the Gambia; his employment and success in those parts; and
the dangers he had escaped in returning to his native country. In the
latter part of his narration, he had frequently occasion to mention me;
and after many strong expressions concerning my kindness to him, he
pointed to the place where I sat, and exclaimed, _affille ibi siring_,
"see him sitting there." In a moment all eyes were turned upon me; I
appeared like a being dropped from the clouds; every one was surprised
that they had not observed me before; and a few women and children
expressed great uneasiness at being so near a man of such an uncommon
appearance. By degrees, however, their apprehensions subsided; and when
the blacksmith assured them that I was perfectly inoffensive, and would
hurt nobody, some of them ventured so far as to examine the texture of my
clothes; but many of them were still very suspicious; and when by
accident I happened to move myself, or look at the young children, their
mothers would scamper off with them with the greatest precipitation. In a
few hours, however, they all became reconciled to me.
With those worthy people I spent the remainder of that, and the whole of
the ensuing day, in feasting and merriment; and the blacksmith declared
he would not quit me during my stay at Kooniakary, for which place we set
out early on the morning of the 14th of January, and arrived about the
middle of the day at Soolo, a small village three miles to the south of
it.
As this place was somewhat out of the direct road, it is necessary to
observe, that I went thither to visit a Slatee, or Gambia trader, of
great note and reputation, named Salim Daucari. He was well known to Dr
Laidley, who had trusted him with effects to the value of five slaves,
and had given me an order for the whole of the debt. We luckily found him
at home, and he received me with great kindness and attention. It is
remarkable, however, that the King of Kasson was, by some means,
immediately apprised of my motions; for I had been at Soolo but a few
hours, before Sambo Sego, his second son, came thither with a party of
horse, to inquire what had prevented me from proceeding to Kooniakary,
and waiting immediately upon the king, who, he said, was impatient to see
me. Salim Daucari made my apology, and promised to accompany me to
Kooniakary the same evening: we accordingly departed from Soolo at
sunset, and in about an hour entered Kooniakary. But as the king had gone
to sleep, we deferred the interview till next morning, and slept at the
hut of Sambo Sego.
My interview with the king, and the incidents which occurred to me in the
kingdoms of Kasson and Kaarta, will be the subject of the ensuing
chapter.
CHAPTER VII.
_The Author admitted to an audience of the King of Kasson, whom he finds
well disposed towards him.--Incidents during the Author's stay at
Kooniakary.--Departs thence for Kemmoo, the capital of Kaarta.--Is
received with great kindness by the King of Kaarta, who dissuades him
from prosecuting his journey, on account of approaching hostilities with
the King of Bambarra.--The Author determines, notwithstanding, to
proceed: and the usual route being obstructed, takes the path to Ludamar,
a Moorish kingdom.--Is accommodated by the king with a guide to Jarra,
the frontier town of the Moorish territories; and sets out for that
place, accompanied by three of the king's sons, and 200 horsemen._
About eight o'clock in the morning of January 15, 1796, we went to an
audience of the king, (Demba Sego Jalla,) but the crowd of people to see
me was so great, that I could scarcely get admittance. A passage being at
length obtained, I made my bow to the monarch, whom we found sitting upon
a mat, in a large hut: he appeared to be a man of about sixty years of
age. His success in war, and the mildness of his behaviour in time of
peace, had much endeared him to all his subjects. He surveyed me with
great attention; and when Salim Daucari explained to him the object of my
journey, and my reasons for passing through his country, the good old
king appeared not only perfectly satisfied, but promised me every
assistance in his power. He informed me that he had seen Major Houghton,
and presented him with a white horse; but that, after crossing the
kingdom of Kaarta, he had lost his life among the Moors; in what manner
he could not inform me. When this audience was ended we returned to our
lodging, and I made up a small present for the king, out of the few
effects that were left me; for I had not yet received anything from Salim
Daucari. This present, though inconsiderable in itself, was well received
by the king, who sent me in return a large white bullock. The sight of
this animal quite delighted my attendants; not so much on account of its
bulk, as from its being of a white colour, which is considered as a
particular mark of favour. But although the king himself was well
disposed towards me, and readily granted me permission to pass through
his territories, I soon discovered that very great and unexpected
obstacles were likely to impede my progress. Besides the war which was on
the point of breaking out between Kasson and Kajaaga, I was told that the
next kingdom of Kaarta, through which my route lay, was involved in the
issue; and was furthermore threatened with hostilities on the part of
Bambarra. The king himself informed me of these circumstances, and
advised me to stay in the neighbourhood of Kooniakary, till such time as
he could procure proper information respecting Bambarra, which he
expected to do in the course of four or five days, as he had already, he
said, sent four messengers into Kaarta for that purpose. I readily
submitted to this proposal, and went to Soolo, to stay there till the
return of one of those messengers. This afforded me a favourable
opportunity of receiving what money Salim Daucari could spare me on Dr
Laidley's account. I succeeded in receiving the value of three slaves,
chiefly in gold dust; and being anxious to proceed as quickly as
possible, I begged Daucari to use his interest with the king to allow me
a guide by the way of Fooladoo, as I was informed that the war had
already commenced between the Kings of Bambarra and Kaarta. Daucari
accordingly set out for Kooniakary on the morning of the 20th, and the
same evening returned with the king's answer, which was to this purpose,
that the king had many years ago made an agreement with Daisy, King of
Kaarta, to send all merchants and travellers through his dominions; but
that if I wished to take the route through Fooladoo, I had his permission
so to do; though he could not, consistently with his agreement, lend me a
guide. Having felt the want of regal protection in a former part of my
journey, I was unwilling to hazard a repetition of the hardships I had
then experienced, especially as the money I had received was probably the
last supply that I should obtain; I therefore determined to wait for the
return of the messengers from Kaarta.
In the interim, it began to be whispered abroad, that I had received
plenty of gold from Salim Daucari; and on the morning of the 23d, Sambo
Sego paid me a visit with a party of horsemen. He insisted upon knowing
the exact amount of the money I had obtained; declaring, that whatever
the sum was, one half of it must go to the king; besides which, he
intimated that he expected a handsome present for himself, as being the
king's sons and for his attendants, as being the king's relations. The
reader will easily perceive, that if all these demands had been
satisfied, I should not have been overburdened with money; but though it
was very mortifying to me to comply with the demands of injustice, and so
arbitrary an exaction, yet, thinking it was highly dangerous to make a
foolish resistance, and irritate the lion when within the reach of his
paw, I prepared to submit; and if Salim Daucari had not interposed, all
my endeavours to mitigate this oppressive claim would have been of no
avail, Salim at last prevailed upon Sambo to accept sixteen bars of
European merchandize, and some powder and ball, as a complete payment of
every demand that could be made upon me in the kingdom of Kasson.
January 26th. In the forenoon, I went to the top of a high hill to the
southward of Soolo, where I had a most enchanting prospect of the
country. The number of towns and villages, and the extensive cultivation
around them, surpassed every thing I had yet seen in Africa. A gross
calculation may be formed of the number of inhabitants in this delightful
plain, by considering, that the King of Kasson can raise four thousand
fighting men by the sound of his war-drum. In traversing the rocky
eminences of this hill, which are almost destitute of vegetation, I
observed a number of large holes in the crevices and fissures of the
rocks, where the wolves and hyaenas take refuge during the day. Some of
these animals paid us a visit on the evening of the 27th: their approach
was discovered by the dogs of the village; and on this occasion it is
remarkable, that the dogs did not bark, but howl in the most dismal
manner. The inhabitants of the village no sooner heard them than, knowing
the cause, they armed themselves; and providing bunches of dry grass,
went in a body to the inclosure in the middle of the village where the
cattle were kept. Here they lighted the bunches of grass, and, waving
them to and fro, ran hooping and hallooing towards the hills. This
manoeuvre had the desired effect of frightening the wolves away from the
village; but, on examination, we found that they had killed five of the
cattle, and torn and wounded many others.
February 1st. The messengers arrived from Kaarta, and brought
intelligence that the war had not yet commenced between Bambarra and
Kaarta, and that I might probably pass through Kaarta before the Bambarra
army invaded that country.
Feb. 3d. Early in the morning, two guides on horseback came from
Kooniakary to conduct me to the frontiers of Kaarta. I accordingly took
leave of Salim Daucari, and parted for the last time from my
fellow-traveller the blacksmith, whose kind solicitude for my welfare had
been so conspicuous; and about ten o'clock departed from Soolo. We
travelled this day through a rocky and hilly country, along the banks of
the river Krieko, and at sunset came to the village of Soomo, where we
slept.
Feb. 4th. We departed from Soomo, and continued our route along the banks
of the Krieko, which are everywhere well cultivated, and swarm with
inhabitants. At this time they were increased by the number of people
that had flown thither from Kaarta, on account of the Bambarra war. In
the afternoon we reached Kimo, a large village, the residence of Madi
Konko, governor of the hilly country of Kasson, which is called Sorroma,
From hence the guides appointed by the King of Kasson returned, to join
in the expedition against Kajaaga; and I waited until the 6th, before I
could prevail on Madi Konko to appoint me a guide to Kaarta.
Feb. 7th. Departing from Kimo, with Madi Konko's son as a guide, we
continued our course along the banks of the Krieko until the afternoon,
when we arrived at Kangee, a considerable town. The Krieko is here but a
small rivulet; this beautiful stream takes its rise a little to the
eastward of this town, and descends with a rapid and noisy current until
it reaches the bottom of the high hill called Tappa, where it becomes
more placid, and winds gently through the lovely plains of Kooniakary;
after which, having received an additional branch from the north, it is
lost in the Senegal, somewhere near the falls of Felow.
Feb. 8th. This day we travelled over a rough stony country, and having
passed Seimpo and a number of other villages, arrived in the afternoon at
Lackarago, a small village, which stands upon the ridge of hills that
separates the kingdoms of Kasson and Kaarta. In the course of the day we
passed many hundreds of people flying from Kaarta, with their families
and effects.
Feb. 9th. Early in the morning we departed from Lackarago, and a little
to the eastward came to the brow of a hill, from whence we had an
extensive view of the country. Towards the south-east were perceived some
very distant hills, which our guide told us were the mountains of
Fooladoo. We travelled with great difficulty down a stony and abrupt
precipice, and continued our way in the bed of a dry river course, where
the trees meeting over head made the place dark and cool. In a little
time we reached the bottom of this romantic glen, and about ten o'clock
emerged from between two rocky hills, and found ourselves on the level
and sandy plains of Kaarta. At noon we arrived at a Korree, or
watering-place, where, for a few strings of beads, I purchased as much
milk and corn-meal as we could eat: indeed, provisions are here so cheap,
and the shepherds live in such affluence, that they seldom ask any,
return for what refreshments a traveller receives from them. From this
Korree we reached Feesurah at sunset, where we took up our lodging for
the night.
Feb. 10th. We continued at Feesurah all this day, to have a few clothes
washed, and learn more exactly the situation of affairs before we
ventured towards the capital.
Feb. 11th. Our landlord, taking advantage of the unsettled state of the
country, demanded so extravagant a sum for our lodging, that suspecting
he wished for an opportunity to quarrel with us, I refused to submit to
his exorbitant demand; but my attendants were so much frightened at the
reports of approaching wars that they refused to proceed any further,
unless I could settle matters with him, and induce him to accompany us to
Kemmoo, for our protection on the road. This I accomplished with some
difficulty, and by a present of a blanket which I had brought with me to
sleep in, and for which our landlord had conceived a very great liking:
matters were at length amicably adjusted, and he mounted his horse and
led the way. He was one of those Negroes who, together with the
ceremonial part of the Mahomedan religion, retain all their ancient
superstitions, and even drink strong liquors. They are called Johars, or
Jowers, and in this kingdom form a very numerous and powerful tribe. We
had no sooner got into a dark and lonely part of the first wood, than he
made a sign for us to stop, and taking hold of a hollow piece of bamboo,
that hung as an amulet round his neck, whistled very loud three times. I
confess I was somewhat startled, thinking it was a signal for some of his
companions to come and attack us; but he assured me that it was done
merely with a view to ascertain what success we were likely to meet with
on our present journey. He then dismounted, laid his spear across the
road, and having said a number of short prayers, concluded with three
loud whistles; after which he listened for some time, as if in
expectation of an answer, and receiving none, told us we might proceed
without fear, for there was no danger. About noon we passed a number of
large villages quite deserted, the inhabitants having fled into Kasson to
avoid the horrors of war. We reached Karankalla at sunset; this formerly
was a large town, but having been plundered by the Bambarrans about four
years ago, nearly one half of it is still in ruins.
Feb. 12th. At daylight we departed from Karankalla, and as it was but a
short day's journey to Kemmoo, we travelled slower than usual, and amused
ourselves by collecting such eatable fruits as grew near the road-side.
In this pursuit I had wandered a little from my people, and being
uncertain whether they were before or behind me, I hastened to a rising
ground to look about me. As I was proceeding towards this eminence, two
Negro horsemen, armed with muskets, came galloping from among the bushes:
on seeing them I made a full stop; the horsemen did the same; and all
three of us seemed equally surprised and confounded at this interview. As
I approached them, their fears increased, and one of them, after casting
upon me a look of horror, rode off at full speed; the other, in a panic
of fear, put his hands over his eyes, and continued muttering prayers
until his horse, seemingly without the rider's knowledge, conveyed him
slowly after his companion. About a mile to the westward, they fell in
with my attendants, to whom they related a frightful story: it seems
their fears had dressed me in the flowing robes of a tremendous spirit;
and one of them affirmed, that when I made my appearance, a cold blast of
wind came pouring down upon him from the sky, like so much cold water.
About noon we saw at a distance the capital of Kaarta, situated in the
middle of an open plain, the country for two miles round being cleared of
wood, by the great consumption of that article for building and fuel, and
we entered the town about two o'clock in the afternoon.
We proceeded without stopping to the court before the king's residence
but I was so completely surrounded by the gazing multitude, that I did
not attempt to dismount, but sent in the landlord and Madi Konko's son,
to acquaint the king of my arrival. In a little time they returned
accompanied by a messenger from the king, signifying that he would see me
in the evening; and, in the meantime, the messenger had orders to procure
me a lodging, and see that the crowd did not molest me. He conducted me
into a court, at the door of which he stationed a man, with a stick in
his hand, to keep off the mob, and then showed me a large hut, in which I
was to lodge. I had scarcely seated myself in this spacious apartment,
when the mob entered; it was found impossible to keep them out, and I was
surrounded by as many as the hut could contain. When the first party,
however, had seen me; and asked a few questions, they retired to make
room for another company; and in this manner the hut was filled and
emptied thirteen different times.
A little before sunset, the king sent to inform me that he was at
leisure, and wished to see me. I followed the messenger through a number
of courts surrounded with high walls, where I observed plenty of dry
grass bundled up like hay, to fodder the horses in case the town should
be invested. On entering the court in which the king was sitting, I was
astonished at the number of his attendants, and at the good order that
seemed to prevail among them; they were all seated, the fighting men on
the king's right hand, and the women and children on the left, leaving a
space between them for my passage. The king, whose name was Daisy
Koorabarri, was not to be distinguished from his subjects by any
superiority in point of dress; a bank of earth about two feet high, upon
which was spread a leopard's skin, constituted the only mark of royal
dignity. When I had seated myself upon the ground before him, and related
the various circumstances that had induced me to pass through his
country, and my reasons for soliciting his protection, he appeared
perfectly satisfied; but said it was not in his power at present to
afford me much assistance; for that all sort of communication between
Kaarta and Bambarra had been interrupted for some time past; and as
Mansong, the King of Bambarra, with his army had entered Fooladoo in his
way to Kaarta, there was but little hope of my reaching Bambarra by any
of the usual routes, inasmuch as, coming from an enemy's country, I
should certainly be plundered or taken for a spy. If his country had been
at peace, he said, I might have remained with him until a more favourable
opportunity offered; but as matters stood at present, he did not wish me
to continue in Kaarta, for fear some accident should befal me, in which
case my countrymen might say that he had murdered a white man. He would
therefore advise me to return into Kasson, and remain there until the war
should terminate, which would probably happen in the course of three or
four months; after which, if he was alive, he said, he would be glad to
see me, and if he was dead, his sons would take care of me.
This advice was certainly well meant on the part of the king; and perhaps
I was to blame in not following it; but I reflected that the hot months
were approaching; and I dreaded the thoughts of spending the rainy season
in the interior of Africa. These considerations, and the aversion I felt
at the idea of returning without having made a greater progress in
discovery, made me determine to go forwards; and though the king could
not give me a guide to Bambarra, I begged that he would allow a man to
accompany me as near the frontiers of his kingdom as was consistent with
safety. Finding that I was determined to proceed, the king told me that
one route still remained, but that, he said, was by no means free from
danger; which was to go from Kaarta into the Moorish kingdom of Ludamar,
from whence I might pass, by a circuitous route, into Bambarra. If I
wished to follow this route, he would appoint people to conduct me to
Jarra, the frontier town of Ludamar. He then enquired very particularly
how I had been treated since I had left the Gambia, and asked in a
jocular way how many slaves I expected to carry home with me on my
return. He was about to proceed, when a man mounted on a fine Moorish
horse, which was covered with sweat and foam, entered the court, and
signifying that he had something of importance to communicate, the king
immediately took up his sandals, which is the signal to strangers to
retire. I accordingly took leave, but desired my boy to stay about the
place, in order to learn something of the intelligence that this
messenger had brought. In about an hour the boy returned, and informed me
that the Bambarra army had left Fooladoo, and was on its march towards
Kaarta; that the man I had seen, who had brought this intelligence, was
one of the scouts or watchmen employed by the king, each of whom has his
particular station, (commonly on some rising ground,) from whence he has
the best view of the country, and watches the motions of the enemy.
In the evening the king sent me a fine sheep; which was very acceptable,
as none of us had tasted victuals during the day. Whilst we were employed
in dressing supper, evening prayers were announced; not by the call of
the priest, as usual, but by beating on drums, and blowing through large
elephants' teeth, hollowed out in such a manner as to resemble
bugle-horns; the sound is melodious, and, in my opinion, comes nearer to
the human voice than any other artificial sound. As the main body of
Daisy's army was, at this juncture, at Kemmoo, the mosques were very much
crowded; and I observed that the disciples of Mahomet composed nearly one
half of the army of Kaarta.
Feb. 13th. At daylight I sent my horse-pistols and holsters as a present
to the king, and being very desirous to get away from a place which was
likely soon to become the seat of war, I begged the messenger to inform
the king, that I wished to depart from Kemmoo as soon as he should find
it convenient to appoint me a guide. In about an hour the king sent his
messenger to thank me for the present, and eight horsemen to conduct me
to Jarra. They told me that the king wished me to proceed to Jarra with
all possible expedition, that they might return before any thing decisive
should happen between the armies of Bambarra and Kaarta; we accordingly
departed forthwith from Kemmoo, accompanied by three of Daisy's sons, and
about two hundred horsemen, who kindly undertook to see me a little way
on my journey.
CHAPTER VIII.
_Journey from Kemmoo to Funingkedy.--Some account of the Lotus.--A youth
murdered by the Moors--interesting scene at his death.--Author passes
through Simbing.--Some particulars concerning Major Houghton,--Author
reaches Jarra--situation of the surrounding states at the period of his
arrival there, and a brief account of the war between Kaarta and
Bambarra._
On the evening of the day of our departure from Kemmoo, (the king's
eldest son and great part of the horsemen having returned,) we reached a
village called Marina, where we slept. During the night some thieves
broke into the hut where I had deposited my baggage, and having cut open
one of my bundles, stole a quantity of beads, part of my clothes, and
some amber and gold; which happened to be in one of the pockets. I
complained to my protectors, but without effect. The next day (Feb. 14th)
was far advanced before we departed from Marina, and we travelled slowly,
on account of the excessive heat, until four o'clock in the afternoon,
when two Negroes were observed sitting among some thorny bushes at a
little distance from the road. The king's people, taking it for granted
that they were runaway slaves, cocked their muskets, and rode at full
speed in different directions through the bushes, in order to surround
them, and prevent their escaping. The Negroes, however, waited with great
composure until we came within bowshot of them, when each of them took
from his quiver a handful of arrows, and putting two between his teeth,
and one in his bow, waved to us with his hand to keep at a distance upon
which one of the king's people called out to the strangers to give some
account of themselves. They said that "they were natives of Toorda, a
neighbouring village, and had come to that place to gather _tomberongs_."
These are small farinaceous berries, of a yellow colour and delicious
taste, which I knew to be the fruit of the _rhamnus lotus_ of Linnaeus.
The Negroes showed us two large baskets full, which they had collected in
the course of the day. These berries are much esteemed by the natives,
who convert them into a sort of bread, by exposing them for some days to
the sun, and afterwards pounding them gently in a wooden mortar, until
the farinaceous part of the berry is separated from the stone. This meal
is then mixed with a little water, and formed into cakes; which, when
dried in the sun, resemble in colour and flavour the sweetest
gingerbread. The stones are afterwards put into a vessel of water, and
shaken about so as to separate the meal which may still adhere to them;
this communicates a sweet and agreeable taste to the water, and, with the
addition of a little pounded millet, forms a pleasant gruel called
_fondi_, which is the common breakfast in many parts of Ludamar, during
the months of February and March. The fruit is collected by spreading a
cloth upon the ground, and beating, the branches with a stick.
The lotus is very common in all the kingdoms which I visited; but is
found in the greatest plenty on the sandy soil of Kaarta, Ludamar, and
the northern parts of Bambarra, where it is one of the most common shrubs
of the country. I had observed the same species at Gambia. The leaves of
the desert shrub are, however, much smaller; and more resembling, in that
particular, those represented in the engraving given by Desfontaines, in
the Memoires de l'Academie Royale des Sciences, 1788, p. 443.
As this shrub is found in Tunis, and also in the Negro kingdoms, and as
it furnishes the natives of the latter with a food resembling bread, and
also with a sweet liquor, which is much relished by them, there can be
little doubt of its being the lotus mentioned by Pliny as the food of
the Lybian Lotophagi. An army may very well have been fed with the bread
I have tasted, made of the meal of the fruit, as is said by Pliny to have
been done in Lybia; and as the taste of the bread is sweet and agreeable,
it is not likely that the soldiers would complain of it.
We arrived in the evening at the village of Toorda; when all the rest of
the king's people turned back except two, who remained with me as guides
to Jarra.
Feb. 15th. I departed from Toorda, and about two o'clock came to a
considerable town called Funingkedy. As we approached the town the
inhabitants were much alarmed; for, as one of my guides wore a turban,
they mistook us for some Moorish banditti. This misapprehension was soon
cleared up, and we were well received by a Gambia Slatee, who resides at
this town, and at whose house we lodged.
Feb. 16th. We were informed that a number of people would go from this
town to Jarra on the day following; and as the road was much infested by
the Moors, we resolved to stay and accompany the travellers. In the
meantime, we were told, that a few days before our arrival, most of the
Bushreens and people of property in Funingkedy had gone to Jarra, to
consult about removing their families and effects to that town, for fear
of the approaching war; and that the Moors, in their absence, had stolen
some of their cattle.
About two o'clock, as I was lying asleep upon a bullock's hide behind the
door of the hut, I was awakened by the screams of women, and a general
clamour and confusion among the inhabitants. At first I suspected that
the Bambarrans had actually entered the town; but observing my boy upon
the top of one of the huts, I called to him to know what was the matter.
He informed me that the Moors were come a second time to steal the
cattle, and that they were now close to the town. I mounted the roof of
the hut, and observed a large herd of bullocks coming towards the town,
followed by five Moors on horseback, who drove the cattle forward with
their muskets. When they had reached the wells, which are close to the
town, the Moors selected from the herd sixteen of the finest beasts, and
drove them off at full gallop.
During this transaction, the townspeople, to the number of five hundred,
stood collected close to the walls of the town; and when the Moors drove
the cattle away, though they passed within pistol shot of them, the
inhabitants scarcely made a show of resistance. I only saw four muskets
fired, which, being loaded with gunpowder of the Negroes' own
manufacture, did no execution. Shortly after this I observed a number of
people supporting a young man upon horseback, and conducting him slowly
towards the town. This was one of the herdsmen, who, attempting to throw
his spear, had been wounded by a shot from one of the Moors. His mother
walked on before, quite frantic with grief, clapping her hands, and
enumerating the good qualities of her son. _Ee maffo fonio_, (he never
told a lie,) said the disconsolate mother, as her wounded son was carried
in at the gate--_Ee maffo fonio abada_, (he never told a lie; no, never.)
When they had conveyed him to his hut, and laid him upon a mat, all the
spectators joined in lamenting his fate, by screaming and howling in the
most piteous manner.
After their grief had subsided a little, I was desired to examine the
wound. I found that the ball had passed quite through his leg, having
fractured both bones a little below the knee. The poor boy was faint from
the loss of blood, and his situation withal so very precarious, that I
could not console his relations with any great hopes of his recovery.
However, to give him a possible chance, I observed to them that it was
necessary to cut off his leg above the knee. This proposal made every one
start with horror; they had never heard of such a method of cure, and
would by no means give their consent to it; indeed, they evidently
considered me as a sort of cannibal for proposing so cruel and unheard-of
an operation, which, in their opinion, would be attended with more pain
and danger than the wound itself. The patient was therefore committed to
the care of some old Bushreens, who endeavoured to secure him a passage
into paradise, by whispering in his ear some Arabic sentences, and
desiring him to repeat them. After many unsuccessful attempts, the poor
Heathen at last pronounced, _la illah el allah, Mahomet rasowl
allahi_;[9] and the disciples of the Prophet assured his mother that her
son had given sufficient evidence of his faith, and would be happy in a
future state. He died the same evening.
[9] There is but one God, and Mahomet is his Prophet.
Feb. 17th. My guides informed me, that in order to avoid the Moorish
banditti, it was necessary to travel in the night; we accordingly
departed from Funingkedy in the afternoon, accompanied by about thirty
people, carrying their effects with them into Ludamar, for fear of the
war. We travelled with great silence and expedition until midnight, when
we stopped in a sort of enclosure, near a small village; but the
thermometer being so low as 68°, none of the Negroes could sleep on
account of the cold.
At daybreak on the 18th we resumed our journey, and at eight o'clock
passed Simbing, the frontier village of Ludamar, situated in a narrow
pass between two rocky hills, and surrounded with a high wall. From this
village Major Houghton (being deserted by his Negro servants, who refused
to follow him into the Moorish country) wrote his last letter with a
pencil to Dr. Laidley. This brave but unfortunate man, having surmounted
many difficulties, had taken a northerly direction, and endeavoured to
pass through the kingdom of Ludamar, where I afterwards learned the
following particulars concerning his melancholy fate. On his arrival at
Jarra he got acquainted with certain Moorish merchants who were
travelling to Tisheet (a place near the salt pits in the Great Desert,
ten days' journey to the northward) to purchase salt; and the Major, at
the expense of a musket and some tobacco, engaged them to convey him
thither. It is impossible to form any other opinion on this
determination, than that the Moors intentionally deceived him, either
with regard to the route that he wished to pursue, or the state of the
intermediate country between Jarra and Tombuctoo. Their intention
probably was to rob and leave him in the Desert. At the end of two days
he suspected their treachery, and insisted on returning to Jarra. Finding
him persist in this determination, the Moors robbed him of every thing he
possessed, and went off with their camels; the poor Major being thus
deserted, returned on foot to a watering place in possession of the
Moors, called Tarra. He had been some days without food, and the
unfeeling Moors refusing to give him any, he sunk at last under his
distresses. Whether he actually perished of hunger, or was murdered
outright by the savage Mahomedans, is not certainly known; his body was
dragged into the woods, and I was shown at a distance the spot where his
remains were left to perish.
About four miles to the north of Simbing, we came to a small stream of
water, where we observed a number of wild horses; they were all of one
colour, and galloped away from us at any easy rate, frequently stopping
and looking back. The Negroes hunt them for food, and their flesh is much
esteemed.
About noon we arrived at Jarra, a large town situated at the bottom of
some rocky hills. But before I proceed to describe the place itself, and
relate the various occurrences which befel me there, it will not be
improper to give my readers a brief recital of the origin of the war
which induced me to take this route; an unfortunate determination, the
immediate cause of all the misfortunes and calamities which afterwards
befel me. The recital which I propose to give in this place will prevent
interruptions hereafter.
This war, which desolated Kaarta soon after I had left that kingdom, and
spread terror into many of the neighbouring states, arose in the
following manner. A few bullocks belonging to a frontier village of
Bambarra having been stolen by a party of Moors, were sold to the Dooty
or chief man of a town in Kaarta. The villagers claimed their cattle, and
being refused satisfaction, complained of the Dooty to their sovereign,
Mansong, King of Bambarra, who probably beheld with an eye of jealousy
the growing prosperity of Kaarta, and availed himself of this incident to
declare hostilities against that kingdom.
With this view he sent a messenger and a party of horsemen to Daisy, King
of Kaarta, to inform him that the King of Bambarra, with nine thousand
men, would visit Kemmoo in the course of the dry season; and to desire
that he (Daisy) would direct his slaves to sweep the houses, and have
every thing ready for their accommodation. The messenger concluded this
insulting notification by presenting the king with a pair of _iron
sandals_; at the same time adding, that "until such time as Daisy had
worn out these sandals in his flight, he should never be secure from the
arrows of Bambarra."
Daisy, having consulted with his chief men about the best means of
repelling so formidable an enemy, returned an answer of defiance, and
made a Bushreen write in Arabic, upon a piece of thin board, a sort of
proclamation, which was suspended to a tree in the public square; and a
number of aged men were sent to different places to explain it to the
common people. This proclamation called upon all the friends of Daisy to
join him immediately; but to such as had no arms, or were afraid to enter
into the war, permission was given to retire into any of the neighbouring
kingdoms; and it was added, that provided they observed a strict
neutrality, they should always be welcome to return to their former
habitations; if, however, they took any active part against Kaarta, they
had then "broken the key of their huts, and could never afterwards enter
the door." Such was the expression.
This proclamation was very generally applauded; but many of the Kaartans,
and, amongst others, the powerful tribes of Jower and Kakaroo, availing
themselves of the indulgent clause, retired from Daisy's dominions, and
took refuge in Ludamar and Kesson. By means of these desertions, Daisy's
army was not so numerous as might have been expected; and when I was at
Kemmoo, the whole number of effective men according to report, did not
exceed four thousand; but they were men of spirit and enterprise, and
could be depended on.
On the 22d of February, (four days after my arrival at Jarra) Mansong,
with his army, advanced towards Kemmoo; and Daisy, without hazarding a
battle, retired to Joko, a town to the north-west of Kemmoo, where he
remained three days, and then took refuge in a strong town called
Gedingooma, situated in the hilly country, and surrounded with high walls
of stone. When Daisy departed from Joko, his sons refused to follow him,
alleging that "the singing men would publish their disgrace, as soon as
it should be known that Daisy and his family had fled from Joko without
firing a gun." They were therefore left behind with a number of horsemen
to defend Joko; but, after many skirmishes, they were totally defeated,
and one of Daisy's sons taken prisoner; the remainder fled to Gedingooma,
which Daisy had stored with provisions, and where he determined to
make his final stand.
Mansong, finding that Daisy was determined to avoid a pitched battle,
placed a strong force at Joko to watch his motions, and separating the
remainder of his army into small detachments, ordered them to overrun the
country, and seize upon the inhabitants, before they had time to escape.
These orders were executed with such promptitude, that in a few days the
whole kingdom of Kaarta became a scene of desolation. Most of the poor
inhabitants of the different towns and villages, being surprised in the
night, fell an easy prey; and their corn, and every thing that could be
useful to Daisy, was burnt and destroyed. During these transactions,
Daisy was employed in fortifying Gedingooma: this town is built in a
narrow pass between two high hills, having only two gates, one towards
Kaarta and the other towards Jaffnoo: the gate towards Kaarta was
defended by Daisy in person; and that towards Jaffnoo was committed to
the charge of his sons. When the army of Bambarra approached the town,
they made some attempts to storm it, but were always driven back with
great loss; and Mansong, finding Daisy more formidable than he expected,
resolved to cut off his supplies, and starve him into submission. He
accordingly sent all the prisoners he had taken into Bambarra, and having
collected a considerable quantity of provisions, remained with his army
two whole months in the vicinity of Gedingooma, without doing any thing
decisive. During this time, he was much harassed by sallies from the
besieged; and his stock of provisions being nearly exhausted, he sent to
Ali, the Moorish King of Ludamar, for two hundred horsemen, to enable him
to make an attack upon the north gate of the town, and give the
Bambarrans an opportunity of storming the place. Ali, though he had made
an agreement with Mansong at the commencement of the war, to afford him
assistance, now refused to fulfil his engagement; which so enraged
Mansong, that he marched part of his army to Funingkedy, with a view to
surprise the camp of Benowm; but the Moors having received intelligence
of his design, fled to the northward; and Mansong, without attempting any
thing farther, returned to Sego. This happened while I was myself in
captivity in Ali's camp, as will hereafter be seen.
As the King of Kaarta had now got quit of his most formidable antagonist,
it might have been hoped that peace would have been restored to his
dominions; but an extraordinary incident involved him, immediately
afterwards, in hostilities with Kasson; the king of which country dying
about that time, the succession was disputed by his two sons. The younger
(Sambo Sego, my old acquaintance) prevailed, and drove his brother from
the country. He fled to Gedingooma; and, being pursued thither, Daisy,
who had lived in constant friendship with both the brothers, refused to
deliver him up; at the same time declaring that he would not support his
claim, nor any way interfere in the quarrel. Sambo Sego, elated with
success, and proud of the homage that was paid him as sovereign of
Kasson, was much displeased with Daisy's conduct, and joined with some
disaffected fugitive Kaartans in a plundering expedition against him.
Daisy, who little expected such a visit, had sent a number of people to
Joko, to plant corn, and collect together such cattle as they might find
straying in the woods, in order to supply his army. All these people fell
into the hands of Sambo Sego, who carried them to Kooniakary, and
afterwards sent them in caravans, to be sold to the French at Fort-Louis,
on the river Senegal.
This attack was soon retaliated; for Daisy, who was now in distress for
want of provisions, thought he was justified in supplying himself from
the plunder of Kasson. He accordingly took with him eight hundred of his
best men; and, marching secretly through the woods, surprised in the
night three large villages near Kooniakary, in which many of his
traitorous subjects, who were in Sambo's expedition, had taken up their
residence; all these, and indeed all the able men that fell into Daisy's
hands, were immediately put to death.
After this expedition, Daisy began to indulge the hopes of peace; many of
his discontented subjects had returned to their allegiance, and were
repairing the towns which had been desolated by the war; the rainy season
was approaching; and every thing wore a favourable appearance, when he
was suddenly attacked from a different quarter.
The Jowers, Kakaroos, and some other Kaartans, who had deserted from him
at the commencement of the war, and had shown a decided preference to
Mansong and his army during the whole campaign, were now afraid or
ashamed to ask forgiveness of Daisy, and being very powerful in
themselves, joined together to make war upon him. They solicited the
Moors to assist them in their rebellion, (as will appear hereafter,) and,
having collected a considerable army, they plundered a large village
belonging to Daisy, and carried off a number of prisoners.
Daisy immediately prepared to revenge this insult; but the Jowers, and
indeed almost all the Negro inhabitants of Ludamar, deserted their towns,
and fled to the eastward; and the rainy season put an end to the war of
Kaarta, which had enriched a few individuals, but destroyed the happiness
of thousands.
Such was the state of affairs among the nations in the neighbourhood of
Jarra, soon after the period of my arrival there. I shall now proceed,
after giving some description of that place, with the detail of events as
they occurred.
CHAPTER IX.
_Some account of Jarra, and the Moorish inhabitants.--The Author applies
for and obtains permission from Ali, the Moorish chief or sovereign of
Ludamar, to pass through his territories.--Departs from Jarra, and
arrives at Deena.--Ill treated by the Moors.--Proceeds to Sampaka.--Finds
a Negro who makes gunpowder.--Continues his journey to Samee, where he is
seized by some Moors, who are sent for that purpose by Ali.--Is conveyed
a prisoner to the Moorish camp at Benowm, on the borders of the Great
Desert._
The town of Jarra is of considerable extent; the houses are built of clay
and stone intermixed; the clay answering the purpose of mortar. It is
situated in the Moorish kingdom of Ludamar; but the major part of the
inhabitants are Negroes, from the borders of the southern states, who
prefer a precarious protection under the Moors--which they purchase by a
tribute--rather than continue exposed to their predatory hostilities. The
tribute they pay is considerable; and they manifest towards their Moorish
superiors the most unlimited obedience and submission, and are treated by
them with the utmost indignity and contempt. The Moors of this, and the
other states adjoining the country of the Negroes, resemble in their
persons the Mulattoes of the West Indies to so great a degree, as not
easily to be distinguished from them; and in truth, the present
generation seem to be a mixed race between the Moors (properly so called)
of the North, and the Negroes of the South, possessing many of the worst
qualities of both nations.
Of the origin of these Moorish tribes, as distinguished from the
inhabitants of Barbary, from whom they are divided by the Great Desert,
nothing farther seems to be known than what is related by John Leo, the
African; whose account may be abridged as follows.
Before the Arabian Conquest, about the middle of the seventh century, all
the inhabitants of Africa, whether they were descended from Numidians,
Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, or Goths, were comprehended
under the general name of _Mauri_ or Moors. All these nations were
converted to the religion of Mahomet, during the Arabian empire under the
Caliphs. About this time many of the Numidian tribes, who led a wandering
life in the Desert, and supported themselves upon the produce of their
cattle, retired southward across the Great Desert, to avoid the fury of
the Arabians: and by one of those tribes, says Leo, (that of Zanhaga,)
were discovered and conquered the Negro nations on the Niger. By the
Niger is here undoubtedly meant the river of Senegal, which in the
Mandingo language is called _Bafing_, or the Black River.
To what extent these people are now spread over the African continent it
is difficult to ascertain; There is reason to believe, that their
dominion stretches from west to east, in a narrow line or belt, from the
mouth of the Senegal (on the northern side of that river) to the confines
of Abyssinia. They are a subtle and treacherous race of people; and take
every opportunity of cheating and plundering the credulous and
unsuspecting Negroes. But their manners and general habits of life will
be best explained, as incidents occur, in the course of my narrative.
On my arrival at Jarra, I obtained a lodging at the house of Daman Jumma,
a Gambia slatee. This man had formerly borrowed goods from Dr. Laidley,
who had given me an order for the money, to the amount of six slaves; and
though the debt was of five years standing, he readily acknowledged it,
and promised me what money he could raise. He was afraid, he said, in his
present situation, he could not pay more than two slaves' value. He gave
me his assistance, however, in exchanging my beads and amber for gold,
which was a more portable article, and more easily concealed from the
Moors.
The difficulties we had already encountered, the unsettled state of the
country, and, above all, the savage and overbearing deportment of the
Moors, had so completely frightened my attendants, that they declared
they would rather relinquish every claim to reward, than proceed one step
farther to the eastward. Indeed, the danger they incurred of being seized
by the Moors, and sold into slavery, became every day more apparent; and
I could not condemn their apprehensions. In this situation, deserted by
my attendants, and reflecting that my retreat was cut off by the war
behind me, and that a Moorish country of ten days' journey lay before me,
I applied to Daman to obtain permission from Ali, the chief or sovereign
of Ludamar, that I might pass through his country unmolested into
Bambarra; and I hired one of Daman's slaves to accompany me thither, as
soon as such permission should be obtained. A messenger was dispatched to
Ali, who at this time was encamped near Benowm; and as a present was
necessary in order to insure success, I sent him five garments of cotton
cloth, which I purchased of Daman for one of my fowling-pieces. Fourteen
days elapsed in settling this affair; but, on the evening of the 26th of
February, one of Ali's slaves arrived with directions, as he pretended,
to conduct me in safety as far as Goomba; and told me I was to pay him
one garment of blue cotton cloth for his attendance. My faithful boy
observing that I was about to proceed without him, resolved to accompany
me; and told me, that though he wished me to turn back, he never had
entertained any serious thoughts of deserting me, but had been advised to
it by Johnson, with a view to induce me to return immediately for Gambia.
Feb. 27th. I delivered most of my papers to Johnson, to convey them to
Gambia as soon as possible, reserving a duplicate for myself, in case of
accidents. I likewise left in Daman's possession a bundle of clothes and
other things that were not absolutely necessary; for I wished to diminish
my baggage as much as possible, that the Moors might have fewer
inducements to plunder us.
Things being thus adjusted, we departed from Jarra in the forenoon, and
slept at Troomgoomba, a small walled village, inhabited by a mixture of
Negroes and Moors. On the day following (Feb. 28th) we reached Quira; and
on the 29th, after a toilsome journey over a sandy country, we came to
Compe, a watering place belonging to the Moors; from whence, on the
morning following, we proceeded to Deena, a large town, and, like Jarra,
built of stone and clay. The Moors are here in greater proportion to the
Negroes than at Jarra. They assembled round the hut of the Negro where I
lodged, and treated me with the greatest insolence: they hissed, shouted,
and abused me; they even spit in my face with a view to irritate me, and
afford them a pretext for seizing my baggage. But, finding such insults
had not the desired effect, they had recourse to the final and decisive
argument, that I was a Christian, and of course that my property was
lawful plunder to the followers of Mahomet. They accordingly opened my
bundles, and robbed me of every thing they fancied. My attendants,
finding that every body could rob me with impunity, insisted on returning
to Jarra.
The day following (March 2d) I endeavoured, by all the means in my power,
to prevail upon my people to go on; but they still continued obstinate;
and having reason to fear some further insult from the fanatic Moors, I
resolved to proceed alone. Accordingly, the next morning about two
o'clock, I departed from Deena. It was moonlight; but the roaring of the
wild beasts made it necessary to proceed with caution.
When I had reached a piece of rising ground about half a mile from the
town, I heard somebody halloo, and looking back, saw my faithful boy
running after me. He informed me, that Ali's man had gone back to Benowm,
and that Daman's Negro was about to depart for Jarra; but he said he had
no doubt, if I would stop a little, that he could persuade the latter to
accompany us. I waited accordingly, and in about an hour the boy returned
with the Negro; and we continued travelling over a sandy country, covered
chiefly with the _Asclepias giganteo_, until mid-day, when we came to a
number of deserted huts; and seeing some appearances of water at a
distance, I sent the boy to fill a soofroo; but as he was examining the
place for water, the roaring of a lion, that was probably on the same
pursuit, induced the frightened boy to return in haste; and we submitted
patiently to the disappointment. In the afternoon we reached a town
inhabited chiefly by Foulahs, called Samamingkoos.
Next morning (March 4th) we set out for Sampaka, which place we reached
about two o'clock. On the road we observed immense quantities of locusts;
the trees were quite black with them. These insects devour every
vegetable that comes in their way, and in a short time completely strip a
tree of its leaves. The noise of their excrement falling upon the leaves
and withered grass, very much resembles a shower of rain. When a tree is
shaken or struck, it is astonishing to see what a cloud of them will fly
off. In their flight they yield to the current of the wind, which at this
season of the year is always from the north-east. Should the wind shift,
it is difficult to conceive where they could collect food, as the whole
of their course was marked with desolation.
Sampaka is a large town, and, when the Moors and Bambarrans were at war,
was thrice attacked by the former: but they were driven off with great
loss, though the King of Bambarra was afterwards obliged to give up this,
and all the other towns as far as Goomba, in order to obtain a peace.
Here I lodged at the house of a Negro who practised the art of making
gunpowder. He showed me a bag of nitre, very white, but the crystals were
much smaller than common. They procure it in considerable quantities from
the ponds which are filled in the rainy season, and to which the cattle
resort for coolness during the heat of the day. When the water is
evaporated, a white efflorescence is observed on the mud, which the
natives collect and purify in such a manner as to answer their purpose.
The Moors supply them with sulphur from the Mediterranean; and the
process is completed by pounding the different articles together in a
wooden mortar. The grains are very unequal, and the sound of its
explosion is by no means so sharp as that produced by European gunpowder.
March 5th. We departed from Sampaka at daylight. About noon we stopped a
little at a village called Dungali; and in the evening arrived at Dalli.
We saw upon the road two large herds of camels feeding. When the Moors
turn their camels to feed, they tie up one of their fore legs, to prevent
their straying. This happened to be a feast day at Dalli, and the people
were dancing before the Dooty's house. But when they were informed that a
white man was come into the town, they left off dancing, and came to the
place where I lodged, walking in regular order, two and two, with the
music before them. They play upon a sort of flute; but instead of blowing
into a hole in the side, they blow obliquely over the end, which is half
shut by a thin piece of wood: they govern the holes on the side with
their fingers, and play some simple and very plaintive airs. They
continued to dance and sing until midnight; during which time I was
surrounded by so great a crowd, as made it necessary for me to satisfy
their curiosity, by sitting still.
March 6th. We stopt here this morning because some of the townspeople,
who were going for Goomba on the day following, wished to accompany us:
but in order to avoid the crowd of people which usually assembled in the
evening, we went to a Negro village to the east of Dalli, called Samee,
where we were kindly received by the hospitable Dooty, who on this
occasion killed two fine sheep, and invited his friends to come and feast
with him.
March 7th. Our landlord was so proud of the honour of entertaining a
white man, that he insisted on my staying with him and his friends until
the cool of the evening, when he said he would conduct me to the next
village. As I was now within two days' journey of Goomba, I had no
apprehensions from the Moors, and readily accepted the invitation. I
spent the forenoon very pleasantly with these poor Negroes: their company
was the more acceptable, as the gentleness of their manners presented a
striking contrast to the rudeness and barbarity of the Moors. They
enlivened their conversation by drinking a fermented liquor made from
corn; the same sort of beer that I have described in a former chapter;
and better I never tasted in Great Britain.
In the midst of this harmless festivity, I flattered myself that all
danger from the Moors was over. Fancy had already placed me on the banks
of the Niger, and presented to my imagination a thousand delightful
scenes in my future progress, when a party of Moors unexpectedly entered
the hut, and dispelled the golden dream. They came, they said, by Ali's
orders, to convey me to his camp at Benowm. If I went peaceably, they
told me I had nothing to fear; but if I refused, they had orders to bring
me by force. I was struck dumb by surprise and terror, which the Moors
observing, endeavoured to calm my apprehensions, by repeating the
assurance that I had nothing to fear. Their visit, they added, was
occasioned by the curiosity of Ali's wife, _Fatima_, who had heard so
much about Christians, that she was very anxious to see one: as soon as
her curiosity should be satisfied, they had no doubt, they said, that Ali
would give me a handsome present, and send a person to conduct me to
Bambarra. Finding entreaty and resistance equally fruitless, I prepared
to follow the messengers, and took leave of my landlord and his company
with great reluctance. Accompanied by my faithful boy, (for Daman's slave
made his escape on seeing the Moors,) we reached Dalli in the evening,
where we were strictly watched by the Moors during the night.
March 8th. We were conducted by a circuitous path through the woods to
Dangali, where we slept.
March 9th. We continued our journey, and in the afternoon arrived at
Sampaka. On the road we saw a party of Moors, well armed, who told us
that they were hunting for a runaway slave; but the townspeople informed
us, that a party of Moors had attempted to steal some cattle from the
town in the morning, but were repulsed; and on their describing the
persons, we were satisfied that they were the same banditti that we had
seen in the woods.
Next morning (March loath) we set out for Samamingkoos. On the road we
overtook a woman and two boys, with an ass; she informed us that she was
going for Bambarra, but had been stopped on the road by a party of Moors,
who had taken most of her clothes, and some gold from her: and that she
would be under the necessity of returning to Deena, till the fast moon
was over. The same evening the new moon was seen, which ushered in the
month Rhamadan. Large fires were made in different parts of the town, and
a greater quantity of victuals than usual dressed upon the occasion.
March 11th. By daylight the Moors were in readiness; but as I had
suffered much from thirst on the road, I made my boy fill a soofroo of
water for my own use; for the Moors assured me that they should not taste
either meat or drink until sunset. However, I found that the excessive
heat of the sun, and the dust we raised in travelling, overcame their
scruples, and made my soofroo a very useful part of our baggage. On our
arrival at Deena, I went to pay my respects to one of Ali's sons. I found
him sitting in a low hut, with five or six more of his companions,
washing their hands and feet, and frequently taking water into their
mouths, gargling, and spitting it out again. I was no sooner seated, than
he handed me a double-barrelled gun, and told me to dye the stock of a
blue colour, and repair one of the locks. I found great difficulty in
persuading him that I knew nothing about the matter. However, says he, if
you cannot repair the gun, you shall give me some knives and scissors
immediately; and when my boy, who acted as interpreter, assured him that
I had no such articles, he hastily snatched up a musket that stood by
him, cocked it, and putting the muzzle close to the boy's ear, would
certainly have shot him dead upon the spot, had not the Moors wrested the
musket from him and made signs for us to retreat. The boy, being
terrified at this treatment, attempted to make his escape in the night;
but was prevented by the vigilance of the Moors, who guarded us with
strict attention; and at night always went to sleep by the door of the
hut, in such a situation that it was almost impossible to pass, without
stepping upon them.
March 12th. We departed from Deena towards Benowm, and about nine o'clock
came to a Korree, whence the Moors were preparing to depart to the
southward on account of the scarcity of water; here we filled our
soofroo, and continued our journey over a hot sandy country, covered with
small stunted shrubs, until about one o'clock, when the heat of the sun
obliged us to stop. But our water being expended, we could not prudently
remain longer than a few minutes to collect a little gum, which is an
excellent succedaneum for water; as it keeps the mouth moist, and allays,
for a time, the pain in the throat.
About five o'clock we came in sight of Benowm, the residence of Ali. It
presented to the eye a great number of dirty looking tents, scattered
without order, over a large space of ground; and among the tents appeared
large herds of camels, cattle, and goats. We reached the skirts of the
camp, a little before sunset, and, with much entreaty, procured a little
water. My arrival was no sooner observed, than the people who drew water
at the wells threw down their buckets; those in the tents mounted their
horses, and men, women, and children, came running or galloping towards
me. I soon found myself surrounded by such a crowd, that I could scarcely
move; one pulled my clothes, another took off my hat, a third stopped me
to examine my waistcoat buttons, and a fourth called out, _la illah el
allah Mahomet rasowl allahi_,[10] and signified, in a threatening manner,
that I must repeat those words. We reached at length the king's tent,
where we found a great number of people, men and women, assembled. Ali
was sitting upon a black leather cushion, clipping a few hairs from his
upper lip; a female attendant holding up a looking-glass before him. He
appeared to be an old man, of the Arab cast, with a long white beard; and
he had a sullen and indignant aspect. He surveyed me with attention, and
inquired of the Moors if I could speak Arabic: being answered in the
negative, he appeared much surprised, and continued silent. The
surrounding attendants, and especially the ladies, were abundantly more
inquisitive: they asked a thousand questions, inspected every part of my
apparel, searched my pockets, and obliged me to unbutton my waistcoat,
and display the whiteness of my skin: they even counted my toes and
fingers, as if they doubted whether I was in truth a human being. In a
little time the priest announced evening prayers; but before the people
departed, the Moor, who had acted as interpreter, informed me that Ali
was about to present me with something to eat; and looking round, I
observed some boys bringing a wild hog, which they tied to one of the
tent strings, and Ali made signs to me to kill and dress it for supper.
Though I was very hungry, I did not think it prudent to eat any part of
an animal so much detested by the Moors, and therefore told him that I
never eat such food. They then untied the hog in hopes that it would run
immediately at me; for they believe that a great enmity subsists between
hogs and Christians; but in this they were disappointed, for the animal
no sooner regained his liberty, than he began to attack indiscriminately
every person that came in his way, and at last took shelter under the
couch upon which the king was sitting. The assembly being thus dissolved,
I was conducted to the tent of Ali's chief slave, but was not permitted
to enter, nor allowed to touch any thing belonging to it. I requested
something to eat, and a little boiled corn, with salt and water, was at
length sent me in a wooden bowl; and a mat was spread upon the sand
before the tent, on which I passed the night, surrounded by the curious
multitude.
[10] See page 87 [Footnote 9. Transcriber.].
At sunrise, Ali, with a few attendants, came on horseback to visit me,
and signified that he had provided a hut for me, where I would be
sheltered from the sun. I was accordingly conducted thither, and found
the hut comparatively cool and pleasant. It was constructed of corn
stalks set up on end, in the form of a square, with a flat roof of the
same materials, supported by forked sticks; to one of which was tied the
wild hog before mentioned. This animal had certainly been placed there by
Ali's order, out of derision to a Christian; and I found it a very
disagreeable inmate, as it drew together a number of boys, who amused
themselves by beating it with sticks, until they had so irritated the hog
that it ran and bit at every person within its reach.
I was no sooner seated in this my new habitation, than the Moors
assembled in crowds to behold me; but I found it rather a troublesome
levee, for I was obliged to take off one of my stockings, and show them
my foot, and even to take off my jacket and waistcoat, to show them how
my clothes were put on and off: they were much delighted with the curious
contrivance of buttons. All this was to be repeated to every succeeding
visitor; for such as had already seen these wonders insisted on their
friends seeing the same; and in this manner I was employed, dressing and
undressing, buttoning and unbuttoning, from noon to night. About eight
o'clock, Ali sent me for supper some kouskous and salt and water, which
was very acceptable, being the only victuals I had tasted since morning.
I observed that, in the night, the Moors kept regular watch, and
frequently looked into the hut, to see if I was asleep, and if it was
quite dark, they would light a wisp of grass. About two o'clock in the
morning, a Moor entered the hut, probably with a view to steal something,
or perhaps to murder me: and groping about, he laid his hand upon my
shoulder. As night visitors were at best but suspicious characters, I
sprang up the moment he laid his hand upon me; and the Moor, in his haste
to get off, stumbled over my boy, and fell with his face upon the wild
hog, which returned the attack by biting the Moor's arm. The screams of
this man alarmed the people in the king's tent, who immediately
conjectured that I had made my escape, and a number of them mounted their
horses, and prepared to pursue me. I observed upon this occasion that Ali
did not sleep in his own tent, but came galloping upon a white horse from
a small tent at a considerable distance: indeed, the tyrannical and cruel
behaviour of this man made him so jealous of every person around him,
that even his own slaves and domestics knew not where he slept. When the
Moors had explained to him the cause of this outcry, they all went away
and I was permitted to sleep quietly until morning.
March 13th. With the returning day commenced the same round of insult and
irritation: the boys assembled to beat the hog, and the men and women to
plague the Christian. It is impossible for me to describe the behaviour
of a people who study mischief as a science, and exult in the miseries
and misfortunes of their fellow-creatures. It is sufficient to observe
that the rudeness, ferocity, and fanaticism, which distinguish the Moors
from the rest of man-kind, found here a proper subject whereon to
exercise their propensities. I was a _stranger_, I was _unprotected_, and
I was a _Christian_; each of these circumstances is sufficient to drive
every spark of humanity from the heart of a Moor; but when all of them,
as in my case, were combined in the same person, and a suspicion
prevailed withal, that I had come as a _spy_ into the country, the reader
will easily imagine that, in such a situation, I had every thing to fear.
Anxious, however, to conciliate favour, and if possible, to afford the
Moors no pretence for ill-treating me, I readily complied with every
command, and patiently bore every insult; but never did any period of my
life pass away so heavily; from sunrise to sunset was I obliged to
suffer, with an unruffled countenance, the insults of the rudest savages
on earth.
CHAPTER X.
_Various occurrences during the Author's confinement at Benowm--is
visited by some Moorish ladies.--A funeral and wedding.--The Author
receives an extraordinary present from the bride.--Other circumstances
illustrative of the Moorish character and manners._
The Moors, though very indolent themselves, are rigid task-masters, and
keep every person under them in full employment. My boy Demba was sent to
the woods to collect withered grass for Ali's horses; and after a variety
of projects concerning myself, they at last found out an employment for
me; this was no other than the respectable office of _barber_. I was to
make my first exhibition in this capacity in the royal presence, and to
be honoured with the task of shaving the head of the young prince of
Ludamar. I accordingly seated myself upon the sand, and the boy with some
hesitation sat down beside me. A small razor, about three inches long,
was put into my hand, and I was ordered to proceed; but whether from my
own want of skill, or the improper shape of the instrument, I
unfortunately made a slight incision in the boy's head, at the very
commencement of the operation; and the king, observing the awkward manner
in which I held the razor, concluded that his son's head was in very
improper hands, and ordered me to resign the razor, and walk out of the
tent. This I considered as a very fortunate circumstance; for I had laid
it down as a rule, to make myself as useless and insignificant as
possible, as the only means of recovering my liberty.
March 18th. Four Moors arrived from Jarra with Johnson my interpreter,
having seized him before he had received any intimation of my
confinement: and bringing with them a bundle of clothes that I had left
at Daman Jumma's house, for my use in case I should return by the way of
Jarra. Johnson was led into Ali's tent and examined; the bundle was
opened, and I was sent for to explain the use of the different articles.
I was happy, however, to find that Johnson had committed my papers to the
charge of one of Daman's wives. When I had satisfied Ali's curiosity
respecting the different articles of apparel, the bundle was again tied
up, and put in a large cow-skin bag, that stood in a corner of the tent.
The same evening Ali sent three of his people to inform me, that there
were many thieves in the neighbourhood, and that to prevent the rest of
my things from being stolen, it was necessary to convey them all into his
tent. My clothes, instruments, and every thing that belonged to me, were
accordingly carried away; and though the heat and dust made clean linen
very necessary and refreshing, I could not procure a single shirt out of
the small stock I had brought along with me. Ali was however
disappointed, by not finding among my effects the quantity of gold and
amber that he expected; but to make sure of every thing, he sent the same
people on the morning following, to examine whether I had any thing
concealed about my person. They, with their usual rudeness, searched
every part of my apparel, and stripped me of all my gold, amber, my
watch, and one of my pocket compasses; I had fortunately, in the night,
buried the other compass in the sand; and this, with the clothes I had
on, was all that the tyranny of Ali had now left me.
The gold and amber were highly gratifying to Moorish avarice, but the
pocket compass soon became an object of superstitious curiosity. Ali was
very desirous to be informed, why that small piece of iron, the needle,
always pointed to the Great Desert, and I found myself somewhat puzzled
to answer the question. To have pleaded my ignorance, would have created
a suspicion that I wished to conceal the real truth from him; I therefore
told him, that my mother resided far beyond the sands of Sahara, and that
whilst she was alive, the piece of iron would always point that way, and
serve as a guide to conduct me to her, and that if she was dead, it would
point to her grave. Ali now looked at the compass with redoubled
amazement; turned it round and round repeatedly; but observing that it
always pointed the same way, he took it up with great caution and
returned it to me, manifesting that he thought there was something of
magic in it, and that he was afraid of keeping so dangerous an instrument
in his possession.
March 20th. This morning a council of chief men was held in Ali's tent
respecting me; their decisions, though they were all unfavourable to me,
were differently related by different persons. Some said that they
intended to put me to death; others, that I was only to lose my right
hand: but the most probable account was that which I received from Ali's
own son, a boy about nine years of age, who came to me in the evening,
and, with much concern, informed me that his uncle had persuaded his
father to put out my eyes, which they said resembled those of a cat, and
that all the Bushreens had approved of this measure. His father, however,
he said, would not put the sentence into execution until Fatima the
queen, who was at present in the north, had seen me.
March 21st. Anxious to know my destiny, I went to the king early in the
morning: and as a number of Bushreens were assembled, I thought this a
favourable opportunity of discovering their intentions. I therefore began
by begging his permission to return to Jarra, which was flatly refused;
his wife, he said, had not yet seen me, and I must stay until she came to
Benowm, after which I should be at liberty to depart; and that my horse,
which had been taken away from me the day after I arrived should be again
restored to me. Unsatisfactory as this answer was, I was forced to appear
pleased: and as there was little hopes of making my escape, at this
season of the year, on account of the excessive heat, and the total want
of water in the woods, I resolved to wait patiently until the rains had
set in, or until some more favourable opportunity should present
itself;--but _hope deferred maketh the heart sick_. This tedious
procrastination from day to day, and the thoughts of travelling through
the Negro kingdoms in the rainy season, which was now fast approaching,
made me very melancholy; and having passed a restless night, I found
myself attacked, in the morning, by a smart fever. I had wrapped myself
close up in my cloak, with a view to induce perspiration, and was asleep
when a party of Moors entered the hut, and with their usual rudeness
pulled the cloak from me. I made signs to them that I was sick, and
wished much to sleep; but I solicited in vain; my distress was matter of
sport to them, and they endeavoured to heighten it by every means in
their power. This studied and degrading insolence, to which I was
constantly exposed, was one of the bitterest ingredients in the cup of
captivity; and often made life itself a burthen to me. In those
distressing moments I have frequently envied the situation of the slave,
who, amidst all his calamities, could still possess the enjoyment of his
own thoughts; a happiness to which I had, for some time, been a stranger.
Wearied out with such continual insults, and perhaps a little peevish
from the fever, I trembled lest my passion might unawares overleap the
bounds of prudence, and spur me to some sudden act of resentment, when
death must be the inevitable consequence. In this perplexity, I left my
hut, and walked to some shady trees at a little distance from the camp,
where I lay down. But even here persecution followed me; and solitude was
thought too great an indulgence for a distressed Christian. Ali's son,
with a number of horsemen, came galloping to the place, and ordered me to
rise and follow them. I begged they would allow me to remain where I was,
if it was only for a few hours; but they paid little attention to what I
said; and after a few threatening words, one of them pulled out a pistol
from a leather bag, that was fastened to the pummel of his saddle, and
presenting it towards me, snapped it twice. He did this with so much
indifference, that I really doubted whether the pistol was loaded; he
cocked it a third time, and was striking the flint with a piece of steel,
when I begged them to desist, and returned with them to the camp. When we
entered Ali's tent, we found him much out of humour. He called for the
Moor's pistol, and amused himself for some time with opening and shutting
the pan; at length, taking up his powder horn, he fresh primed it; and
turning round to me with a menacing look, said something in Arabic, which
I did not understand. I desired my boy, who was sitting before the tent,
to inquire what offence I had committed; when I was informed that having
gone out of the camp without Ali's permission, they suspected that I had
some design of making my escape; and that, in future, if I was seen
without the skirts of the camp, orders had been given that I should be
shot by the first person that observed me.
In the afternoon the horizon, to the eastward, was thick and hazy, and
the Moors prognosticated a sand wind; which accordingly commenced on the
morning following, and lasted, with slight intermissions, for two days.
The force of the wind was not in itself very great; it was what a seaman
would have denominated a _stiff breeze_; but the quantity of sand and
dust carried before it was such as to darken the whole atmosphere. It
swept along from east to west, in a thick and constant stream, and the
air was at times so dark and full of sand, that it was difficult to
discern the neighbouring tents. As the Moors always dress their victuals
in the open air, this sand fell in great plenty among the kouskous; it
readily adhered to the skin, when moistened by perspiration, and formed a
cheap and universal hair powder. The Moors wrap a cloth round their face
to prevent them from inhaling the sand, and always turn their backs to
the wind when they look up, to prevent the sand falling into their eyes.
About this time, all the women of the camp had their feet, and the ends
of their fingers, stained of a dark saffron colour. I could never
ascertain whether this was done from motives of religion, or by way of
ornament. The curiosity of the Moorish ladies had been very troublesome
to me ever since my arrival at Benowm; and on the evening of the 25th,
(whether from the instigation of others, or impelled by their own
ungovernable curiosity, or merely out of frolic, I cannot affirm,) a
party of them came into my hut, and gave me plainly to understand that
the object of their visit was to ascertain, by actual inspection, whether
the rite of circumcision extended to the Nazarenes (Christians) as well
as to the followers of Mahomet. The reader will easily judge of my
surprise at this unexpected declaration; and in order to avoid the
proposed scrutiny, I thought it best to treat the business jocularly. I
observed to them, that it was not customary in my country to give ocular
demonstration in such cases before so many beautiful women; but that if
all of them would retire, except the young lady to whom I pointed,
(selecting the youngest and handsomest,) I would satisfy her curiosity.
The ladies enjoyed the jest, and went away laughing heartily; and the
young damsel herself, to whom I had given the preference, (though she did
not avail herself of the privilege of inspection,) seemed no way
displeased at the compliment; for she soon afterwards sent me some meal
and milk for my supper.
March 28th. This morning a large herd of cattle arrived from the
eastward; and one of the drivers, to whom Ali had lent my horse, came
into my hut with the leg of an antelope as a present, and told me that my
horse was standing before Ali's tent. In a little time Ali sent one of
his slaves to inform me, that, in the afternoon, I must be in readiness
to ride out with him, as he intended to show me to some of his women.
About four o'clock, Ali, with six of his courtiers, came riding to my
hut, and told me to follow them. I readily complied. But here a new
difficulty occurred; the Moors, accustomed to a loose and easy dress,
could not reconcile themselves to the appearance of my _nankeen
breeches_, which they said were not only inelegant, but, on account of
their tightness, very indecent; and as this was a visit to ladies, Ali
ordered my boy to bring out the loose cloak which I had always worn since
my arrival at Benowm, and told me to wrap it close round me. We visited
the tents of four different ladies, at every one of which I was presented
with a bowl of milk and water. All these ladies were remarkably
corpulent, which is considered here as the highest mark of beauty. They
were very inquisitive, and examined my hair and skin with great
attention; but affected to consider me as a sort of inferior being to
themselves, and would knit their brows, and seemed to shudder, when they
looked at the whiteness of my skin. In the course of this evening's
excursion, my dress and appearance afforded infinite mirth to the
company, who galloped round me as if they were baiting a wild animal;
twirling their muskets round their heads, and exhibiting various feats of
activity and horsemanship, seemingly to display their superior prowess
over a miserable captive.
The Moors are certainly very good horsemen. They ride without fear; their
saddles being high before and behind, afford them a very secure seat; and
if they chance to fall, the whole country is so soft and sandy, that they
are very seldom hurt. Their greatest pride, and one of their principal
amusements, is to put the horse to his full speed, and then stop him with
a sudden jerk, so as frequently to bring him down upon his haunches. Ali
always rode upon a milk-white horse, with its tail dyed red. He never
walked, unless when he went to say his prayers; and even in the night,
two or three horses were always kept ready saddled, at a little distance
from his own tent. The Moors set a very high value upon their horses; for
it is by their superior fleetness, that they are enabled to make so many
predatory excursions into the Negro countries. They feed them three or
four times a day, and generally give them a large quantity of sweet milk
in the evening, which the horses appear to relish very much.