April 3d. This forenoon a child, which had been some time sickly, died in

the next tent; and the mother and relations immediately began the death

howl. They were joined by a number of female visitors, who came on

purpose to assist at this melancholy concert. I had no opportunity of

seeing the burial, which is generally performed secretly in the dusk of

the evening, and frequently at only a few yards distance from the tent.

Over the grave, they plant one particular shrub; and no stranger is

allowed to pluck a leaf, or even to touch it; so great a veneration have

they for the dead.

April 7th. About four o'clock in the afternoon, a whirlwind passed

through the camp with such violence that it overturned three tents, and

blew down one side of my hut. These whirlwinds come from the Great

Desert, and at this season of the year are so common, that I have seen

five or six of them at one time. They carry up quantities of sand to an

amazing height, which resemble, at a distance, so many moving pillars of

smoke.

The scorching heat of the sun, upon a dry and sandy country, makes the

air insufferably hot. Ali having robbed me of my thermometer, I had no

means of forming a comparative judgment; but in the middle of the day,

when the beams of the vertical sun are seconded by the scorching wind

from the Desert, the ground is frequently heated to such a degree, as not

to be borne by the naked foot; even the Negro slaves will not run from

one tent to another without their sandals. At this time of the day, the

Moors lie stretched at length in their tents, either asleep, or unwilling

to move; and I have often felt the wind so hot, that I could not hold my

hand in the current of air, which came through the crevices of my hut,

without feeling sensible pain.

April 8th. This day the wind blew from the south-west, and in the night

there was a heavy shower of rain accompanied with thunder and lightning.

April 10th. In the evening the Tabala, or large drum, was beat to

announce a wedding, which was held at one of the neighbouring tents. A

great number of people of both sexes assembled, but without that mirth

and hilarity which take place at a Negro wedding: here was neither

singing nor dancing, nor any other amusement that I could perceive. A

woman was beating the drum, and the other women joining at times like a

chorus, by setting up a shrill scream; and at the same time, moving their

tongues from one side of the mouth to the other with great celerity. I

was soon tired, and had returned into my hut, where I was sitting almost

asleep, when an old woman entered, with a wooden bowl in her hand, and

signified that she had brought me a present from the bride. Before I

could recover from the surprise which this message created, the woman

discharged the contents of the bowl full in my face. Finding that It was

the same sort of holy water, with which, among the Hottentots, a priest

is said to sprinkle a new married couple, I began to suspect that the old

lady was actuated by mischief or malice; but she gave me seriously to

understand, that it was a nuptial benediction from the bride's own

person; and which, on such occasions, is always received by the young

unmarried Moors as a mark of distinguished favour. This being the case, I

wiped my face, and sent my acknowledgments to the lady. The wedding drum

continued to beat, and the women to sing, or rather whistle, all night.

About nine in the morning, the bride was brought in state from her

mother's tent, attended by a number of women who carried her tent, (a

present from the husband,) some bearing up the poles, others holding by

the strings; and in this manner they marched, whistling as formerly,

until they came to the place appointed for her residence, where they

pitched the tent. The husband followed, with a number of men leading four

bullocks, which they tied to the tent strings; and having killed another,

and distributed the beef among the people, the ceremony was concluded.

CHAPTER XI.

_Occurrences at the camp continued.--Information collected by the Author

concerning Houssa and Tombuctoo; and the situation of the latter.--The

route described from Morocco to Benowm.--The Author's distress from

hunger--Ali removes his camp to the northward,--The Author is carried

prisoner to the new encampment, and is presented to Queen Fatima.--Great

distress from want of water_.

One whole month had now elapsed since I was led into captivity; during

which time each returning day brought me fresh distresses. I watched the

lingering course of the sun with anxiety, and blessed his evening beams

as they shed a yellow lustre along the sandy floor of my hut; for it was

then that my oppressors left me, and allowed me to pass the sultry night

in solitude and reflection.

About midnight a bowl of kouskous, with some salt and water, was brought

for me and my two attendants. This was our common fare, and it was all

that was allowed us, to allay the cravings of hunger, and support nature

for the whole of the following day: for it is to be observed, that this

was the Mahomedan Lent, and as the Moors keep the fast with a religious

strictness, they thought it proper to compel me, though a Christian, to a

similar observance. Time, however, somewhat reconciled me to my

situation: I found that I could bear hunger and thirst better than I

expected; and at length I endeavoured to beguile the tedious hours by

learning to write Arabic. The people who came to see me soon made me

acquainted with the characters; and I discovered, that, by engaging their

attention in this way, they were not so troublesome as otherwise they

would have been: indeed, when I observed any person whose countenance I

thought bore malice towards me, I made it a rule to ask him, either to

write in the sand himself, or to decipher what I had already written; and

the pride of showing his superior attainments generally induced him to

comply with my request.

April 14th. As Queen Fatima had not yet arrived, Ali proposed to go to

the north, and bring her back with him; but as the place was two days'

journey from Benowm, it was necessary to have some refreshment on the

road; and Ali, suspicious of those about him, was so afraid of being

poisoned, that he never ate anything but what was dressed under his own

immediate inspection. A fine bullock was therefore killed, and the flesh

being cut into thin slices, was dried in the sun: and this, with two bags

of dry kouskous, formed his travelling provisions.

Previous to his departure, the black people of the town of Benowm came,

according to their annual custom, to show their arms, and bring their

stipulated tribute of corn and cloth. They were but badly armed:

twenty-two with muskets, forty or fifty with bows and arrows; and nearly

the same number of men and boys with spears only: they arranged

themselves before the tent, where they waited until their arms were

examined and some little disputes settled.

About midnight on the 16th, Ali departed quietly from Benowm, accompanied

by a few attendants. He was expected to return in the course of nine or

ten days.

April 18th Two days after the departure of Ali, a Shereef arrived with

salt and some other articles from Walet, the capital of the kingdom of

Biroo. As there was no tent appropriated for him, he took up his abode in

the same hut with me. He seemed to be a well informed man, and his

acquaintance both with the Arabic and Bambarra tongues enabled him to

travel, with ease and safety, through a number of kingdoms; for though

his place of residence was Walet, he had visited Houssa, and had lived

some years at Tombuctoo. Upon my inquiring so particularly about the

distance from Walet to Tombuctoo, he asked me if I intended to travel

that way; and being answered in the affirmative, he shook his head, and

said, _it would not do_; for that Christians were looked upon there as

the devil's children, and enemies to the Prophet. From him I learned the

following particulars; that Houssa was the largest town he had ever seen;

that Walet was larger than Tombuctoo; but being remote from the Niger,

and its trade consisting chiefly of salt, it was not so much resorted to

by strangers; that between Benowm and Walet was ten days' journey; but

the road did not lead through any remarkable towns, and travellers

supported themselves by purchasing milk from the Arabs, who keep their

herds by the watering places; two of the days' journies were over a sandy

country, without water. From Walet to Tombuctoo was eleven days more; but

water was more plentiful, and the journey was usually performed upon

bullocks. He said there were many Jews at Tombuctoo, but they all spoke

Arabic, and used the same prayers as the Moors. He frequently pointed his

hand to the south-east quarter, or rather the east by south; observing,

that Tombuctoo was situated in that direction; and though I made him

repeat this information again and again, I never found him to vary more

than half a point, which was to the southward.

April 24th. This morning Shereef Sidi Mahomed Moora Abdalla, a native of

Morocco, arrived with five bullocks loaded with salt. He had formerly

resided some months at Gibraltar, where he had picked up as much English

as enabled him to make himself understood. He informed me, that he had

been five months in coming from Santa Cruz; but that great part of the

time had been spent in trading. When I requested him to enumerate the

days employed in travelling from Morocco to Benowm, he gave them as

follows;--to Swera, three days; to Agadier, three; to Jiniken, ten; to

Wadenoon, four; to Lakeneigh, five; to Zeeriwin-zeriman, five; Tisheet,

ten; to Benowm, ten; in all fifty days; but travellers usually rest a

long while at Jiniken and Tisheet; at the latter of which places they dig

the rock salt, which is so great an article of commerce with the Negroes.

In conversing with these Shereefs, and the different strangers that

resorted to the camp, I passed my time with rather less uneasiness than

formerly. On the other hand, as the dressing of my victuals was now left

entirely to the care of Ali's slaves, over whom I had not the smallest

control, I found myself but ill supplied, worse even than in the fast

month. For two successive nights they neglected to send us our accustomed

meal; and though my boy went to a small Negro town near the camp, and

begged with great diligence from hut to hut, he could only procure a few

handfuls of ground nuts, which he readily shared with me. Hunger, at

first, is certainly a very painful sensation; but when it has continued

for some time, this pain is succeeded by languor and debility: in which

case, a draught of water, by keeping the stomach distended, will greatly

exhilarate the spirits, and remove for a short time every sort of

uneasiness. Johnson and Demba were very much dejected. They lay stretched

upon the sand, in a sort of torpid slumber: and even when the kouskous

arrived, I found some difficulty in awakening them. I felt no inclination

to sleep, but was affected with a deep convulsive respiration, like

constant sighing: and what alarmed me still more, a dimness of sight, and

a tendency to faint when I attempted to sit up. These symptoms did not go

off until some time after I had received nourishment.

We had been for some days in daily expectation of Ali's return from

Saheel (or the north country) with his wife Fatima. In the meanwhile

Mansong, King of Bambarra, as I have related in Chapter VIII, had sent to

Ali for a party of horse to assist in storming Gedingooma. With this

demand Ali had not only refused to comply, but had treated the messengers

with great haughtiness and contempt; upon which Mansong gave up all

thoughts of taking the town, and prepared to chastise Ali for his

contumacy.

Things were in this situation when, on the 29th of April, a messenger

arrived at Benowm, with the disagreeable intelligence that the Bambarra

army was approaching the frontiers of Ludamar. This threw the whole

country into confusion; and in the afternoon Ali's son, with about twenty

horsemen, arrived at Benowm. He ordered all the cattle to be driven away

immediately, all the tents to be struck, and the people to hold

themselves in readiness to depart at daylight the next morning.

April 30th. At daybreak the whole camp was in motion. The baggage was

carried upon bullocks, the two tent poles being placed one on each side,

and the different wooden articles of the tent distributed in like manner;

the tent cloth was thrown over all, and upon this was commonly placed one

or two women, for the Moorish women are very bad walkers. The king's

favourite concubines rode upon camels, with a saddle of a particular

construction, and a canopy to shelter them from the sun. We proceeded to

the northward until noon, when the king's son ordered the whole company,

except two tents, to enter a thick low wood, which was upon our right. I

was sent along with the two tents, and arrived in the evening at a Negro

town called Farani; here we pitched the tents in an open place, at no

great distance from the town.

The hurry and confusion which attended this decampment prevented the

slaves from dressing the usual quantity of victuals; and lest their dry

provisions should be exhausted before they reached their place of

destination, (for as yet none but Ali and the chief men knew whither we

were going,) they thought proper to make me observe this day as a day of

fasting.

May 1st. As I had some reason to suspect that this day was also to be

considered as a fast, I went in the morning to the Negro town of Farani,

and begged some provisions from the Dooti, who readily supplied my wants,

and desired me to come to his house every day during my stay in the

neighbourhood. These hospitable people are looked upon by the Moors as an

abject race of slaves, and are treated accordingly. Two of Ali's

household slaves, a man and a woman, who had come along with the two

tents, went this morning to water the cattle from the town wells, at

which there began to be a great scarcity. When the Negro women observed

the cattle approaching, they took up their pitchers, and ran with all

possible haste towards the town, but before they could enter the gate,

they were stopped by the slaves, who compelled them to bring back the

water they had drawn for their own families, and empty it into the

troughs for the cattle. When this was exhausted, they were ordered to

draw water until such time as the cattle had all drank; and the woman

slave actually broke two wooden bowls over the heads of the black girls,

because they were somewhat dilatory in obeying her commands.

May 3d. We departed from the vicinity of Farani, and after a circuitous

route through the woods, arrived at Ali's camp in the afternoon. This

encampment was larger than that of Benowm, and was situated in the middle

of a thick wood about two miles distant from a Negro town, called

Bubaker. I immediately waited upon Ali, in order to pay my respects to

Queen Fatima, who had come with him from Saheel. He seemed much pleased

with my coming; shook hands with me, and informed his wife that I was the

Christian. She was a woman of the Arab cast, with long black hair, and

remarkably corpulent. She appeared at first rather shocked at the thought

of having a Christian so near her; but when I had (by means of a Negro

boy, who spoke the Mandingo and Arabic tongues) answered a great many

questions, which her curiosity suggested, respecting the country of the

Christians, she seemed more at ease, and presented me with a bowl of

milk; which I considered as a very favourable omen.

The heat was now almost insufferable; all nature seemed sinking under it.

The distant country presented to the eye a dreary expanse of sand, with a

few stunted trees and prickly bushes, in the shade of which the hungry

cattle licked up the withered grass, while the camels and goats picked

off the scanty foliage. The scarcity of water was greater here than at

Benowm. Day and night the wells were crowded with cattle, lowing and

fighting with each other to come at the troughs; excessive thirst made

many of them furious: others, being too weak to contend for the water,

endeavoured to quench their thirst by devouring the black mud from the

gutters near the wells; which they did with great avidity, though it was

commonly fatal to them.

This great scarcity of water was felt severely by all the people of the

camp, and by none more than myself; for though Ali allowed me a skin for

containing water, and Fatima, once or twice, gave me a small supply, when

I was in distress, yet such was the barbarous disposition, of the Moors

at the wells, that when my boy attempted to fill the skin, he commonly

received a sound drubbing for his presumption. Every one was astonished

that the slave of a Christian should attempt to draw water from wells

which had been dug by the followers of the Prophet. This treatment, at

length, so frightened the boy, that I believe he would sooner have

perished with thirst, than attempted again to fill the skin; he,

therefore, contented himself with begging water from the Negro slaves

that attended the camp; and I followed his example; but with very

indifferent success; for though I let no opportunity slip, and was very

urgent in my solicitations, both to the Moors and the Negroes, I was but

ill supplied, and frequently passed the night in the situation of

_Tantalus_. No sooner had I shut my eyes, than fancy would convey me to

the streams and rivers of my native land; there, as I wandered along the

verdant brink, I surveyed the clear stream with transport, and hastened

to swallow the delightful draught;--but, alas! disappointment awakened

me; and I found myself a lonely captive, perishing of thirst, amidst the

wilds of Africa.

One night, having solicited in vain for water at the camp, and being

quite feverish, I resolved to try my fortune at the wells, which were

about half a mile distant from the camp. Accordingly, I set out about

midnight, and being guided by the lowing of the cattle, soon arrived at

the place; where I found the Moors very busy drawing water. I requested

permission to drink, but was driven away with outrageous abuse. Passing,

however, from one well to another, I came at last to one where there was

only an old man and two boys. I made the same request to this man, and he

immediately drew me up a bucket of water; but, as I was about to take

hold of it, he recollected that I was a Christian, and fearing that his

bucket might be polluted by my lips, he dashed the water into the trough,

and told me to drink from thence. Though this trough was none of the

largest, and three cows were already drinking in it, I resolved to come

in for my share; and kneeling down, thrust my head between two of the

cows, and drank with great pleasure, until the water was nearly

exhausted, and the cows began to contend with each other for the last

mouthful.

In adventures of this nature, I passed the sultry month of May, during

which no material change took place in my situation. Ali still considered

me as a lawful prisoner; and Fatima, though she allowed me a larger

quantity of victuals than I had been accustomed to receive at Benowm, had

as yet said nothing on the subject of my release. In the meantime, the

frequent changes of the wind, the gathering clouds, and distant

lightning, with other appearances of approaching rain, indicated that the

wet season was at hand; when the Moors annually evacuate the country of

the Negroes, and return to the skirts of the Great Desert. This made me

consider that my fate was drawing towards a crisis, and I resolved to

wait for the event without any seeming uneasiness; but circumstances

occurred which produced a change in my favour, more suddenly than I had

foreseen, or had, reason to expect. The case was this; the fugitive

Kaartans, who had taken refuge in Ludamar, as I have related in Chapter

VIII., finding that the Moors were about to leave them, and dreading the

resentment of their own sovereign, whom they had so basely deserted,

offered to treat with Ali, for two hundred Moorish horsemen, to

co-operate with them in an effort to expel Daisy from Gedingooma; for

until Daisy should be vanquished or humbled, they considered that they

could neither return to their native towns, nor live in security in any

of the neighbouring kingdoms. With a view to extort money from these

people, by means of this treaty, Ali dispatched his son to Jarra, and

prepared to follow him in the course of a few days. This was an

opportunity of too great consequence to me to be neglected. I immediately

applied to Fatima, (who, I found, had the chief direction in all affairs

of state,) and begged her interest with Ali, to give me permission to

accompany him to Jarra. This request, after some hesitation, was

favourably received. Fatima looked kindly on me, and, I believe, was at

length moved with compassion towards me. My bundles were brought from the

large cow-skin bag that stood in the corner of Ali's tent, and I was

ordered to explain the use of the different articles, and show the method

of putting on the boots, stockings, &c., with all which I cheerfully

complied, and was told that, in the course of a few days, I should be at

liberty to depart.

Believing, therefore, that I should certainly find the means of escaping

from Jarra, if I should once get thither, I now freely indulged the

pleasing hope that my captivity would soon terminate; and happily not

having been disappointed in this idea, I shall pause in this place, to

collect and bring into one point of view such observations on the Moorish

character and country, as I had no fair opportunity of introducing into

the preceding narrative.

CHAPTER XII.

_Containing some further miscellaneous reflections on the Moorish

character and manners.--Observations concerning the Great Desert, its

animals, wild and domestic, &c. &c._

The Moors of this part of Africa are divided into many separate tribes;

of which the most formidable, according to what was reported to me, are

those of Trasart and Il Braken, which inhabit the northern bank of the

Senegal river. The tribes of Gedumah, Jafnoo, and Ludamar, though not so

numerous as the former, are nevertheless very powerful and warlike; and

are each governed by a chief or king, who exercises absolute jurisdiction

over his own horde, without acknowledging allegiance to a common

sovereign. In time of peace, the employment of the people is pasturage.

The Moors, indeed, subsist chiefly on the flesh of their cattle; and are

always in the extreme of either gluttony or abstinence. In consequence of

the frequent and severe fasts which their religion enjoins, and the

toilsome journeys which they sometimes undertake across the Desert, they

are enabled to bear both hunger and thirst with surprising fortitude; but

whenever opportunities occur of satisfying their appetite, they generally

devour more at one meal than would serve an European for three. They pay

but little attention to agriculture; purchasing their corn, cotton-cloth,

and other necessaries, from the Negroes, in exchange for salt, which they

dig from the pits in the Great Desert.

The natural barrenness of the country is such, that it furnishes but few

materials for manufacture. The Moors, however, contrive to weave a strong

cloth, with which they cover their tents; the thread is spun by their

women from the hair of goats; and they prepare the hides of their cattle,

so as to furnish saddles, bridles, pouches, and other articles of

leather. They are likewise sufficiently skilful to convert the native

iron, which they procure from the Negroes, into spears and knives, and

also into pots for boiling their food; but their sabres and other

weapons, as well as their fire-arms and ammunition, they purchase from

the Europeans in exchange for the Negro slaves, which they obtain in

their predatory excursions. Their chief commerce of this kind is with the

French traders on the Senegal river.

The Moors are rigid Mahomedans, and possess, with the bigotry and

superstition, all the intolerance of their sect. They have no mosques at

Benowm, but perform their devotions in a sort of open shed or inclosure

made of mats. The priest is at the same time schoolmaster to the juniors.

His pupils assemble every evening before his tent, where, by the light of

a large fire made of brushwood and cow's dung, they are taught a few

sentences from the Koran, and are initiated into the principles of their

creed. Their alphabet differs but little from that in Richardson's Arabic

Grammar. They always write with the vowel points. Their priests even

affect to know something of foreign literature. The priest of Benowm

assured me that he could read the writings of the Christians: he showed

me a number of barbarous characters which he asserted were the Roman

alphabet, and he produced another specimen equally unintelligible, which

he declared to be the _Kallam il Indi_, or Persian. His library consisted

of nine volumes in quarto; most of them, I believe, were books of

religion; for the name of Mahomet appeared in red letters in almost every

page of each. His scholars wrote their lessons upon thin boards; paper

being too expensive for general use. The boys were diligent enough, and

appeared to possess a considerable share of emulation; carrying their

boards slung over their shoulders when about their common employments.

When a boy has committed to memory a few of their prayers, and can read

and write certain parts of the Koran, he is reckoned sufficiently

instructed; and with this slender stock of learning, commences his career

of life. Proud of his acquirements, he surveys with contempt the

unlettered Negro; and embraces every opportunity of displaying his

superiority over such of his countrymen as are not distinguished by the

same accomplishments.

The education of the girls is neglected altogether; mental

accomplishments are but little attended to by the women; nor is the want

of them considered by the men as a defect in the female character. They

are regarded, I believe, as an inferior species of animals, and seem to

be brought up for no other purpose than that of administering to the

sensual pleasures of their imperious masters. Voluptuousness is,

therefore, considered as their chief accomplishment, and slavish

submission as their indispensable duty.

The Moors have singular ideas of feminine perfection. The gracefulness of

figure and motion, and a countenance enlivened by expression, are by no

means essential points in their standard: with them, corpulence and

beauty appear to be terms nearly synonymous. A woman of even moderate

pretensions must be one who cannot walk without a slave under each arm to

support her; and a perfect beauty is a load for a camel. In consequence

of this prevalent taste for unwieldiness of bulk, the Moorish ladies take

great pains to acquire it early in life; and for this purpose many of the

young girls are compelled by their mothers to devour a great quantity of

kouskous, and drink a large bowl of camel's milk every morning. It is of

no importance whether the girl has an appetite or not, the kouskous and

milk must be swallowed: and obedience is frequently enforced by blows. I

have seen a poor girl sit crying, with a bowl at her lips, for more than

an hour; and her mother, with a stick in her hand, watching her all the

while, and using the stick without mercy whenever she observed that her

daughter was not swallowing. This singular practice, instead of producing

indigestion and disease, soon covers the young lady with that degree of

plumpness, which, in the eye of a Moor, is perfection itself.

As the Moors purchase all their clothing from the Negroes, the women are

forced to be very economical in the article of dress. In general they

content themselves with a broad piece of cotton-cloth, which is wrapped

round the middle, and hangs round like a petticoat almost to the ground:

to the upper part of this are sewed two square pieces, one before, and

the other behind, which are fastened together over the shoulders. The

head-dress is commonly a bandage of cotton-cloth, with some parts of it

broader than others, which serve to conceal the face when they walk in

the sun; frequently, however, when they go abroad they veil themselves

from head to foot.

The employment of the women varies according to their degrees of

opulence.--Queen Fatima, and a few others of high rank, like the great

ladies in some parts of Europe, pass their time chiefly in conversing

with their visitors, performing their devotions, or admiring their charms

in a looking-glass. The women of inferior class employ themselves in

different domestic duties. They are very vain and talkative; and when any

thing puts them out of humour, they commonly vent their anger upon their

female slaves, over whom they rule with severe and despotic authority;

which leads me to observe, that the condition of these poor captives is

deplorably wretched. At daybreak they are compelled to fetch water from

the wells in large skins called _girbas_; and as soon as they have

brought water enough to serve the family for the day, as well as the

horses, (for the Moors seldom give their horses the trouble of going to

the wells,) they are then employed in pounding the corn, and dressing the

victuals. This being always done in the open air, the slaves are exposed

to the combined heat of the sun, the sand, and the fire. In the intervals

it is their business to sweep the tent, churn the milk, and perform other

domestic offices. With all this they are badly fed, and oftentimes

cruelly punished.

The men's dress among the Moors of Ludamar differs but little from that

of the Negroes, (which has been already described,) except that they have

all adopted that characteristic of the Mahomedan sect, the _turban_,

which is here universally made of white cotton-cloth. Such of the Moors

as have long beards display them with a mixture of pride and

satisfaction, as denoting an Arab ancestry. Of this number was Ali

himself; but among the generality of the people the hair is short and

bushy, and universally black. And here I may be permitted to observe,

that if any one circumstance excited among them favourable thoughts

towards my own person, it was my beard; which was now grown to an

enormous length, and was always beheld with approbation or envy. I

believe in my conscience they thought it too good a beard for a

Christian.

The only diseases which I observed to prevail among the Moors were the

intermittent fever and dysentery; for the cure of which, nostrums are

sometimes administered by their old women; but, in general, nature is

left to her own operations. Mention was made to me of the small-pox, as

being sometimes very destructive; but it had not, to my knowledge, made

its appearance in Ludamar while I was in captivity. That it prevails,

however, among some tribes of the Moors, and that it is frequently

conveyed by them to the Negroes in the southern states, I was assured on

the authority of Dr. Laidley, who also informed me that the Negroes on

the Gambia practise inoculation.

The administration of criminal justice, as far as I had opportunities of

observing, was prompt and decisive. For, although civil rights were but

little regarded in Ludamar, it was necessary, when crimes were committed,

that examples should sometimes be made. On such occasions, the offender

was brought before Ali, who pronounced, of his sole authority, what

judgment he thought proper. But I understood that capital punishment was

seldom or never inflicted, except on the Negroes.

Although the wealth of the Moors consists chiefly in their numerous herds

of cattle, yet, as the pastoral life does not afford full employment, the

majority of the people are perfectly idle, and spend the day in trifling

conversation about their horses, or in laying schemes of depredation on

the Negro villages.

The usual place of rendezvous for the indolent is the king's tent; where

great liberty of speech seems to be exercised by the company towards each

other; while in speaking of their chief they express but one opinion. In

praise of their sovereign they are unanimous. Songs are composed in his

honour, which the company frequently sing in concert; but they are so

loaded with gross adulation, that no man but a Moorish despot could hear

them without blushing. The king is distinguished by the fineness of his

dress; which is composed of blue cotton-cloth, brought from Tombuctoo, or

white linen or muslin from Morocco. He has likewise a larger tent than

any other person, with a white cloth over it; but, in his usual

intercourse with his subjects, all distinctions of rank are frequently

forgotten. He sometimes eats out of the same bowl with his camel driver,

and reposes himself, during the heat of the day, upon the same bed. The

expenses of his government and household are defrayed by a tax upon his

Negro subjects, which is paid by every householder, either in corn,

cloth, or gold-dust; a tax upon the different Moorish Korrees, or

watering places, which is commonly levied in cattle; and a tax upon all

merchandize which passes through the kingdom, and is generally collected

in kind. But a considerable part of the king's revenue arises from the

plunder of individuals. The Negro inhabitants of Ludamar, and the

travelling merchants, are afraid of appearing rich; for Ali, who has

spies stationed in the different towns, to give him information

concerning the wealth of his subjects, frequently invents some frivolous

plea for seizing their property, and reducing the opulent to a level with

their fellow citizens.

Of the number of Ali's Moorish subjects, I had no means of forming a

correct estimate. The military strength of Ludamar consists in cavalry.

They are well mounted, and appear to be very expert in skirmishing and

attacking by surprise. Every soldier furnishes his own horse, and finds

his accoutrements, consisting of a large sabre, a double-barrelled gun, a

small red leather bag for holding his balls, and a powder-horn slung over

the shoulder. He has no pay, nor any remuneration but what arises from

plunder. This body is not very numerous, for when Ali made war upon

Bambarra, I was informed that his whole force did not exceed two thousand

cavalry. They constitute, however, by what I could learn, but a very

small proportion of his Moorish subjects. The horses are very beautiful,

and so highly esteemed, that the Negro princes will sometimes give from

twelve to fourteen slaves for one horse.

Ludamar has for its northern boundary the Great Desert of Sahara. From

the best inquiries I could make, this vast ocean of sand, which occupies

so large a space in Northern Africa, may be pronounced almost destitute

of inhabitants, except where the scanty vegetation which appears in

certain spots affords pasturage for the flocks of a few miserable Arabs,

who wander from one well to another. In other places, where the supply of

water and pasturage is more abundant, small parties of the Moors have

taken up their residence. Here they live in independent poverty, secure

from the tyrannical government of Barbary. But the greater part of the

Desert being totally destitute of water, is seldom visited by any human

being, unless where the trading caravans trace out their toilsome and

dangerous route across it. In some parts of this extensive waste, the

ground is covered with low stunted shrubs, which serve as land-marks for

the caravans, and furnish the camels with a scanty forage. In other parts

the disconsolate wanderer, wherever he turns, sees nothing around him but

a vast interminable expanse of sand and sky; a gloomy and barren void,

where the eye finds no particular object to rest upon, and the mind is

filled with painful apprehensions of perishing with thirst. "Surrounded

by this dreary solitude, the traveller sees the dead bodies of birds,

that the violence of the wind has brought, from happier regions: and as

he ruminates on the fearful length of his remaining passage, listens with

horror to the voice of the driving blast, the only sound that interrupts

the awful repose of the Desert."[11]

[11] Proceedings of the African Association, part 1.

The few wild animals which inhabit these melancholy regions are the

antelope and the ostrich, their swiftness of foot enabling them to reach

the distant watering places. On the skirts of the Desert, where water is

more plentiful, are found lions, panthers, elephants, and wild boars.

Of domestic animals, the only one that can endure the fatigue of crossing

the Desert is the camel. By the particular conformation of the stomach,

he is enabled to carry a supply of water sufficient for ten or twelve

days; his broad and yielding foot is well adapted for a sandy country;

and by a singular motion of his upper lip, he picks the smallest leaves

from the thorny shrubs of the Desert as he passes along. The camel is,

therefore, the only beast of burthen employed by the trading caravans,

which traverse the Desert in different directions, from Barbary to

Nigritia. As this useful and docile creature has been sufficiently

described by systematical writers, it is unnecessary for me to enlarge

upon his properties. I shall only add, that his flesh, though to my own

taste dry and unsavoury, is preferred by the Moors to any other; and that

the milk of the female is in universal esteem, and is indeed sweet,

pleasant, and nutritive.

I have observed that the Moors, in their complexion, resemble the

Mulattoes of the West Indies; but they have something unpleasant in their

aspect, which the Mulattoes have not. I fancied that I discovered in the

features of most of them a disposition towards cruelty and low cunning;

and I could never contemplate their physiognomy without feeling sensible

uneasiness. From the staring wildness of their eyes, a stranger would

immediately set them down as a nation of lunatics. The treachery and

malevolence of their character are manifested in their plundering

excursions against the Negro villages. Oftentimes, without the smallest

provocation, and sometimes under the fairest professions of friendship,

they will suddenly seize upon the Negroes' cattle, and even on the

inhabitants themselves. The Negroes very seldom retaliate. The

enterprising boldness of the Moors, their knowledge of the country, and,

above all, the superior fleetness of their horses, make them such

formidable enemies, that the petty Negro states which border upon the

Desert are in continual terror while the Moorish tribes are in the

vicinity, and are too much awed to think of resistance.

Like the roving Arabs, the Moors frequently remove from one place to

another, according to the season of the year, or the convenience of

pasturage. In the month of February, when the heat of the sun scorches up

every sort of vegetation in the Desert, they strike their tents, and

approach the Negro country to the south, where they reside until the

rains commence in the month of July. At this time, having purchased corn

and other necessaries from the Negroes, in exchange for salt, they again

depart to the northward, and continue in the Desert until the rains are

over, and that part of the country becomes burnt up and barren.

This wandering and restless way of life, while it inures them to

hardships, strengthens at the same time the bonds of their little

society, and creates in them an aversion towards strangers, which is

almost insurmountable. Cut off from all intercourse with civilized

nations, and boasting an advantage over the Negroes, by possessing,

though in a very limited degree, the knowledge of letters, they are at

once the vainest and proudest, and perhaps the most bigotted, ferocious,

and intolerant of all the nations on the earth, combining in their

character the blind superstition of the Negro, with the savage cruelty

and treachery of the Arab.

It is probable that many of them had never beheld a white man before my

arrival at Benowm; but they had all been taught to regard the Christian

name with inconceivable abhorrence, and to consider it nearly as lawful

to murder a European as it would be to kill a dog. The melancholy fate of

Major Houghton, and the treatment I experienced during my confinement

among them, will, I trust, serve as a warning to future travellers to

avoid this inhospitable district.

The reader may probably have expected from me a more detailed and copious

account of the manners, customs, superstitions, and prejudices of this

secluded and singular people; but it must not be forgotten, that the

wretchedness of my situation among them afforded me but few opportunities

of collecting information. Some particulars, however, might be added in

this place; but being equally applicable to the Negroes of the southward,

they will appear in a subsequent page.

CHAPTER XIII.

_Ali departs for Jarra, and the Author allowed to follow him

thither.--The Author's faithful servant, Demba, seized by Ali's order,

and sent back into slavery.--Ali returns to his camp, and permits the

Author to remain at Jarra, who, thenceforward, meditates his

escape.--Daisy, King of Kaarta, approaching with his army towards Jarra,

the inhabitants quit the town, and the Author accompanies them in their

flight.--A party of Moors overtake him at Queira.--He gets away from them

at daybreak.--Is again pursued by another party, and robbed; but finally

effects his escape._

Having, as has been related, obtained permission to accompany Ali to

Jarra, I took leave of Queen Fatima, who, with much grace and civility,

returned me part of my apparel: and the evening before my departure, my

horse, with the saddle and bridle, were sent me by Ali's order.

Early on the morning of the 26th of May, I departed from the camp of

Bubaker, accompanied by my two attendants, Johnson and Demba, and a

number of Moors on horseback; Ali, with about fifty horsemen, having gone

privately from the camp during the night. We stopped about noon at

Farani, and were there joined by twelve Moors riding upon camels, and

with them we proceeded to a watering-place in the woods, where we

overtook Ali with his fifty horsemen. They were lodged in some low

shepherds' tents near the wells. As the company was numerous, the tents

could scarcely accommodate us all; and I was ordered to sleep in the open

space in the centre of the tents, where every one might observe my

motions.

During the night, there was much lightning from the north-east; and about

daybreak a very heavy sand-wind commenced, which continued with great

violence until four in the afternoon. The quantity of sand which passed

to the westward in the course of this day must have been prodigiously

great. At times it was impossible to look up; and the cattle were so

tormented by the particles lodging in their ears and eyes that they ran

about like mad creatures, and I was in continual danger of being trampled

to death by them.

May 28th. Early in the morning the Moors saddled their horses, and Ali's

chief slave ordered me to get in readiness. In a little time the same

messenger returned, and taking my boy by the shoulders, told him, in the

Mandingo language, that "Ali was to be his master in future:" and then

turning to me, "the business is settled at last, (said he,) the boy, and

every thing but your horse, goes back to Bubaker; but you may take the

old fool (meaning Johnson the interpreter) with you to Jarra." I made him

no answer; but being shocked beyond description at the idea of losing the

poor boy, I hastened to Ali, who was at breakfast before his tent,

surrounded by many of his courtiers. I told him, perhaps in rather too

passionate a strain, that whatever imprudence I had been guilty of, in

coming into his country, I thought I had already been sufficiently

punished for it, by being so long detained, and then plundered of all my

little property; which, however, gave me no uneasiness, when compared

with what he had just now done to me. I observed, that the boy which he

had now seized upon was not a slave, and had been accused of no offence;

he was indeed one of my attendants; and his faithful services in that

station had procured him his freedom; his fidelity and attachment had

made him follow me into my present situation; and as he looked up to me

for protection, I could not see him deprived of his liberty, without

remonstrating against such an act, as the height of cruelty and

injustice. Ali made no reply, but with a haughty air and malignant smile,

told his interpreter, that if I did not mount my horse immediately, he

would send me back likewise. There is something in the frown of a tyrant

which rouses the most secret emotions of the heart; I could not suppress

my feelings; and for once entertained an indignant wish to rid the world

of such a monster.

Poor Demba was not less affected than myself: he had formed a strong

attachment towards me, and had a cheerfulness of disposition, which often

beguiled the tedious hours of captivity; he was likewise a proficient in

the Bambarra tongue, and promised on that account to be of great utility

to me in future. But it was in vain to expect anything favourable to

humanity from people who are strangers to its dictates. So having shaken

hands with this unfortunate boy, and blended my tears with his, assuring

him, however, that I would do my utmost to redeem him, I saw him led off

by three of Ali's slaves towards the camp at Bubaker.

When the Moors had mounted their horses, I was ordered to follow them;

and, after a toilsome journey through the woods, in a very sultry day, we

arrived in the afternoon at a walled village, called Doombani; where we

remained two days, waiting for the arrival of some horsemen from the

northward.

On the 1st of June we departed from Doombani towards Jarra. Our company

now amounted to two hundred men, all on horseback; for the Moors never

use infantry in their wars. They appeared capable of enduring great

fatigue; but from their total want of discipline our journey to Jarra was

more like a fox-chase than the march of an army.

At Jarra, I took up my lodging at the house of my old acquaintance, Daman

Jumma; and informed him of every thing that had befallen me. I

particularly requested him to use his interest with Ali to redeem my boy,

and promised him a bill upon Dr. Laidley, for the value of two slaves,

the moment he brought him to Jarra. Daman very readily undertook to

negotiate the business; but found that Ali considered the boy as my

principal interpreter, and was unwilling to part with him, lest he should

fall a second time into my hands, and be instrumental in conducting me to

Bambarra. Ali, therefore, put off the matter from day to day; but withal

told Daman, that if he wished to purchase the boy for himself, he should

have him thereafter, at the common price of a slave; which Daman agreed

to pay for him, whenever Ali should send him to Jarra.

The chief object of Ali, in this journey to Jarra, as I have already

related, was to procure money from such of the Kaartans as had taken

refuge in his country. Some of these had solicited his protection, to

avoid the horrors of war; but by far the greatest number of them were

dissatisfied men, who wished the ruin of their own sovereign. These

people no sooner heard that the Bambarran army had returned to Sego

without subduing Daisy, as was generally expected, than they resolved to

make a sudden attack themselves upon him, before he could recruit his

forces, which were now known to be much diminished by a bloody campaign,

and in great want of provisions. With this view, they solicited the Moors

to join them, and offered to hire of Ali two hundred horsemen; which Ali,

with the warmest professions of friendship, agreed to furnish, upon

condition that they should previously supply him with four hundred head

of cattle, two hundred garments of blue cloth, and a considerable

quantity of beads and ornaments. The raising this impost somewhat

perplexed them; and in order to procure the cattle, they persuaded the

king to demand one-half the stipulated number from the people of Jarra;

promising to replace them in a short time. Ali agreed to this proposal,

and the same evening (June 2d) the drum was sent through the town; and

the crier announced that if any person suffered his cattle to go into the

woods the next morning, before the king had chosen his quota of them, his

house should be plundered, and his slaves taken from him. The people

dared not disobey the proclamation; and next morning about two hundred of

their best cattle were selected, and delivered to the Moors; the full

complement was made up afterwards, by means equally unjust and arbitrary.

June 8th. In the afternoon Ali sent his chief slave to inform me, that he

was about to return to Bubaker; but as he would only stay there a few

days, to keep the approaching festival (_Banna Salee_), and then return

to Jarra, I had permission to remain with Daman until his return. This

was joyful news to me; but I had experienced so many disappointments,

that I was unwilling to indulge the hope of its being true, until Johnson

came and told me that Ali, with part of the horsemen, were actually gone

from the town, and that the rest were to follow him in the morning.

June 9th. Early in the morning the remainder of the Moors departed from

the town. They had, during their stay, committed many acts of robbery;

and this morning, with the most unparalleled audacity, they seized upon

three girls who were bringing water from the wells, and carried them away

into slavery.

The anniversary of _Banna Salee_, at Jarra, very well deserved to be

called a festival. The slaves were all finely clad on this occasion, and

the householders vied with each other in providing large quantities of

victuals, which they distributed to all their neighbours with the

greatest profusion; hunger was literally banished from the town; man,

woman, and child, bond and free, all had as much as they could eat.

June 12th. Two people, dreadfully wounded, were discovered, at a

watering-place in the woods; one of them had just breathed his last, but

the other was brought alive to Jarra. On recovering a little, he informed

the people, that he had fled through the woods from Kasson; that Daisy

had made war upon Sambo, the king of that country; had surprised three of

his towns, and put all the inhabitants to the sword. He enumerated by

name many of the friends of the Jarra people, who had been murdered in

Kasson. This intelligence made the death-howl universal in Jarra for the

space of two days.

This piece of bad news was followed by another not less distressing. A

number of runaway slaves arrived from Kaarta on the 14th, and reported

that Daisy, having received information concerning the intended attack

upon him, was about to visit Jarra. This made the Negroes call upon Ali

for the two hundred horsemen, which he was to furnish them, according to

engagement. But Ali paid very little attention to their remonstrances;

and at last plainly told them that his cavalry were otherwise employed.

The Negroes, thus deserted by the Moors, and fully apprised that the King

of Kaarta would show them as little clemency as he had shown the

inhabitants of Kasson, resolved to collect all their forces, and hazard a

battle, before the king, who was now in great distress for want of

provisions, should become too powerful for them. They, therefore,

assembled about eight hundred effective men in the whole; and with these

they entered Kaarta on the evening of the 18th of June.

June 19th. This morning the wind shifted to the south-west; and about two

o'clock in the afternoon we had a heavy tornado, or thunder squall,

accompanied with rain, which greatly revived the face of nature, and gave

a pleasant coolness to the air. This was the first rain that had fallen

for many months.

As every attempt to redeem my boy had hitherto been unsuccessful, and in

all probability would continue to prove so whilst I remained in the

country, I found that it was necessary for me to come to some

determination concerning my own safety, before the rains should be fully

set in; for my landlord, seeing no likelihood of being paid for his

trouble, began to wish me away; and Johnson, my interpreter, refusing to

proceed, my situation became very perplexing. If I continued where I was,

I foresaw that I must soon fall a victim to the barbarity of the Moors;

and yet if I went forward singly, it was evident that I must sustain

great difficulties, both from the want of means to purchase the

necessaries of life, and of an interpreter to make myself understood. On

the other hand, to return to England, without accomplishing the object of

my mission, was worse than either. I therefore determined to avail myself

of the first opportunity of escaping, and to proceed directly for

Bambarra, as soon as the rains had set in for a few days, so as to afford

me the certainty of finding water in the woods.

Such was my situation, when, on the evening of the 24th of June, I was

startled by the report of some muskets close to the town, and inquiring

the reason, was informed that the Jarra army had returned from fighting

Daisy, and that this firing was by way of rejoicing. However, when the

chief men of the town had assembled, and heard a full detail of the

expedition, they were by no means relieved from their uneasiness on

Daisy's account. The deceitful Moors having drawn back from the

confederacy, after being hired by the Negroes, greatly dispirited the

insurgents, who, instead of finding Daisy with a few friends concealed in

the strong fortress of Gedingooma, had found him at a town near Joka, in

the open country, surrounded by so numerous an army, that every attempt

to attack him was at once given up; and the confederates only thought of

enriching themselves, by the plunder of the small towns in the

neighbourhood. They accordingly fell upon one of Daisy's towns, and

carried off the whole of the inhabitants; but, lest intelligence of this

might reach Daisy, and induce him to cut off their retreat, they returned

through the woods by night, bringing with them the slaves and cattle

which they had captured.

June 26th. This afternoon, a spy from Kaarta brought the alarming

intelligence, that Daisy had taken Simbing in the morning, and would be

in Jarra some time in the course of the ensuing day. A number of the

people were immediately stationed on the tops of the rocks, and in the

different passages leading into the town, to give early intelligence of

Daisy's motions, and the women set about making the necessary

preparations for quitting the town as soon as possible. They continued

beating corn, and packing up different articles, during the night; and

early in the morning, nearly one half of the townspeople took the road

for Bambarra, by the Way of Deena.

Their departure was very affecting; the women and children crying; the

men sullen and dejected; and all of them looking back with regret on

their native town, and on the wells and rocks, beyond which their

ambition had never tempted them to stray, and where they had laid all

their plans of future happiness; all of which they were now forced to

abandon, and to seek shelter among strangers.

June 27th. About eleven o'clock in the forenoon, we were alarmed by the

sentinels, who brought information that Daisy was on his march towards

Jarra, and that the confederate army had fled before him without firing a

gun. The terror of the townspeople on this occasion is not easily to be

described.--Indeed, the screams of the women and children, and the great

hurry and confusion that everywhere prevailed, made me suspect that the

Kaartans had already entered the town; and although I had every reason to

be pleased with Daisy's behaviour to me when I was at Kemmoo, I had no

wish to expose myself to the mercy of his army, who might, in the general

confusion, mistake me for a Moor. I therefore mounted my horse, and

taking a large bag of corn before me, rode slowly along with the

townspeople, until we reached the foot of a rocky hill, where I

dismounted, and drove my horse up before me. When I had reached the

summit I sat down, and having a full view of the town, and the

neighbouring country, could not help lamenting the situation of the poor

inhabitants, who were thronging after me, driving their sheep, cows,

goats, &c. and carrying a scanty portion of provisions, and a few

clothes. There was a great noise and crying everywhere upon the road; for

many aged people and children were unable to walk, and these, with the

sick, were obliged to be carried, otherwise they must have been left to

certain destruction.

About five o'clock we arrived at a small farm, belonging to the Jarra

people, called Kadeeja; and here I found Daman and Johnson employed in

filling large bags of corn, to be carried upon bullocks, to serve as

provisions for Daman's family on the road.

June 28th. At daybreak, we departed from Kadeeja; and, having passed

Troomgoomba, without stopping, arrived in the afternoon at Queira. I

remained here two days, in order to recruit my horse, which the Moors had

reduced to a perfect Rosinante, and to wait for the arrival of some

Mandingo Negroes, who were going for Bambarra in the course of a few

days.

On the afternoon of the 1st of July, as I was tending my horse in the

fields, Ali's chief slave and four Moors arrived at Queira, and took up

their lodging at the Dooty's house. My interpreter, Johnson, who

suspected the nature of this visit, sent two boys to overhear their

conversation; from which he learned that they were sent to convey me back

to Bubaker. The same evening, two of the Moors came privately to look at

my horse, and one of them proposed taking it to the Dooty's hut; but the

other observed that such a precaution was unnecessary, as I could never

escape upon such an animal. They then inquired where I slept, and

returned to their companions.

All this was like a stroke of thunder to me, for I dreaded nothing so

much as confinement again among the Moors, from whose barbarity I had

nothing but death to expect. I therefore determined to set off

immediately for Bambarra, a measure which I thought offered almost the

only chance of saving my life, and gaining the object of my mission; I

communicated the design to Johnson, who, although he applauded my

resolution, was so far from showing any inclination to accompany me, that

he solemnly protested he would rather forfeit his wages than go any

farther. He told me that Daman had agreed to give him half the price of a

slave for his service, to assist in conducting a coffle of slaves to

Gambia, and that he was determined to embrace the opportunity of

returning to his wife and family.

Having no hopes, therefore, of persuading him to accompany me, I resolved

to proceed by myself. About midnight I got my clothes in readiness, which

consisted of two shirts, two pairs of trowsers, two pocket-handkerchiefs,

an upper and under waistcoat, a hat, and a pair of half-boots; these,

with a cloak, constituted my whole wardrobe.--And I had not one single

bead, nor any other article of value in my possession, to purchase

victuals for myself, or corn for my horse.

About daybreak, Johnson, who had been listening to the Moors all night,

came and whispered to me that they were asleep. The awful crisis was now

arrived, when I was again either to taste the blessing of freedom, or

languish out my days in captivity. A cold sweat moistened my forehead as

I thought on the dreadful alternative, and reflected, that, one way or

the other, my fate must be decided in the course of the ensuing day. But

to deliberate was to lose the only chance of escaping. So, taking up my

bundle, I stepped gently over the Negroes, who were sleeping in the open

air, and having mounted my horse, I bade Johnson farewell, desiring him

to take particular care of the papers I had entrusted him with, and

inform my friends in Gambia that he had left me in good health, on my way

to Bambarra.

I proceeded with great caution; surveying each bush, and frequently

listening and looking behind me for the Moorish horsemen, until I was

about a mile from the town, when I was surprised to find myself in the

neighbourhood of a Korree, belonging to the Moors. The shepherds followed

me for about a mile, hooting and throwing stones after me: and when I was

out of their reach, and had began to indulge the pleasing hopes of

escaping, I was again greatly alarmed to hear somebody holla behind me;

and looking back, I saw three Moors on horseback, coming after me at full

speed, whooping and brandishing their double-barrelled guns. I knew it

was in vain to think of escaping, and therefore turned back and met them;

when two of them caught hold of my bridle, one on each side, and the

third, presenting his musket, told me I must go back to Ali.

When the human mind has for sometime been fluctuating between hope and

despair, tortured with anxiety, and hurried from one extreme to another,

it affords a sort of gloomy relief to know the worst that can possibly

happen; such was my situation. An indifference about life and all its

enjoyments had completely benumbed my faculties, and I rode back with the

Moors with apparent unconcern. But a change took place much sooner than I

had any reason to expect. In passing through some thick bushes, one of

the Moors ordered me to untie my bundle, and show them the contents.

Having examined the different articles, they found nothing worth taking

except my cloak, which they considered as a very valuable acquisition,

and one of them pulling it from me, wrapped it about himself. This cloak

had been of great use to me; it served to cover me from the rains in the

day, and to protect me from the musketoes in the night: I therefore

earnestly begged him to return it, and followed him some little way to

obtain it; but without paying any attention to my request, he and one of

his companions rode off with their prize. When I attempted to follow

them, the third, who had remained with me, struck my horse over the head,

and presenting his musket, told me I should proceed no further.

I now perceived that these men had not been sent by any authority to

apprehend me, but had pursued me solely in the view to rob and plunder

me. Turning my horse's head therefore once more towards the east, and

observing the Moor follow the track of his confederates, I congratulated

myself on having escaped with my life, though in great distress, from

such a horde of barbarians.

I was no sooner out of sight of the Moor, than I struck into the woods,

to prevent being pursued, and kept pushing on, with all possible speed,

until I found myself near some high rocks, which I remembered to have

seen in my former route from Queira to Deena; and, directing my course a

little to the northward, I fortunately fell in with the path.

CHAPTER XIV.

_The Author feels great joy at his deliverance, and proceeds through the

wilderness; but finds his situation very deplorable.--Suffers greatly

from thirst, and faints on the sand--Recovers, and makes another effort

to push forward.--Is providentially relieved by a fall of rain.--Arrives

at a Foulah village, where he is refused relief by the Dooty, but obtains

food from a poor woman.--Continues his journey through the wilderness,

and the next day lights on another Foulah village, where he is hospitably

received by one of the shepherds.--Arrives on the third day at a Negro

town called Wawra, tributary to the King of Bambarra._

It is impossible to describe the joy that arose in my mind, when I looked

around and concluded that I was out of danger. I felt like one recovered

from sickness; I breathed freer; I found unusual lightness in my limbs;

even the Desert looked pleasant; and I dreaded nothing so much as falling

in with some wandering parties of Moors, who might convey me back to the

land of thieves and murderers, from which I had just escaped.

I soon became sensible, however, that my situation was very deplorable;

for I had no means of procuring food, nor prospect of finding water.

About ten o'clock, perceiving a herd of goats feeding close to the road,

I took a circuitous route to avoid being seen; and continued travelling

through the wilderness, directing my course, by compass, nearly

east-south-east, in order to reach, as soon as possible, some town or

village of the kingdom of Bambarra.

A little after noon, when the burning heat of the sun was reflected with

double violence from the hot sand, and the distant ridges of the hills,

seen through the ascending vapour, seemed to wave and fluctuate like the

unsettled sea, I became faint with thirst, and climbed a tree in hopes of

seeing distant smoke, or some other appearance of a human habitation; but

in vain, nothing appeared all around but thick underwood and hillocks of

white sand.

About four o'clock, I came suddenly upon a large herd of goats, and,

pulling my horse into a bush, I watched to observe if, the keepers were

Moors or Negroes. In a little time I perceived two Moorish boys, and with

some difficulty persuaded them to approach me. They informed me that the

herd belonged to Ali, and that they were going to Deena, where the water

was more plentiful, and where they intended to stay until the rain had

filled the pools in the Desert. They showed me their empty water-skins,

and told me that they had seen no water in the woods. This account

afforded me but little consolation; however, it was in vain to repine,

and I pushed on as fast as possible, in hopes of reaching some

watering-place in the course of the night. My thirst was by this time

become insufferable; my mouth was parched and inflamed; a sudden dimness

would frequently come over my eyes, with other symptoms of fainting; and

my horse being very much fatigued, I began seriously to apprehend that I

should perish of thirst. To relieve the burning pain in my mouth and

throat, I chewed the leaves of different shrubs, but found them all

bitter, and of no service.

A little before sunset, having reached the top of a gentle rising, I

climbed a high tree, from the topmost branches of which I cast a

melancholy look over the barren Wilderness, but without discovering the

most distant trace of a human dwelling. The same dismal uniformity of

shrubs and sand every where presented itself, and the horizon was as

level and uninterrupted as that of the sea.

Descending from the tree, I found my horse devouring the stubble and

brushwood with great avidity; and as I was now too faint to attempt

walking, and my horse too much fatigued to carry me, I thought it but an

act of humanity, and perhaps the last I should ever have it in my power

to perform, to take off his bridle and let him shift for himself; in

doing which I was suddenly affected with sickness and giddiness; and

falling upon the sand, felt as if the hour of death was fast approaching.

"Here, then, (thought I,) after a short but ineffectual struggle,

terminate all my hopes of being useful in my day and generation; here

must the short span of my life come to an end." I cast (as I believed) a

last look on the surrounding scene, and whilst I reflected on the awful

change that was about to take place, this world with its enjoyments

seemed to vanish from my recollection. Nature, however, at length resumed

its functions; and on recovering my senses, I found myself stretched upon

the sand, with the bridle still in my hand, and the sun just sinking

behind the trees. I now summoned all my resolution, and determined to

make another effort to prolong my existence. And as the evening was

somewhat cool, I resolved to travel as far as my limbs would carry me, in

hopes of reaching (my only resource) a watering-place. With this view, I

put the bridle on my horse, and driving him before me, went slowly along

for about an hour, when I perceived some lightning from the north-east, a

most delightful sight; for it promised rain. The darkness and lighting

increased very rapidly; and in less than an hour I heard the wind roaring

among the bushes. I had already opened my mouth to receive the refreshing

drops which I expected; but I was instantly covered with a cloud of sand,

driven with such force by the wind, as to give a very disagreeable

sensation to my face and arms; and I was obliged to mount my horse, and

stop under a bush, to prevent being suffocated. The sand continued to fly

in amazing quantities for near an hour, after which I again set forward,

and travelled with difficulty until ten o'clock. About this time I was

agreeably surprised by some very vivid flashes of lightning, followed by

a few heavy drops of rain. In a little time the sand ceased to fly, and I

alighted, and spread out all my clean clothes to collect the rain, which

at length I saw would certainly fall. For more than an hour it rained

plentifully, and I quenched my thirst, by wringing and sucking my

clothes.

There being no moon, it was remarkably dark, so that I was obliged to

lead my horse, and direct my way by the compass, which the lightning

enabled me to observe. In this manner I travelled with tolerable

expedition, until past midnight; when the lightning becoming more

distant, I was under the necessity of groping along, to the no small

danger of my hands and eyes. About two o'clock my horse started at

something, and, looking round, I was not a little surprised to see a

light at a short distance among the trees, and supposing it to be a town,

I groped along the sand in hopes of finding corn-stalks, cotton, or other

appearances of cultivation, but found none. As I approached, I perceived

a number of other lights in different places, and began to suspect that I

had fallen upon a party of Moors. However, in my present situation, I was

resolved to see who they were, if I could do it with safety. I

accordingly led my horse cautiously towards the light, and heard by the

lowing of the cattle, and the clamorous tongues of the herdsmen, that it

was a watering-place, and most likely belonged to the Moors. Delightful

as the sound of the human voice was to me, I resolved once more to strike

into the woods, and rather run the risk of perishing of hunger, than

trust myself again in their hands; but still being thirsty, and dreading

the approach of the burning day, I thought it prudent to search for the

wells, which I expected to find at no great distance. In this pursuit, I

inadvertently approached so near to one of the tents as to be perceived

by a woman, who immediately screamed out. Two people came running to her

assistance from some of the neighbouring tents, and passed so very near

to me that I thought I was discovered, and hastened again into the woods.

About a mile from this place, I heard a loud and confused noise somewhere

to the right of my course, and in a short time was happy to find it was

the croaking of frogs, which was heavenly music to my ears. I followed

the sound, and at daybreak arrived at some shallow muddy pools, so full

of frogs, that it was difficult to discern the water. The noise they made

frightened my horse, and I was obliged to keep them quiet, by beating the

water with a branch until he had drank. Having here quenched my thirst, I

ascended a tree, and the morning being calm, I soon perceived the smoke

of the watering-place which I had passed in the night; and observed

another pillar of smoke east-south-east, distant 12 or 14 miles. Towards

this I directed my route, and reached the cultivated ground a little

before eleven o'clock where, seeing a number of Negroes at work planting

corn, I inquired the name of the town; and was informed that it was a

Foulah village, belonging to Ali, called Shrilla. I had now some doubts

about entering it; but my horse being very much fatigued, and the day

growing hot, not to mention the pangs of hunger which began to assail me,

I resolved to venture, and accordingly rode up to the Dooty's house,

where I was unfortunately denied admittance, and could not obtain even a

handful of corn either for myself or horse. Turning from this

inhospitable door, I rode slowly out of the town, and perceiving some low

scattered huts without the walls, I directed my route towards them;

knowing that in Africa, as well as in Europe, hospitality does not always

prefer the highest dwellings. At the door of one of these huts, an old

motherly-looking woman sat, spinning cotton; I made signs to her that I

was hungry, and inquired if she had any victuals with her in the hut. She

immediately laid down her distaff, and desired me, in Arabic, to come in.

When I had seated myself upon the floor, she set before me a dish of

kouskous, that had been left the preceding night, of which I made a

tolerable meal; and in return for this kindness I gave her one of my

pocket-handkerchiefs, begging at the same time a little corn for my

horse, which she readily brought me.

Overcome with joy at so unexpected a deliverance, I lifted up my eyes to

heaven, and whilst my heart swelled with gratitude, I returned thanks to

that gracious and bountiful Being, whose power had supported me under so

many dangers, and had now spread for me a table in the Wilderness.

Whilst my horse was feeding the people began to assemble, and one of them

whispered something to my hostess, which very much excited her surprise.

Though I was not well acquainted with the Foulah language, I soon

discovered that some of the men wished to apprehend and carry me back to

Ali, in hopes, I suppose, of receiving a reward. I therefore tied up the

corn; and lest any one should suspect I had ran away from the Moors, I

took a northerly direction, and went cheerfully along, driving my horse

before me, followed by all the boys and girls of the town. When I had

travelled about two miles, and got quit of all my troublesome attendants,

I struck again into the woods, and took shelter under a large tree, where

I found it necessary to rest myself; a bundle of twigs serving me for a

bed, and my saddle for a pillow.

I was awakened about two o'clock by three Foulahs, who, taking me for a

Moor, pointed to the sun, and told me it was time to pray. Without

entering into conversation with them, I saddled my horse and continued my

journey. I travelled over a level, but more fertile country, than I had

seen for some time, until sunset, when, coming to a path that took a

southerly direction, I followed it until midnight, at which time I

arrived at a small pool of rain water, and the wood being open, I

determined to rest by it for the night. Having given my horse the

remainder of the corn, I made my bed as formerly; but the musketoes and

flies from the pool prevented sleep for some time, and I was twice

disturbed in the night by wild beasts, which came very near, and whose

howlings kept the horse in continual terror.

July 4th. At daybreak I pursued my course through woods as formerly; saw

numbers of antelopes, wild hogs, and ostriches; but the soil was more

hilly, and not so fertile as I had found it the preceding day. About

eleven o'clock I ascended an eminence, where I climbed a tree, and

discovered, at about eight miles distance, an open part of the country,

with several red spots which I concluded were cultivated land; and

directing my course that way, came to the precincts of a watering-place,

about one o'clock. From the appearance of the place, I judged it to

belong to the Foulahs, and was hopeful that I should meet a better

reception than I had experienced at Shrilla. In this I was not deceived;

for one of the shepherds invited me to come into his tent, and partake of

some dates. This was one of those low Foulah tents in which there is room

just sufficient to sit upright, and in which the family, the furniture,

&c. seem huddled together like so many articles in a chest. When I had

crept upon my hands and knees into this humble habitation, I found that

it contained a woman and three children; who, together with the shepherd

and myself, completely occupied the floor. A dish of boiled corn and

dates was produced, and the master of the family, as is customary in this

part of the country, first tasted it himself, and then desired me to

follow his example. Whilst I was eating, the children kept their eyes

fixed upon me; and no sooner did the shepherd pronounce the word

_Nazaram_, than they began to cry, and their mother crept slowly towards

the door, out of which she sprang like a greyhound, and was instantly

followed by her children, so frightened were they at the very name of a

Christian, that no entreaties could induce them to approach the tent.

Here I purchased some corn for my horse in exchange for some brass

buttons; and having thanked the shepherd for his hospitality, struck

again into the woods. At sunset, I came to a road that took the direction

for Bambarra, and resolved to follow it for the night; but about eight

o'clock, hearing some people coming from the southward, I thought it

prudent to hide myself among some thick bushes near the road. As these

thickets are generally full of wild beasts, I found my situation rather

unpleasant; sitting in the dark, holding my horse by the nose, with both

hands, to prevent him from neighing, and equally afraid of the natives

without and the wild beasts within. My fears, however, were soon

dissipated; for the people, after looking round the thicket, and

perceiving nothing, went away; and I hastened to the more open parts of

the wood, where I pursued my journey E.S.E. until midnight; when the

joyful cry of frogs induced me once more to deviate a little from my

route, in order to quench my thirst. Having accomplished this, from a

large pool of rain water, I sought for an open place, with a single tree

in the midst, under which I made my bed for the night. I was disturbed by

some wolves towards morning, which induced me to set forward a little

before day; and having passed a small village called Wassalita, I came

about ten o'clock (July fifth) to a Negro town called Wawra, which

properly belongs to Kaarta, but was at this time tributary to Mansong,

King of Bambarra.

CHAPTER XV.

_The Author proceeds to Wassiboo.--Is joined by some fugitive Kaartans,

who accompany him in his route through Bambarra.--Discovers the

Niger.--Some account of Sego, the capital of Bambarra.--Mansong the King

refuses to see the Author, but sends him a present.--Great hospitality of

a Negro woman._

Wawra is a small town surrounded with high walls, and inhabited by a

mixture of Mandingoes and Foulahs. The inhabitants employ themselves

chiefly in cultivating corn, which they exchange with the Moors for salt.

Here, being in security from the Moors, and very much fatigued, I

resolved to rest myself; and meeting with a hearty welcome from the

Dooty, whose name was Flancharee, I laid myself down upon a bullock's

hide, and slept soundly for about two hours. The curiosity of the people

would not allow me to sleep any longer. They had seen my saddle and

bridle, and were assembled in great numbers to learn who I was, and

whence I came. Some were of opinion that I was an Arab; others insisted

that I was some Moorish Sultan; and they continued to debate the matter

with such warmth, that the noise awoke me. The Dooty (who had formerly

been at Gambia) at last interposed in my behalf, and assured them that I

was certainly a white man; but he was convinced, from my appearance, that

I was a very poor one.

In the course of the day, several women, hearing that I was going to

Sego, came and begged me to inquire of Mansong, the king, what was become

of their children. One woman, in particular, told me that her son's name

was Mamadee; that he was no Heathen, but prayed to God morning and

evening, and had been taken from her about three years ago, by Mansong's

army; since which she had never heard of him. She said, she often dreamed

about him; and begged me, if I should see him, either in Bambarra, or in

my own country, to tell him that his mother and sister were still alive.

In the afternoon, the Dooty examined the contents of the leather bag, in

which I had packed up my clothes; but finding nothing that was worth

taking, he returned it, and told me to depart in the morning.

July 6th. It rained very much in the night, and at daylight I departed,

in company with a Negro, who was going to a town called Dingyee for corn:

but we had not proceeded above a mile, before the ass upon which he rode

kicked him off, and he returned, leaving me to prosecute the journey by

myself.

I reached Dingyee about noon; but the Dooty and most of the inhabitants

had gone into the fields to cultivate corn. An old Foulah, observing me

wandering about the town, desired me to come to his hut, where I was well

entertained; and the Dooty, when he returned, sent me some victuals for

myself, and corn for my horse.

July 7th. In the morning, when I was about to depart, my landlord, with a

great deal of diffidence, begged me to give him a lock of my hair. He had

been told, he said, that white men's hair made a saphie that would give

to the possessor all the knowledge of white men. I had never before heard

of so simple a mode of education, but instantly complied with the

request; and my landlord's thirst for learning was such, that, with

cutting and pulling, he cropped one side of my head pretty closely; and

would have done the same with the other, had I not signified my

disapprobation by putting on my hat, and assuring him, that I wished to

reserve some of this precious merchandize for a future occasion.

I reached a small town called Wassiboo, about twelve o'clock, where I was

obliged to stop until an opportunity should offer of procuring a guide to

Satile, which is distant a very long day's journey, through woods without

any beaten path. I accordingly took up my residence at the Dooty's house,

where I staid four days; during which time I amused myself by going to

the fields with the family to plant corn. Cultivation is carried on here

on a very extensive scale; and, as the natives themselves express it,

"hunger is never known." In cultivating the soil, the men and women work

together. They use a large sharp hoe, much superior to that used in

Gambia; but they are obliged, for fear of the Moors, to carry their arms

with them to the field. The master, with the handle of his spear, marks

the field into regular plats, one of which is assigned to every three

slaves.

On the evening of the 11th, eight of the fugitive Kaartans arrived at

Wassiboo.--They had found it impossible to live under the tyrannical

government of the Moors, and were now going to transfer their allegiance

to the King of Bambarra. They offered to take me along with them as far

as Satile; and I accepted the offer.

July 12th. At daybreak we set out, and travelled with uncommon expedition

until sunset: we stopped only twice in the course of the day; once at a

watering-place in the woods, and another time at the ruins of a town

formerly belonging to Daisy, called _Illa Compe_, (the corn town). When

we arrived in the neighbourhood of Satile, the people who were employed

in the corn fields, seeing so many horsemen, took us for a party of

Moors, and ran screaming away from us. The whole town was instantly

alarmed, the slaves were seen, in every direction, driving the cattle and

horses towards the town. It was in vain that one of our company galloped

up to undeceive them: it only frightened them the more; and when we

arrived at the town, we found the gates shut, and the people all under

arms. After a long parley, we were permitted to enter and, as there was

every appearance of a heavy tornado, the Dooty allowed us to sleep in his

saloon, and gave us each a bullock's hide for a bed.

July 13th. Early in the morning we again set forward. The roads were wet

and slippery, but the country was very beautiful, abounding with

rivulets, which were increased by the rain into rapid streams. About ten

o'clock we came to the ruins of a village, which had been destroyed by

war about six months before; and in order to prevent any town from being

built there in future, the large Bentang tree, under which the natives

spent the day, had been burnt down; the wells filled up; and every thing

that could make the spot desirable completely destroyed.

About noon, my horse was so much fatigued that I could not keep up with

my companions; I therefore dismounted, and desired them to ride on,

telling them, that I would follow as soon as my horse had rested a

little. But I found them unwilling to leave me; the lions, they said,

were very numerous in those parts, and though they might not so readily

attack a body of people, they would soon find out an individual. It was

therefore agreed that one of the company should stay with me, to assist

in driving my horse, while the others passed on to Galloo, to procure

lodgings, and collect grass for the horses before night. Accompanied by

this worthy Negro, I drove my horse before me until about four o'clock,

when we came in sight of Galloo, a considerable town, standing in a

fertile and beautiful valley, surrounded with high rocks.

As my companions had thoughts of settling in this neighbourhood, they had

a fine sheep given them by the Dooty; and I was fortunate enough to

procure plenty of corn for my horse. Here they blow upon elephants' teeth

when they announce evening prayers, in the same manner as at Kemmoo.

Early next morning, (July 14th,) having first returned many thanks to our

landlord for his hospitality, while my fellow travellers offered up their

prayers that he might never want, we set forward, and about three o'clock

arrived at Moorja, a large town famous for its trade in salt, which the

Moors bring here in great quantities, to exchange for corn and cotton

cloth. As most of the people here are Mahomedans, it is not allowed to

the Kafirs to drink beer, which they call _Neo-dollo_ (corn spirit)

except in certain houses. In one of these I saw about twenty people

sitting round large vessels of this beer, with the greatest conviviality,

many of them in a state of intoxication. As corn is plentiful, the

inhabitants are very liberal to strangers. I believe we had as much corn

and milk sent us by different people as would have been sufficient for

three times our number; and though we remained here two days, we

experienced no diminution of their hospitality.

On the morning of the 16th we again set forward, accompanied by a coffle

of fourteen asses, loaded with salt, bound for Sansanding. The road was

particularly romantic, between two rocky hills; but the Moors sometimes

lie in wait here to plunder strangers. As soon as we had reached the open

country, the master of the salt coffle thanked us for having staid with

him so long, and now desired us to ride on. The sun was almost set before

we reached Datliboo. In the evening we had a most tremendous tornado. The

house in which we lodged, being flat-roofed, admitted the rain in

streams; the floor was soon ankle deep, the fire extinguished, and we

were left to pass the night upon some bundles of fire wood, that happened

to lie in a corner.

July 17th. We departed from Datliboo; and about ten o'clock passed a

large coffle returning from Sego, with corn hoes, mats, and other

household utensils. At five o'clock we came to a large village, where we

intended to pass the night, but the Dooty would not receive us. When we

departed from this place, my horse was so much fatigued that I was under

the necessity of driving him, and it was dark before we reached Fanimboo,

a small village; the Dooty of which no sooner heard that I was a white

man, than he brought out three old muskets, and was much disappointed,

when he was told that I could not repair them.

July 18th. We continued our journey, but, owing to a light supper the

preceding night, we felt ourselves rather hungry this morning, and

endeavoured to procure some corn at a village; but without success. The

towns were now more numerous, and the land that is not employed in

cultivation affords excellent pasturage for large herds of cattle; but

owing to the great concourse of people daily going to and returning from

Sego, the inhabitants are less hospitable to strangers.

My horse becoming weaker and weaker every day, was now of very little

service to me. I was obliged to drive him before me for the greater part

of the day; and did not reach Geosorro until eight o'clock in the

evening. I found my companions wrangling with the Dooty, who had

absolutely refused to give or sell them any provisions; and as none of us

had tasted victuals for the last twenty-four hours, we were by no means

disposed to fast another day if we could help it. But finding our

entreaties without effect, and being very much fatigued, I fell asleep,

from which I was awakened about midnight, with the joyful information

"_kinnenata_" (the victuals are come.) This made the remainder of the

night pass away pleasantly; and at daybreak, July 19th, we resumed our

journey, proposing to stop at a village called Doolinkeaboo, for the

night following. My fellow-travellers having better horses than myself,

soon left me, and I was walking barefoot, driving my horse, when I was

met by a coffle of slaves, about seventy in number, coming from Sego.

They were tied together by their necks with thongs of a bullock's hide

twisted like a rope; seven slaves upon a thong, and a man with a musket

between every seven. Many of the slaves were ill-conditioned, and a great

number of them women. In the rear came Sidi, Mahomed's servant, whom I

remembered to have seen at the camp of Benowm: he presently knew me, and

told me that these slaves were going to Morocco, by the way of Ludamar,

and the Great Desert.

In the afternoon, as I approached Doolinkeaboo, I met about twenty Moors

on horseback, the owners of the slaves I had seen in the morning; they

were well armed with muskets, and were very inquisitive concerning me,

but not so rude as their countrymen generally are. From them I learned

that Sidi Mahomed was not at Sego, but had gone to Kancaba for gold-dust.

When I arrived at Doolinkeaboo, I was informed that my fellow-travellers

had gone on; but my horse was so much fatigued that I could not possibly

proceed after them. The Dooty of the town, at my request, gave me a

draught of water, which is generally looked upon as an earnest of greater

hospitality, and I had no doubt of making up for the toils of the day by

a good supper and a sound sleep. Unfortunately, I had neither one nor the

other. The night was rainy and tempestuous, and the Dooty limited his

hospitality to the draught of water.

July 20th. In the morning I endeavoured, both by entreaties and threats,

to procure some victuals from the Dooty, but in vain. I even begged some

corn from one of his female slaves, as she was washing it at the well,

and had the mortification to be refused. However, when the Dooty was gone

to the fields, his wife sent me a handful of meal, which I mixed with

water and drank for breakfast. About eight o'clock I departed from

Doolinkeaboo, and at noon stopped a few minutes at a large Korree, where

I had some milk given me by the Foulahs. And hearing that two Negroes

were going from thence to Sego, I was happy to have their company, and we

set out immediately. About four o'clock we stopped at a small village,

where one of the Negroes met with an acquaintance who invited us to a

sort of public entertainment, which was conducted with more than common

propriety. A dish made of sour milk and meal, called _Sinkatoo_, and beer

made from their corn, was distributed with great liberality; and the

women were admitted into the society, a circumstance I had never before

observed in Africa. There was no compulsion, every one was at liberty to

drink as he pleased; they nodded to each other when about to drink, and

on setting down the calabash, commonly said _berka_, (thank you). Both

men and women appeared to be somewhat intoxicated, but they were far from

being quarrelsome.

Departing from thence, we passed several large villages, where I was

constantly taken for a Moor, and became the subject of much merriment to

the Bambarrans; who, seeing me drive my horse before me, laughed heartily

at my appearance. He has been at Mecca, says one, you may see that by his

clothes; another asked me if my horse was sick; a third wished to

purchase it, &c., so that I believe the very slaves were ashamed to be

seen in my company. Just before it was dark, we took up our lodging for

the night at a small village, where I procured some victuals for myself

and some corn for my horse, at the moderate price of a button; and was

told that I should see the Niger (which the Negroes call Joliba, or _the

great water_) early the next day. The lions are here very numerous. The

gates are shut a little after sunset, and nobody allowed to go out. The

thoughts of seeing the Niger in the morning, and the troublesome buzzing

of musketoes, prevented me from shutting my eyes during the night; and I

had saddled my horse and was in readiness before daylight; but, on

account of the wild beasts, we were obliged to wait until the people were

stirring, and the gates opened. This happened to be a market-day at Sego,

and the roads were every where filled with people carrying different

articles to sell. We passed four large villages, and at eight o'clock saw

the smoke over Sego.

As we approached the town, I was fortunate enough to overtake the

fugitive Kaartans, to whose kindness I had been so much indebted on my

journey through Bambarra. They readily agreed to introduce me to the

king; and we rode together through some marshy ground, where, as I was

anxiously looking around for the river, one of them called out _qeo

affili_, (see the water,) and looking forwards, I saw with infinite

pleasure the great object of my mission, the long sought for majestic

Niger glittering to the morning sun, as broad as the Thames at

Westminster, and flowing slowly _to the eastward_. I hastened to the

brink, and having drank of the water, lifted up my fervent thanks in

prayer to the Great Ruler of all things for having thus far crowned my

endeavours with success.

The circumstance of the Niger's flowing towards the east and its

collateral points did not, however, excite my surprise; for although I

had left Europe in great hesitation on this subject, and rather believed

that it ran in the contrary direction, I had made such frequent inquiries

during my progress concerning this river, and received from Negroes of

different nations such clear and decisive assurances that its general

course was _towards the rising sun_, as scarce left any doubt on my mind;

and more especially, as I knew that Major Houghton had collected similar

information in the same manner.

Sego, the capital of Bambarra, at which I had now arrived, consists,

properly speaking, of four distinct towns; two on the northern bank of

the Niger, called Sego Korro, and Sego Boo; and two on the southern bank,

called Sego Soo Korro, and Sego See Korro. They are all surrounded with

high mud walls; the houses are built of clay, of a square form, with flat

roofs; some of them have two stories, and many of them are white-washed.

Besides these buildings, Moorish mosques are seen in every quarter, and

the streets, though narrow, are broad enough for every useful purpose in

a country where wheel carriages are entirely unknown. From the best

inquiries I could make, I have reason to believe that Sego contains

altogether about thirty thousand inhabitants. The king of Bambarra

constantly resides at Sego See Korro; he employs a great many slaves in

conveying people over the river, and the money they receive (though the

fare is only ten Kowrie shells for each individual) furnishes a

considerable revenue to the king in the course of a year. The canoes are

of a singular construction, each of them being formed of the trunks of

two large trees, rendered concave, and joined together, not side by side,

but end-ways, the junction being exactly across the middle of the canoe;

they are, therefore, very long and disproportionately narrow, and have

neither decks nor masts. They are however, very roomy, for I observed in

one of them four horses and several people crossing over the river. When

we arrived at this ferry, with a view to pass over to that part of the

town in which the king resides, we found a great number waiting for a

passage; they looked at me with silent wonder, and I distinguished with

concern many Moors among them. There were three different places of

embarkation, and the ferrymen were very diligent and expeditious; but

from the crowd of people, I could not immediately obtain a passage, and

sat down upon the bank of the river to wait for a more favourable

opportunity. The view of this extensive city, the numerous canoes upon

the river, the crowded population, and the cultivated state of the

surrounding country, formed altogether a prospect of civilization and

magnificence, which I little expected to find in the bosom of Africa.

I waited more than two hours without having an opportunity of crossing

the river; during which time the people who had crossed carried

information to Mausong the King, that a white man was waiting for a

passage, and was coming to see him. He immediately sent over one of his

chief men, who informed me that the king could not possibly see me, until

he knew what had brought me into his country; and that I must not presume

to cross the river without the king's permission. He therefore advised me

to lodge at a distant village, to which he pointed, for the night; and

said that in the morning he would give me further instructions how to

conduct myself. This was very discouraging. However, as there was no

remedy, I set off for the village; where I found, to my great

mortification, that no person would admit me into his house. I was

regarded with astonishment and fear, and was obliged to sit all day

without victuals in the shade of a tree; and the night threatened to be

very uncomfortable, for the wind rose, and the was great appearance of a

heavy rain; and the wild beasts are so very numerous in the

neighbourhood, that I should have been under the necessity of climbing up

the tree and resting among the branches. About sunset, however, as I was

preparing to pass the night in this manner, and had turned my horse

loose, that he might graze at liberty, a woman, returning from the

labours of the field, stopped to observe me, and perceiving that I was

weary and dejected, inquired into my situation, which I briefly explained

to her: whereupon, with looks of great compassion, she took up my saddle

and bridle, and told me to follow her. Having conducted me into her hut,

she lighted up a lamp, spread a mat on the floor, and told me I might

remain there for the night. Finding that I was very hungry, she said she

would procure me something to eat. She accordingly went out, and returned

in a short time with a very fine fish; which having caused to be half

broiled upon some embers, she gave me for supper. The rites of

hospitality being thus performed towards a stranger in distress, my

worthy benefactress (pointing to the mat, and telling me I might sleep

there without apprehension) called to the female part of her family, who

had stood gazing on me all the while in fixed astonishment, to resume

their task of spinning cotton; in which they continued to employ

themselves great part of the night. They lightened their labour by songs,

one of which was composed extempore; for I was myself the subject of it.

It was sung by one of the young women, the rest joined in a sort of

chorus. The air was sweet and plaintive, and the words, literally

translated were these:

"The winds roared, and the rains fell.

The poor white man, faint and weary,

Came and sat under our tree.

He has no mother to bring him milk;

No wife to grind his corn."

_Chorus_, "Let us pity the white man:

No mother has he," &c. &c.

Trifling as this recital may appear to the reader, to a person in my

situation, the circumstance was affecting in the highest degree.

I was oppressed by such unexpected kindness, and sleep fled from my eyes.

In the morning I presented my compassionate landlady with two of the four

brass buttons which remained on my waistcoat; the only recompence I could

make her.

July 21st. I continued in the village all this day in conversation with

the natives, who came in crowds to see me; but was rather uneasy towards

evening, to find that no message had arrived from the king; the more so,

as the people began to whisper, that Mansong had received some very

unfavourable accounts of me, from the Moors and Slatees residing at Sego;

who it seems were exceedingly suspicious concerning the motives of my

journey. I learned that many consultations had been held with the king

concerning my reception and disposal; and some of the villagers frankly

told me, that I had many enemies, and must expect no favour.

July 22d. About eleven o'clock, a messenger arrived from the king, but he

gave me very little satisfaction. He inquired particularly if I had

brought any present; and seemed much disappointed when he was told that I

had been robbed of every thing by the Moors. When I proposed to go along

with him, he told me to stop until the afternoon, when the king would

send for me.

[Illustration: NEGRO SONG from Mr. PARK'S TRAVELS.

_THE WORDS BY THE DUTCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE_.

_THE MUSIC BY G.G. FERRARI_.

I.

The loud wind roar'd, the rain fell fast;

The White Man yielded to the blast:

He sat him down, beneath our tree;

For weary, sad, and faint was he;

And ah, no wife, or mother's care,

For him, the milk or corn prepare.

CHORUS.

_The White Man, shall our pity share;

Alas, no wife or mother's care,

For him, the milk or corn prepare._

II.

The storm is o'er; the tempest past;

And Mercy's voice has hush'd the blast,

The wind is heard in whispers low;

The White Man far away must go;--

But ever in his heart will bear

Remembrance of the Negro's care.

CHORUS.

_Go, White Man, go;--but with thee bear

The Negro's wish, the Negro's prayer;

Remembrance of the Negro's care._]

July 23d. In the afternoon another messenger arrived from Mansong, with a

bag in his hands. He told me it was the king's pleasure that I should

depart forthwith from the vicinage of Sego; but that Mansong, wishing to

relieve a white man in distress, had sent me five thousand Kowries,[12] to

enable me to purchase provisions in the course of my journey; the

messenger added, that if my intentions were really to proceed to Jenne,

he had orders to accompany me as a guide to Sansanding. I was, at first,

puzzled to account for this behaviour of the king; but from the

conversation I had with the guide, I had afterwards reason to believe

that Mansong would willingly have admitted me into his presence at Sego;

but was apprehensive he might not be able to protect me against the blind

and inveterate malice of the Moorish inhabitants. His conduct, therefore,

was at once prudent and liberal. The circumstances under which I made my

appearance at Sego were undoubtedly such as might create in the mind of

the king a well warranted suspicion that I wished to conceal the true

object of my journey. He argued, probably, as my guide argued, who, when

he was told that I had come from a great distance, and through many

dangers, to behold the Joliba river, naturally inquired, if there were no

rivers in my own country, and whether one river was not like another.

Notwithstanding this, and in spite of the jealous machinations of the

Moors, this benevolent prince thought it sufficient, that a white man was

found in his dominions, in a condition of extreme wretchedness; and that

no other plea was necessary to entitle the sufferer to his bounty.

[12] Mention has already been made of these little shells, (p. 23

[At the end of chapter II. Transcriber.]) which pass current as money

in many parts of the East Indies as well as Africa. In Bambarra, and

the adjacent countries, where the necessaries of life are very cheap,

one hundred of them would commonly purchase a day's provisions for

myself, and corn for my horse. I reckoned about two hundred and fifty

Kowries equal to one shilling.

CHAPTER XVI.

_Departure from Sego, and arrival at Kabba.--Description of the shea, or

vegetable butter tree.--The Author and his guide arrive at

Sansanding.--Behaviour of the Moors at that place.--The Author pursues

his journey to the eastward.--Incidents on the road.--Arrives at Modiboo,

and proceeds for Kea; but obliged to leave his horse by the way.--Embarks

at Kea in a fisherman's canoe for Moorzan; is conveyed from thence across

the Niger to Silla--determines to proceed no further eastward.--Some

account of the further course of the Niger, and the towns in its

vicinage, towards the East._

Being, in the manner that has been related; compelled to leave Sego, I

was conducted the same evening to a village about seven miles to the

eastward, with some of the inhabitants of which my guide was acquainted,

and by whom we were well received.[13] He was very friendly and

communicative, and spoke highly of the hospitality of his countrymen; but

withal told me, that if Jenne was the place of my destination, which he

seemed to have hitherto doubted, I had undertaken an enterprise of

greater danger than probably I was apprized of; for, although the town of

Jenne was nominally a part of the King of Bambarra's dominions, it was,

in fact, he said, a city of the Moors; the leading part of the

inhabitants being Bushreens, and even the governor himself, though

appointed by Mansong, of the same sect. Thus was I in danger of falling a

second time into the hands of men who would consider it not only

justifiable; but meritorious, to destroy me; and this reflection was

aggravated by the circumstance that the danger increased as I advanced in

my journey; for I learned that the places beyond Jenne were under the

Moorish influence, in a still greater degree than Jenne itself; and

Tombuctoo, the great object of my search, altogether in possession of

that savage and merciless people, who allow no Christian to live there.

But I had now advanced too far to think of returning to the westward, on

such vague and uncertain information, and determined to proceed; and

being accompanied by the guide, I departed from the village on the

morning of the 24th. About eight o'clock, we passed a large town called

Kabba, situated in the midst of a beautiful and highly cultivated

country; bearing a greater resemblance to the centre of England, than to

what I should have supposed had been the middle of Africa. The people

were everywhere employed in collecting the fruit of the Shea trees, from

which they prepare the vegetable butter, mentioned in former parts of

this work. These trees grow in great abundance all over this part of

Bambarra. They are not planted by the natives, but are found growing

naturally in the woods; and in clearing wood land for cultivation, every

tree is cut down but the Shea. The tree itself very much resembles the

American oak; and the fruit, from the kernel of which, being first dried

in the sun, the butter is prepared by boiling the kernel in water, has

somewhat the appearance of a Spanish olive. The kernel is enveloped in a

sweet pulp under a thin green rind; and the butter produced from it,

besides the advantage of its keeping the whole year without salt, is

whiter, firmer, and, to my palate, of a richer flavour than the best

butter I ever tasted made from cow's milk. The growth and preparation of

this commodity seem to be among the first objects of African industry in

this and the neighbouring states; and it constitutes a main article of

their inland commerce.

[13] I should have before observed, that I found the language of

Bambarra a sort of corrupted Mandingo. After a little practice, I

understood and spoke it without difficulty.

We passed, in the course of the day, a great many villages, inhabited

chiefly by fishermen; and in the evening about five o'clock arrived at

Sansanding, a very large town, containing, as I was told, from eight to

ten thousand inhabitants. This place is much resorted to by the Moors,

who bring salt from Beeroo, and beads and coral from the Mediterranean,

to exchange here for gold-dust and cotton-cloth. This cloth they sell to

great advantage in Beeroo, and other Moorish countries, where, on account

of the want of rain, no cotton is cultivated.

I desired my guide to conduct me to the house in which we were to lodge,

by the most private way possible. We accordingly rode along between the

town and the river, passing by a creek or harbour, in which I observed

twenty large canoes, most of them fully loaded, and covered with mats, to

prevent the rain from injuring the goods. As we proceeded, three other

canoes arrived, two with passengers, and one with goods. I was happy to

find that all the Negro inhabitants, took me for a Moor; under which

character I should probably have passed unmolested, had not a Moor, who

was sitting by the river side, discovered the mistake, and setting up a

loud exclamation, brought together a number of his countrymen.

When I arrived at the house of Counti Mamadi, the Dooty of the town, I

was surrounded with hundreds of people, speaking a variety of different

dialects, all equally unintelligible to me. At length, by the assistance

of my guide, who acted as interpreter, I understood that one of the

spectators pretended to have seen me at one place, and another at some

other place; and a Moorish woman absolutely swore that she had kept my

house three years at. Gallam, on the river Senegal. It was plain that

they mistook me for some other person; and I desired two of the most

confident to point towards the place where they had seen me. They pointed

due south; hence I think it probable that they came from Cape Coast,

where they might have seen many white men. Their language was different

from any I had yet heard. The Moors now assembled in great numbers; with

their usual arrogance, compelling the Negroes to stand at a distance.

They immediately began to question me concerning my religion; but finding

that I was not master of the Arabic, they sent for two men, whom they

call _Ilhuidi_ (Jews), in hopes that they might be able to converse with

me. These Jews, in dress and appearance, very much resemble the Arabs;

but though they so far conform to the religion of Mahomet, as to recite,

in public, prayers from the Koran, they are but little respected by the

Negroes; and even the Moors themselves allowed, that though I was a

Christian, I was a better man than a Jew. They, however, insisted that,

like the Jews, I must conform so far as to repeat the Mahomedan prayers;

and when I attempted to waive the subject, by telling them that I could

not speak Arabic, one of them, a Shereef from Tuat, in the Great Desert,

started up and swore by the Prophet, that if I refused to go to the

mosque, he would be one that would assist in carrying me thither. And

there is no doubt but this threat would have been immediately executed,

had not my landlord interposed in my behalf. He told them that I was the

king's stranger, and he could not see me ill treated, whilst I was under

his protection. He therefore advised them to let me alone for the night;

assuring them that in the morning I should be sent about my business.

This somewhat appeased their clamour; but they compelled me to ascend a

high seat, by the door of the mosque, in order that every body might see

me; for the people had assembled in such numbers as to be quite

ungovernable; climbing upon the houses, and squeezing each other, like

the spectators at an execution. Upon this seat I remained until sunset,

when I was conducted into a neat little hut, with a small court before

it; the door of which Counti Mamadi shut, to prevent any person from

disturbing me. But this precaution could not exclude the Moors. They

climbed over the top of the mud-wall, and came in crowds into the court,

in order, they said, to see me _perform my evening devotions, and eat

eggs_. The former of these ceremonies I did not think proper to comply

with; but I told them I had no objection to eat eggs, provided they would

bring me eggs to eat. My landlord immediately brought me seven hen's

eggs, and was much surprised to find that I could not eat them raw; for

it seems to be a prevalent opinion among the inhabitants of the interior,

that Europeans subsist almost entirely on this diet. When I had succeeded

in persuading my landlord that this opinion was without foundation, and

that I would gladly partake of any victuals which he might think proper

to send me, he ordered a sheep to be killed, and part of it to be dressed

for my supper. About midnight, when the Moors had left me, he paid me a

visit, and with much earnestness desired me to write him a saphie. "If a

Moor's saphie is good, (said this hospitable old man,) a white man's must

needs be better." I readily furnished him with one, possessed of all the

virtues I could concentrate; for it contained the Lord's Prayer. The pen

with which it was written was made of a reed; a little charcoal and

gum-water made very tolerable ink, and a thin board answered the purpose

of paper.

July 25th. Early in the morning, before the Moors were assembled, I

departed from Sansanding, and slept the ensuing night at a small town

called Sibili; from whence, on the day following, I reached Nyara, a

large town at some distance from the river, where I halted the 27th, to

have my clothes washed, and recruit my horse. The Dooty there has a very

commodious house, flat roofed, and two stories high. He showed me some

gunpowder of his own manufacturing, and pointed out as a great curiosity

a little brown monkey, that was tied to a stake by the door, telling me

that it came from a far distant country, called Kong.

July 28th. I departed from Nyara, and reached Nyamee about noon. This

town is inhabited chiefly by Foulahs, from the kingdom of Masina. The

Dooty (I know not why) would not receive me, but civilly sent his son on

horseback, to conduct me to Modiboo; which, he assured me, was at no

great distance.