[Illustration: _On stone by C. Hamburger._
_Printed by C. Hullmandel._
RENÉ CAILLIÉ.
_London. Published by Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley, New Burlington
Street._]
=TRAVELS=
THROUGH
CENTRAL AFRICA
TO
=TIMBUCTOO;=
AND
ACROSS THE GREAT DESERT, TO MOROCCO,
PERFORMED IN THE YEARS 1824-1828.
BY RENÉ CAILLIÉ.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY,
NEW BURLINGTON STREET.
1830.
* * * * *
LONDON:
PRINTED BY G. SCHULZE, 13, POLAND STREET.
ADVERTISEMENT.
* * * * *
Among the geographical problems which, during the last half century,
have occupied the attention of the scientific world and awakened a
spirit of adventure in enterprizing individuals, has been the existence
of a large and populous city in the heart of Central Africa. The
solution of this problem appeared to be a subject worthy of the
solicitude even of Societies and Governments; and various expeditions
have been dispatched at their expense to explore the unknown interior
of that continent, with a particular view to the settlement of this
long agitated question. In vain, however, have Houghton, Browne,
Hornemann, and Park—in vain have their successors, our countrymen,
Tuckey, Peddie, Campbell, Gray, Ritchie, Bowdich, Oudney, Clapperton,
Denham and Laing—in vain have other European travellers, Burckhardt,
Beaufort, Mollien, Belzoni, started from different points of the coast
of Africa, animated with the hope of removing the veil which enveloped
the mysterious city:—all have either perished or been baffled in the
attempt. Of this number Major Laing alone reached the desired goal;
but the results of his perseverance and his observations were lost
to his country and to the world through the barbarous murder of that
officer, and the consequent dispersion of his papers and effects.
Our neighbours, the French, have therefore just ground for exultation
in the fact, that what British enterprize, seconded by the liberality
of the British government, failed to accomplish, has been achieved
by a very humble individual of their nation, and by means of his own
slender unassisted resources; and they have certainly a right to boast
that M. Caillié, the author of the work here presented to the public,
is the first European who has succeeded in the attempt to penetrate
to Timbuctoo, and returned, in spite of the perils interposed by
the climate and by the still more destructive passions of men,
to communicate all the information that circumstances enabled him
to collect.
Of the importance of this information the adjudication of a premium of
10,000 francs (upwards of £400 sterling) by the Geographical Society
of Paris to the traveller, affords presumptive evidence. When it is
considered that, pursuing his course eastward from the French colony
on the Senegal, he advanced by way of Kakondy, Kankan, and Timbo,
to the distance of two hundred miles beyond Soulimana; that he then
proceeded northward through more than one hundred villages to Jenné;
that, there embarking on the great river Dhioliba (the Joliba of Mungo
Park) he enjoyed the best opportunities for observing its course,
its islands, and the extensive lake of Debo, which has afforded
matter for so much discussion, during a voyage of nearly a month
to Timbuctoo; that he has furnished positive information of high
political and commercial interest respecting that city; and that he
has proved the practicability of reaching it from the coast of the
Mediterranean by traversing the great Desert which girdles Africa,
and through which he returned to the territories of Morocco:—when
all this is considered, it must be admitted that his merits have not
by any means been overrated.
In this country also, which has long taken the lead in the
encouragement of geographical discovery, it is fair to presume that
the work in which M. Caillié has recorded, in language of unaffected
simplicity, the observations made in a journey of 4500 miles, (of
which 3000 were through regions either absolutely, or nearly unknown),
cannot but possess powerful attractions for every class of readers,
whether pursuing the career of trade, of science, or of politics,
whether in quest of individual advantage or personal information.
CONTENTS
OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
* * * * *
CHAPTER I.
Page
Pedestrian journey from St. Louis to Neyreh. — Passage to
N’ghiez. — Manners of the inhabitants. — Miraculous
stone. — Departure. — Robbers. — Mode of fishing with
nets. — The steam-vessel. — The author’s arrival among
the Braknas. — Conversation with Mohammed Sidy Moctar, chief
Marabout to the king. — Reception by the king. 21
CHAPTER II.
The author is forced to turn physician. — Distrust of the
Moors. — Description of the camp of King Lam Khaté. —
Schools. — Amusement of the women. 49
CHAPTER III.
Method of cultivating and using millet. — Character of the
Hassanes or warriors. — The Balanites Ægyptiaca, its fruit,
method of extracting oil from it. — Quarrel excited by a
woman. — Manner of protecting oneself from cold in the tents. —
Method of collecting gum. — Marriages of the Marabouts, and of
the Hassanes. — Inheritance of property. — Method of tanning
leather. — Dress of the Moors. 79
CHAPTER IV.
Difficulty in going to market. — Oxen stolen by a neighbouring
tribe. — The Ramadan. — Circumcision. — The feast of
Tabasky. — Gum trade with the Europeans. — Author’s return
to St. Louis. 111
CHAPTER V.
Disappointments experienced at St. Louis. — The author takes up
various occupations. — He departs once more. — Particulars
respecting the environs of Kakondy. — The Nalous, Landamas,
or Lantimas and Bagos. 140
CHAPTER VI.
Departure of the author on his great expedition. — Manners
and customs of his travelling companions, and account of the
caravans in this part of Africa. — The Caura. — Mountains
of Lantégué. — River of Doulinca. — Smelting of iron. —
Rio-Pongo. — Mountain of Touma. — Description of Irnanké
and its inhabitants. — Telewel. — Cataract of Cocouo. —
Orange trees. 168
CHAPTER VII.
Popoco. — Granite mountains. — The Author’s party crosses
the Bâ-fing (the principal tributary of the Senegal) near its
source. — Great cataract. — Fouta-Dhialon. — Langoué. —
Couroufi. — Schools. — Albinos. — Industry of the
inhabitants. — The traveller obliged to turn physician. 191
CHAPTER VIII.
Bridge over the Tankisso. — Departure for the Kankan. —
Description of Fouta-Dhialon. — Character, manners and customs
of the Foulahs. — Country of Kankan-Fodéa. — Butter-tree. —
Course of the Dhioliba. — Countries of Couranco, Sangaran, and
Kissi-kissi. — Mandingo marriages. — River of Bandiégué. —
Bagaraya. — Saraya. — Bacocouda. — Warlike dances. 218
CHAPTER IX.
Description of Baléya. — Arrival on the banks of the
Dhioliba. — Courouassa. — Sambarala. — Bouré, a mountainous
country, rich in gold. — Crossing the Dhioliba. — The
river Yendan. — Kankan. — Description of the town. — The
market. — Gold of Bouré. — A religious festival. — Ordeal
of fire. — Critical situation of the traveller. — Diseases
of the country. 245
CHAPTER X.
Further account of Kankan and its environs. — Council of
elders. — State of trade, and civilization. — Kissi. —
Bouré. — Trade between Bouré and Bamako, Yamina, Ségo,
Sansanding, and Jenné. — Working of gold mines. —
Establishment of Bamako. — Passage of the Milo, and several
other tributary rivers of the Dhioliba. 280
CHAPTER XI.
Wassoulo. — Manners and customs of the inhabitants. —
Flourishing state of agricultural industry. — Hospitality. —
Kankary. — Sambatikila. — Reflections on the sale of
slaves. — Scarcity. — Description of the residence of the
Almamy. — Commerce. — Smith’s work. — Bambara villages. —
Arrival at Timé. — Ranges of mountains. 301
CHAPTER XII.
Abode at Timé. — Weekly market. — The traveller falls
seriously ill of the scurvy. — Is nursed by a negress. —
Rainy season. — The author prevented from joining the caravan
departing for Jenné. — Fertility of the neighbourhood of
Timé. — Desperate condition of the traveller. — His recovery
after four months’ illness. — Description of a funeral. 321
CHAPTER XIII.
Description of Timé and its environs. — Character, manners,
and customs of the inhabitants. — Period of circumcision for
males, and excision for females. — Manufactures, trade, and
agriculture. — Indigenous plants. — Diseases. 345
CHAPTER XIV.
Departure from Timé, January 9th, 1829. — The name of Kong,
applied by Mungo Park to a chain of mountains, is a generic
term. — Use of bells in caravans. — Loubakho. — Cacoron. —
Dancing and music of the Bambaras. — Sananso. — Dhio. —
The oil palm-tree. — Talé. — Customs of the inhabitants. —
Borandou. — Grotesque mask. — Tangrera. 361
CHAPTER XV.
Cultivation of tobacco. — Tangrera. — Fara. — Bangaro. —
Itinerant musicians. — Débéna. — Tiara. — Part of the
caravan proceeds to Sansanding. — Beehives. — Siracana. —
The Bagoé, a navigable river. — The Lous. — Bandiarana. —
Bridge over the Koua. 385
CHAPTER XVI.
Oulasso. — Facibrisso. — Toumané. — Implements of
husbandry. — Couara. — Koraba. — Douasso. — Kong. —
Baunan. — Garo. — Forges. — Nibakhasso. 408
CHAPTER XVII.
Dwarf cotton. — Coloni. — The Iolas, a Foulah tribe. —
Bancousso. — Carabara. — Marshes. — Ropes made of the
hibiscus. — Brick-making. — Construction of houses. —
Kerina. — Foudouca. — Medina. — Lotus bread. —
Touma-dioman. — Manianan. — Arrival at Galia on the banks of
the Dhioliba, opposite to Jenné. 423
CHAPTER XVIII.
Crossing the Dhioliba. — Abode at Jenné. — Description of the
town. — Manners and customs of the inhabitants. — Trade. —
English and French goods. — Buildings. — Population. —
Schools. — Religion. — Food and clothing. — Geographical
details. — Course of the river. — The Massina. — Residence
of the sherif of Jenné. — A dinner. — Use of tea, sugar
and porcelain. — Preparations for the Author’s departure
for Timbuctoo. 443
INTRODUCTION.
* * * * *
Having cherished from my earliest infancy a strong desire to become a
traveller, I have always seized with avidity any occasion that could
facilitate the means of acquiring knowledge; but, notwithstanding
all my efforts to supply the want of a good education, I have not
been able to procure more than a scanty store of information. My
thorough conviction of the inadequacy of my means frequently grieved
me, when thinking of all that I needed for the performance of the
task which I had imposed on myself; but still, while reflecting on
the dangers and difficulties of such an enterprise, I hoped that
the notes and observations which I should bring back from my travels
would be received with interest by the public. I did not, therefore,
relinquish for a moment the hope of exploring some unknown portion of
Africa; and in the sequel the city of Timbuctoo became the continual
object of all my thoughts, the aim of all my efforts, and I formed a
resolution to reach it or perish. Now that I have had the happiness to
accomplish this design, the public will perhaps grant some indulgence
to the narrative of an unpresuming traveller, who relates simply what
he has seen, the events which have befallen him, and the facts which
he has witnessed.
I was born in 1800, at Mauzé, in the department of the Deux-Sèvres;
my parents who were poor, I had the misfortune to lose in my
childhood. I received no other education than what the charity-school
of my village afforded; and as soon as I could read and write, I
was put to learn a trade, to which I soon took a dislike, owing to
the reading of voyages and travels, which occupied all my leisure
moments. The History of Robinson Crusoe, in particular, inflamed my
young imagination: I was impatient to encounter adventures like him;
nay, I already felt an ambition to signalize myself by some important
discovery springing up in my heart.
Geographical books and maps were lent to me: the map of Africa, in
which I saw scarcely any but countries marked as desert or unknown,
excited my attention more than any other. In short, this predilection
grew into a passion for which I renounced every thing: I ceased
to join in the sports and amusements of my comrades; I shut myself
up on sundays to read all the books of travels that I was able to
procure. I talked to my uncle, who was my guardian, of my desire to
travel: he disapproved it, forcibly representing the dangers which
I should incur at sea, and the regret which I should feel far away
from my country and my family—in short, he neglected nothing to
divert me from my project. My resolution, however, was irrevocable;
I still insisted on setting out, and he made no further opposition.
All that I possessed was sixty francs, and with this trifle I
proceeded to Rochefort in 1816, and embarked in the brig La Loire,
bound to Senegal.
This vessel, as it is well known, sailed in company with La Méduse,
on board which was M. Mollien, with whom I was not then acquainted,
and who has since made such interesting discoveries in the interior
of Africa. Our brig, having luckily parted company with La Méduse,
arrived without accident in the road of St. Louis. From that place I
proceed to Dakar, a village in the peninsula of Cape Verd, whither the
unfortunate persons saved from the wreck of La Méduse were conveyed
by La Loire. After a stay of some months at this dreary spot, when the
English had restored the colony to the French, I set out for St. Louis.
At the moment of my arrival, the English government was preparing
an expedition, under the direction of Major Peddie, for exploring
the interior of Africa: when ready, it proceeded to Kakondy, a
village situated on the Rio Nuñez. The major died on his arrival
there. Captain Campbell, who assumed the command of the expedition,
set out with his numerous caravan to cross the high mountains of
Fouta-Diallon: in a few days he lost part of his beasts of burden
and several men; he nevertheless determined to pursue his journey,
but no sooner had he entered the territories of the _almamy_[1]
of Fouta-Diallon than the expedition was detained by order of that
sovereign. It was obliged to pay a heavy contribution to the almamy
for permission to return by the way it had come, to recross rivers
which it had passed with great difficulty, and to endure such
persecutions that, to put an end to them and to render his march
less embarrassing, the commander caused the dry goods to be burned,
the muskets to be broken, and the gunpowder to be thrown into the
river. On this disastrous return Captain Campbell and several of his
officers ended their lives at the same place where Major Peddie died:
they were interred at the same spot with him, at the foot of an orange
tree, at the factory of Mr. Bethmann, an English merchant.
The rest of the troops of Captain Campbell’s expedition sailed for
Sierra Leone.
Some time afterwards, a new expedition was formed, and the command of
it given to Major Gray. The English spared neither trouble nor expense
to render it still more imposing and more numerous than the first. To
avoid the terrible almamy of Timbo, the travellers proceeded by water
to the Gambia and sailed up the river. As soon as the expedition had
landed, it traversed Oulli and Gabou, and at length arrived in Bondou;
but the inhabitants of Bondou are like those of Fouta-Diallon, equally
fanatic, and equally malevolent, and their king showed not less ill
will towards the English. Upon pretext of some old debt or other
contracted by the English government, he demanded such a quantity of
goods that Major Gray was soon entirely stripped, and obliged, as will
be seen hereafter, to send an officer to the Senegal to procure more,
in the hope of obtaining a passage by means of them.
I was ignorant of these unpleasant circumstances when I heard of
the English expedition; and not doubting that Major Gray, standing
in need of hands, would eagerly accept the offer of my services,
though I was a stranger to him, I determined to proceed by land to
the Gambia. I set out from St. Louis, accompanied by two negroes who
returned to Dakar, and took the road leading from Gandiolle to the
peninsula of Cape Verd. We travelled on foot: I was then very young,
and my companions were two vigorous walkers, so that I was obliged to
run in order to keep up with them. I cannot express the fatigue I felt,
under the oppressive heat, journeying over a burning and almost moving
sand. If I could but have obtained a little fresh water to allay the
thirst which consumed me!—none was to be found but at some distance
from the sea; and we were obliged to keep near the beach, that we might
have a more solid footing. My legs were covered with blisters, and I
thought that I should have been knocked up before we reached Dakar:
at length, however, we arrived at that village, where I made no stay,
but immediately took a passage in a boat which conveyed me to Goree.
The torments which I had already endured led me to reflect on the
still greater hardships to which I was about to expose myself: the
persons who felt a friendship for me, and M. Gavol in particular,
had not therefore much trouble to divert me from my design; and, to
gratify in some measure my fondness for travel, that worthy officer
procured me a gratuitous passage on board a merchantman which was
sailing for Guadeloupe.
I arrived in that colony with some letters of recommendation, and
obtained a petty appointment, which I held but for six months. My
passion for travelling began to revive; the perusal of Mungo Park
gave new strength to my projects; and lastly, my constitution, having
withstood a residence of some length at the Senegal and in Guadeloupe,
gave me hopes of this time executing them with success.
I sailed from Pointe-à-Pitre for Bordeaux, and thence returned to
the Senegal. Arriving at St. Louis, at the conclusion of 1818, with
scanty resources, for I had exceedingly diminished them by useless
voyages, I was not to be deterred by any consideration: every thing
seemed possible to my adventurous spirit, and chance seemed to second
my designs.
M. Adrien Partarrieu, who had been sent by Major Gray to purchase
at St. Louis the goods required by the King of Bondou, was preparing
to rejoin the expedition. I called upon M. Partarrieu, and proposed
to accompany him without salary or engagement of any kind for the
moment. He replied that he could not promise me any thing for the
future, but that I was at liberty to join him if I pleased. I had
soon decided—happy to seize so favourable an opportunity of visiting
unknown countries and participating in an expedition of discovery.
M. Partarrieu’s caravan was composed of sixty or seventy men both
white and black, and thirty-two camels richly laden.
We set out, on the sixth of February, 1819, from Gandiolle,
a village in the kingdom of Cayor, situated at a short distance
from the Senegal. The damel, or king, whom our presents had rendered
favourable to us, issued orders that we should be well treated; we
met every where with an hospitable reception, and in several places
the people carried their generosity so far as to subsist our whole
company without accepting any remuneration. On reaching the frontiers
of Cayor, we came to a desert which separates it from the country
of the Yolofs. It is well known that formerly these two countries
belonged to the same sovereign, who governed them with the title of
_boor_, or emperor, and that the damel is only an independent vassal:
we experienced the same kind reception from the subjects of the boor
of Yolof.
It was not long before we had to regret the generous hospitality of
the Yolofs. On quitting their country we entered a desert, where,
for five days’ journey, we were exposed to a thousand hardships. I
hope to be forgiven for entering into these details, the only ones
which could have fixed themselves in the memory of a mere youth,
travelling rather in quest of adventures than for the purpose of
making observations.
Our camels were so laden with goods, that we had been able to take with
us but a very small quantity of water: it was soon found necessary to
deal out but a very small portion to each person: mine was not more
abundant. How could I complain—I, a useless consumer, attached to
the expedition through the mere condescension of the leader! I had
no right to find fault, but I suffered extremely from thirst. I was
sometimes reduced to extremity; for, having no beast to ride upon,
I was obliged to follow on foot. I have been since told that my eyes
were hollow, that I panted for breath, and that my tongue hung out
of my mouth: for my own part, I recollect that at every halt, I fell
to the ground from weakness, and had not even the courage to eat. At
length my sufferings excited the pity of all; and M. Partarrieu had
the kindness to divide with me his portion of water as well as a fruit
which he had found. This fruit resembles the potatoe; its pulp is
white and of an agreeable flavour: we subsequently found many such,
which were of great service to us.
A sailor, having in vain tried all means to allay his thirst, and
set about seeking fruits, was deceived by the resemblance borne by
one to that which M. Partarrieu had given to me. He ate it, and it
set his mouth on fire as if it had been pimento: from the retching
and the violent pains with which he was seized we concluded that
he was poisoned; every one cheerfully gave up to him some of his
allowance of drink; but he appeared to be relieved so suddenly that
I have since thought his illness was only a feint to excite pity and
get a little more water. I was not, however the worst off, for I saw
several drink their urine.
We arrived at length at Boulibaba, a village inhabited by pastoral
Foulahs, who live during part of the year in the woods and subsist
entirely upon milk seasoned with the fruit of the baobab. To us
Boulibaba was a paradise; we there found limpid and abundant springs:
the water which we eagerly drank seemed to us excellent, but we had to
pay a high price for it, the Foulahs to whom it belonged being poor
and very selfish. We encamped near the village, the straw houses of
which are in the form of a sugar-loaf truncated at top: the door is
so low that, in order to enter, the inhabitants are obliged to crawl
on all fours.
No sooner was our arrival known than the whole village sallied forth to
look at us: a Foulah came to the foot of the tree where I was resting
and asked me in the Wolof, which I understood, for a _grigri_[2]
to confer riches. I wrote one for him, and out of gratitude he gave
me a bowl of milk. I was nevertheless his dupe, for scarcely was he
gone when I perceived that he had stolen my black silk cravat.
On quitting Boulibaba we had another desert without water to traverse:
before we entered it, we thought it advisable to recruit ourselves
from the fatigues which we had undergone and to sojourn some days with
the Foulah herdsmen. A stock of water was procured: guides were hired,
and we set out.
After we had made half a day’s journey we arrived at Paillar,
where we laid in a fresh store of water. It would not have been
prudent to traverse Fouta-Toro, the inhabitants of which are thieves
and fanatics: we avoided it by turning a little to the south. The
precautions which we had taken to obviate the want of water cheered our
minds. The country in general appeared to us to be fine: we beheld
with admiration trees of great height, with umbrageous foliage,
covered with birds of various kinds, which by their song enlivened
these solitudes. It was no doubt the agreeable sensations produced by
this scenery that caused us partly to forget our fatigues, though we
travelled from sunrise till near ten o’clock at night, taking but
a few moments’ rest during the day. On the fifth day, however, we
were all exhausted: we suffered from thirst, and our water was nearly
spent. European ingenuity came to our succour: peppermint-drops were
distributed among us, and we experienced immediate relief. Our camels
suffered severely for want of water and forage, having no other food
than young branches of trees, cut off here and there.
At length we reached a hamlet where the negroes readily brought us
some calebashes of water, but they were not prodigal of it, and this
was prudent, considering the number of men and animals to be supplied:
for my part, I received no more than about a large glassful. But no
sooner did we begin to drink than swarms of bees settled upon the
vessels containing the water, and even upon our lips, disputing it
with us; and to this horrid punishment, these grievous pangs, we had
been several times exposed during the journey. I have frequently seen
the water-skins covered with bees, which we had no means of driving
away but by burning green wood, the smoke of which forced them to quit.
At length we entered Bondou. M. Partarrieu, who was extremely
afraid of falling in with the almamy, wished to avoid Boulibaneh,
his usual residence, and to reach Bakel speedily and by the direct
route; but the inhabitants of Potako, the second village we came to,
manifested a disposition to oppose this design. It was therefore
necessary to encamp for the purpose of holding a _palaver_.[3] This
palaver still continued; we were near wells, but were not supplied
either with water or provisions; no millet was brought, and a war of
famine was commenced. This system of attack upon us was the worst and
the most dangerous of all: it behoved us to meet it with firmness and
resolution. M. Partarrieu, who was not deficient in these qualities,
was preparing to pursue his route directly towards Bakel, and we
were on the point of starting, when Major Gray, the commander of the
expedition, who came to meet us, appeared on horseback, and directed
us to go to Boulibaneh, under the idea that the almamy would keep his
word, and that, after he had received our goods he would suffer us to
pass. Major Gray was rather credulous. For the rest, the inhabitants,
as soon as they saw us change our route, readily permitted us to
draw water and brought us abundance of provisions of all kinds. Peace
being concluded and both parties on good terms, traffic commenced.
The day after the arrival of Major Gray we received orders to set out
and to take the road to Boulibaneh: we could do no other than obey;
but, that the inhabitants of that capital might not remark the great
quantity of goods which we brought with us, we entered the place at
night. I was in the rear-guard, with some English soldiers mounted
on asses: these poor fellows were exhausted with fatigue: never
had they made so arduous a campaign; they proposed to stay behind:
I prevented them from so doing and we at length rejoined, though
rather late, the head of the caravan, which we found asleep in the
camp that it had formed outside the town. This camp was nothing more
than a cluster of straw huts, surrounded by a palisade four feet high,
formed of trunks of trees interlaced with branches.
Our people had neglected to inclose the wells within the palisade of
the camp—an unpardonable oversight, which in the sequel exposed us
to the most severe privation. The chiefs of the expedition proceeded
on their arrival to pay their respects to the old almamy, carrying
with them valuable presents to dispose him in our favour.
This was not all: they were obliged to make him fresh presents every
day, for the greedy almamy was incessantly craving. Curious to see
this sovereign, I repaired to his residence: I penetrated thither
without impediment, and found the king of Bondou seated on a mat spread
upon the ground, watching a negro mason belonging to our expedition,
for whom he had applied, that he might build him a stone powder-room
destined to contain the ammunition with which we had presented him.
The almamy of Bondou, a man of about seventy, had quite white hair,
a long beard, and a face deeply wrinkled. He was dressed in two
_pagnes_[4] of the country and covered with amulets down to the
ancles. He eyed me with a look of indifference and seemed to pay
much more attention to the work of the mason than to my presence,
which afforded me leisure to examine without giving him offence.
Having staid some days at Boulibaneh, during which we were on the
best terms with the inhabitants, Major Gray made arrangements for
quitting this royal residence. But before his departure he deemed
it right to make the almamy a farewell present: it consisted of a
piece of Guinea cloth,[5] and a few trifling articles. Whether the
prince was dissatisfied with it, or apprehensive that the English were
going to join the French for the purpose of attacking his dominions,
or had vowed not to allow us to pass, he declared with feigned regret
that he could not permit us to proceed to Bakel; that he would suffer
us to go to Clego, but we must traverse his territories and those of
Kaarta: otherwise there was no alternative for us but to take the road
of Fouta-Toro, to reach the Senegal. These two routes were equally
arduous and dangerous for us, since we were sure to find in both those
countries people as fanatic and as barbarous as the inhabitants of
Bondou. It was evidently the almamy’s design to cause us to be
plundered and perhaps murdered. Our situation became alarming. A
council was held, and the indignation excited by the almamy’s
conduct caused the adoption of the violent measure of opening by
force a passage to Bakel. The animals were immediately laden, and
preparations made for breaking up: but no sooner was our intention
known than the king’s soldiers, fifty in number, armed with lances
and muskets, came and possessed themselves of the wells and surrounded
our camp. We had but little water, through the imprudence which I have
mentioned above; and notwithstanding the economical manner in which
we employed it, we were on the point of being totally cut off from
it. In Africa it is easier to reduce a place by thirst than by famine.
This was not the only danger that threatened us; the war-drums were
already heard on all sides. At the sound of this tocsin of alarm,
crowds of armed men hastened to obey the summons of their chiefs;
and a tremendous uproar every where prevailed. In less than two
hours a numerous army was on foot, ready to rush upon us: resistance
became impossible, since we were no more than one hundred and thirty
persons. Notwithstanding the ardour and the despair which animated
all of us, we could not hope to withstand so many foes united. It
was useless therefore, to think of fighting, and all that could now
be done was to endeavour by new negociations to avert the calamities
which threatened us: such were the sentiments of the chief officers of
the expedition; they conceived that a battle could not fail to have
a most disastrous issue; and that, independently of the loss of men
and the pillage of goods, it would thenceforward render the whites
objects of horror and execration in the interior of Africa. These
prudent reflexions induced our chief to demand a palaver, which was
granted by our enemies, but with the superiority and haughtiness of
men sure of victory.
The almamy rejected all the propositions that were made to him, and
arrogantly dictated the conditions of peace: all that could be wrung
from him by dint of solicitations and presents was permission to keep
as near the Senegal as possible, that we might not be in want of water:
but he was inflexible in regard to the route which we were to pursue;
_Fouta-Toro, or no water_, was his definitive answer. We submitted
thankfully to every thing, and, when once assured of our obedience,
he made a sign to the soldiers who guarded the wells to retire,
and we could then drink with security. The anxiety in which we were
during this parley, added to the heat, caused us to consider this
permission of the almamy’s as a kindness, especially for our animals,
which had been on their legs with their loads ever since day-break,
without eating or drinking.
Our departure for Fouta-Toro was deferred till the following day. Our
caravan resembled a long file of prisoners: a multitude of horsemen
hovered upon our wings, to prevent our straggling. The almamy was
more vigilant on this point than any other; the traitor, to make
the more sure that this valuable booty would not escape his allies
of Fouta-Toro, followed us to our first halting-place, and did not
leave us till he had received a fresh present; but, on retiring, he
committed the duty of superintending our march to several princes of
his family, who accompanied us with a numerous escort of soldiers,
horse and foot. Night having come on, a large fire was lighted,
and, that we might no longer be embarrassed by the baggage which
retarded our progress, orders were issued that every one should
throw into it all he possessed, excepting such articles of clothing
as were absolutely necessary. This useful sacrifice was made before
the faces of the Foulahs, who in vain entreated us to desist. In our
just indignation against them we would rather have suffered death than
have allowed them to save so much as a handkerchief from the flames.
At day-break the next morning we entered Fouta-Toro preceded by a very
bad reputation. The people of Bondou had so effectually recommended us
to their neighbours, that wherever we went we met with only hostile
looks and inimical dispositions; neither were we any where suffered
to supply ourselves with water till the price of it had been fixed:
the reader will perhaps scarcely believe that frequently it cost us
six francs per bottle. If we ever deviated from the track prescribed
by our convention with the almamy of Bondou, the natives immediately
secured all the wells, and we were obliged to return to the route
agreed upon lest we should perish with thirst. At another time, on
the contrary, the people of a village would have forced us to quit
the road we were pursuing for another which would have taken us to
a distance from the Senegal. I know not how we should have been able
to withstand this fresh violence, since we were to have been allowed
access to the wells only upon the dreadful condition of pursuing this
latter route; as we were all reduced to extremity and our strength
exhausted, two wretched blunderbusses would not have sufficed for
laying siege to the wells. Fortunately, M. Partarrieu found means
to gain a chief, who procured us two skinfuls of water; they cost us
nearly ten francs a bottle; but having allayed our thirst we somewhat
recovered our spirits and pursued our journey.
Having got out of this dilemma, we proceeded to another village,
situated at a little distance from the Senegal, intending to take the
first opportunity of approaching the river. Here we halted to hold
council: it was resolved that we should rest there, and break up
secretly in the middle of the night for the purpose of gaining the
bank of the river. This resolution of M. Partarrieu’s was opposed
by Major Gray; he objected that we might be attacked by the way,
and that, after having broken the convention we should be treated as
deserters, and surely murdered; adding, that he had better take with
him one attendant and make the best of his way to the French factory
at Bakel, to solicit succour. In vain did M. Partarrieu strive to
convince him of the imprudence of such a plan and the danger in which
we should be left by his absence, “When the Foulahs,” he added,
“shall know that our chief is no longer with us, they will consider
us as a body without head and not hesitate to attack us.” All was
to no purpose; the major would not listen to any remonstrance, and
departed. In the morning, the Foulahs discovered his absence; they
came in crowds, accusing us of treachery, and using terrible menaces;
they were even preparing to fire, when M. Partarrieu conceived the
happy idea of telling them that he had quarrelled with Major Gray,
and that he would rather die than suffer him to come back to us. This
tale was believed; the Foulahs were appeased and permitted us to go
to a village situated near the river.
Major Gray accordingly repaired to Bakel, where he obtained a few
blacks, with whom he set out to rejoin us; but, like ourselves he
did wrong in coming off without water; having been unable to procure
any by the way, he dispersed his men to seek for some. They not only
found none, but lost themselves in the woods, where they fell in with
the Foulahs, who, apprized of their departure, had gone in force to
oppose their junction with us, and easily made them prisoners. In this
affair a few shots were fired: several French negroes were dangerously
wounded, and one of them had his thigh broken: Donzon subsequently
performed amputation at Bakel.
The news of this disaster soon reached us; without loss of time
M. Partarrieu repaired to the village where Major Gray was detained;
entreaties, presents, threats, nothing could prevail upon the Foulahs
to release him; and the joy we felt on being allowed to proceed
at not too great distance from the river was embittered by grief
at seeing the major conducted on horseback, under a strong escort,
by a contrary route to ours. The Foulahs took him away solely with a
view to induce us to turn back and follow him; but, conceiving that
this proof of our attachment to the major would only have involved
us in destruction, we took good care not to run into the snare which
was laid for us, as, by so doing, we should in all probability have
merely increased to no purpose the number of victims to an imprudence,
which no solicitations could dissuade the major from committing.
We continued our route, still proceeding northward. After suffering at
several places a repetition of the same torments, we reached Adgar,
a village only a day’s journey and a half distant from Bakel. Here
M. Partarrieu halted and encamped close to the place, as if he intended
to make a long stay there: he then visited the chief, and talked to
him of sending off his sick to Bakel, that he might afterwards proceed
with more ease to Fouta-Toro; but, perceiving that this plan displeased
the village chief, he had recourse to a stratagem to gain his consent:
he told him that, not having animals enough to carry all his baggage,
he should leave part of his goods with him. The chief, perceiving in
this proposition the means of subsequently possessing himself of a
valuable booty, assented to every thing. M. Partarrieu immediately
directed part of the chests with which the camels were usually laden
to be filled with stones, and having locked these chests, he had them
carried to the chief of the village; he then put aside the chests
containing our goods. The camels, it is well known, are accustomed to
cry when they are loaded; to obviate the danger in which this cry,
the signal for our departure, might have involved us, we took care
to make our camels utter this cry for several successive nights, that
the inhabitants of the village might not know the moment of our flight.
All the arrangements being made, a very dark night was chosen, and
as soon as we judged that every body was asleep, we started, leaving
tents, huts, and palisades, standing, without extinguishing the fires
which we had kindled, without even removing the pots which had been
set on them for our supper, that the discovery of our departure by
the inhabitants might be delayed as long as possible. The justice of
this calculation of a prudent foresight was speedily demonstrated.
Part of the caravan pushed on before by a route which it opened
for itself. I remained with the rear-guard, under the direction of
M. Partarrieu and an English serjeant who had the superintendence of
the baggage: this division set out an hour later than the other.
Such was our fear of being discovered, and so sensible were we of the
imminence of our danger, that our march was more like a rout than
a retreat. Forsaken chests and bales were to be seen every where;
nay the very animals, as if aware of the peril and anxious to avoid
it, were more untractable than ever, and scampered away across the
country after throwing off their loads. It was more than two hours
before we came up with our first division. Gracious Heaven! what
anxiety we felt during those two painful hours! scarcely durst we ask
what had become of our companions, scarcely durst we think of them;
we fancied that they were taken, and had every reason to apprehend the
like fate ourselves. A horn was blown from time to time: this signal
of distress, amid the silence of night and the horror of the desert,
had something doleful which made us shudder. Could we but have heard
some answer to it! but no, not the faintest sound, not even the shriek
of a night-bird enlivened the woods which we traversed in the utmost
haste. Presently we perceived nothing but ambuscades on all sides;
every bush, every tree, assumed to our agitated minds the form of
armed enemies; every branch was mistaken for a levelled musket. At
length we had recourse to a final expedient to convey to a distance
an intimation of our approach. A gun was fired: echo by repeating the
report several times, increased our consternation without imparting
a hope that we were heard. I then compared our situation with that
of the victims on the raft of La Méduse, cast upon the bank of
Arquin, without hope of relief. Excessive fear gave us the courage
of despair, and we made such a noise with our horns that the first
division at length heard it and answered us. With what joy did we
accelerate our pace to come up with it! at last we joined it just
as day began to dawn. We hastily deliberated on the course to be
pursued. On all sides we were surrounded with dangers; but, at any
rate, the farther we proceeded from the village which we had left the
preceding night, the nearer we should approach to the Senegal. This
plan was unanimously adopted; and to carry it into effect with the
greater chance of success, we abandoned baggage, animals, goods of
all sorts; such was the panic that had seized every mind.
Day-light appeared, and enabled us to discover a village close to us;
but fortunately its inhabitants had not yet risen, and we were not
perceived. We soon came to a stony road which indicated the vicinity
of the river; the hope of procuring water rendered our thirst more
tormenting, and agitated our minds to such a degree that we kept
advancing without knowing where we were: and we might have continued
thus but for a negro whom we met and forced to conduct us to the river:
he first led us past a field, where several negroes, who were at work,
fled at sight of us towards their village. At length, at ten o’clock
in the morning, we arrived at a hamlet situated on the left bank of
the Senegal, at a little distance from Bakel. Without halting there,
we lost no time in availing ourselves of a ford a short way off to
cross the river. Though the water was then low, yet in some places
it was up to our chins, so that every man was obliged to carry his
things upon his head for fear of wetting them.
We were now on the right bank of the river, and it was high time we
were, for some of our number were still crossing when multitudes of
Foulahs appeared on the other side armed with pikes and arrows. It
had been all over with us had we fallen in with them in the woods,
for they were the neighbours to our camp, enraged at having been
deceived by our stratagem. They durst not cross the river; but
reckoning upon our simplicity, they made signs to M. Partarrieu to
come to them and explain himself. The latter replied, that if they
would call upon him at Bakel he would hear what they had to say. This
invitation was not acceptable to them; accordingly they never came,
but returned immediately to their village.
After crossing the river we were still a day’s journey from Bakel:
and though it would have been more prudent to push on to that place at
once, we were all so overwhelmed with fatigue that we were obliged to
encamp by the way before night. We went to sleep in the most complete
security, under the idea that the sentinels would keep good watch;
but these sentinels having undergone the same fatigues as ourselves
fell asleep too. No accident, however, befel us, and early next
morning we arrived at Bakel.
The reader may conceive our joy on entering that fort, especially when
we observed the generous zeal with which Messrs. Dupont and Dusseault,
who commanded there, hastened to relieve us. We were treated with
the kindest attention and supplied with refreshments of all sorts;
and our joy was at its height, when we saw Major Gray return, the
negroes having released him as soon as they ascertained that he could
not serve them for an hostage to bring us back to them: nay more,
their envoys, more tractable under the cannon of the fort of Bakel,
restored to us part of the things which we had abandoned on our flight,
and which they had picked up.
The rainy season, upon which we were entering, shed its baleful
influence over me as well as the others. I had the fever, which soon
assumed so alarming a character that I quitted the expedition and
embarked on the Senegal to descend to St. Louis. I hoped, by the
aid of medicine and the effects of a more salubrious climate, to
recover my health in that town; but my disorder was so violent, that
my convalescence was long and difficult. To complete my recovery, I
saw no other way but to return to France, and I sailed for L’Orient.
There I learned that Major Gray, after making fresh purchases of
goods at the Senegal for the purpose of continuing his journey in
the interior, had failed in all his attempts, not without injuring
the French commerce, a species of success which can have made but
poor amends for the enormous loss which he has occasioned to England:
for his enterprize, and those of Peddie, Campbell, and Tuckey, have,
it is said, together cost England eighteen millions in French money
(£750,000 sterling).
In 1824, I returned to the Senegal to try my fortune with a small
venture, for which M. Sourget, a merchant of distinguished merit,
made advances for me: the paternal sentiments which he manifested
for me I shall ever hold in grateful remembrance.
I need not observe that, at the bottom of my heart, I still cherished
my design of visiting the interior of Africa: and it seemed as if no
obstacle could any longer impede me, when I saw at the head of the
colony Baron Roger, whose philanthropy and enlightened understanding
promised me a patron of all great and useful enterprizes.
I solicited therefore his authority for travelling in the interior,
with the support and under the auspices of the king’s government: but
M. Roger strove in the kindest manner to damp my zeal. He represented
to me that the business in which I had embarked offered chances of
fortune which it was imprudent to sacrifice; and that my youth and
inexperience might moreover ruin my future prospects, and perhaps
endanger my life. These representations entitled him to my gratitude,
but did not shake my resolution.
I was bent on going, and I declared that if the government would not
accept my offers, I would carry my plan into execution with my own
unaided means. This determination made an impression upon the mind
of the governor, who granted me some goods, that I might go and live
among the Braknas and learn the Arabic language and the religious
ceremonies of the Moors, in order that I might subsequently be able
to lull their jealous mistrust, and thus penetrate the more easily
to the interior of Africa.
=TRAVELS=
TO
=TIMBUCTOO,=
_&c. &c._
* * * * *
CHAPTER I.
Pedestrian journey from St. Louis to Neyreh. — Passage to
N’ghiez. — Manners of the inhabitants. — Miraculous stone. —
Departure. — Robbers. — Mode of fishing with nets. — The
steam-vessel. — The author’s arrival among the Braknas. —
Conversation with Mohammed Sidy Moctar, chief marabout to the king. —
Reception by the king.
On Tuesday the 3rd of August 1824, at four in the afternoon, I set
out from St. Louis, accompanied by two men and a woman, all three
inhabitants of N’pâl, to which village they engaged to serve me
as guides. About seven, we arrived at Leybar, a village situated two
leagues S.E. ¼ E. from St. Louis. We there passed a wearisome night,
on account of the musquitoes which devoured us. The weather was stormy;
the thunder rolled the whole night, and the rain fell in torrents. We
went to bed on our arrival: at ten o’clock we were called up to
supper, for which a very good fish _couscous_[6] was provided.
On the morning of the 4th we pursued our journey. My fellow-travellers
met with a little incident which delayed our progress: a sheep,
destined for the celebration of the festival of the Tabasky[7],
escaped from the negress who was driving it; we were obliged to run
after the animal, but after several useless attempts to catch it,
we continued our route. At ten in the morning we arrived at Gandon,
a village only one league E. ¼ S.E. from Leybar. A most delightful
country presented itself to our view. I saw many fields of cotton,
which the negroes cultivate with success; indigo grows there without
culture; there is but little millet in the environs of the village.
We sat down under a great tree, where travellers usually rest
themselves till some one comes to offer them hospitality: on that day
there was a great number of them, who took me for a Moor, because
I wore the Moorish dress; but, being undeceived by my guides, who
told them that I was about to become a convert to Islamism, they
congratulated me upon my intention.
My companions, who were much grieved at the loss of their sheep,
went back to look for it. I rested myself for about an hour, and
then proceeding eastward, set out alone for N’ghiez. Between these
two villages the traveller who pays any attention to the beauties of
nature is enchanted by the view of the groups of verdure scattered
over the plain. They consist of mimosas, the thick branches of
which support the slender and flexible stems of asclepias and of
different species of cynanchum, which, after climbing to their tops,
droop down in garlands, and by the diversity of their flowers produce
an admirable effect. They frequently meet with other plants; their
stems mutually entwine, and their numerous branches become so closely
united and twisted together as to form an aerial canopy, through which
the eye perceives at a distance other groups, frequently fantastic,
but always wonderful. The plain is covered with a carpet of verdure,
the pleasing smoothness of which is broken by numerous shrubs, all
differently decorated by the climbing plants which grow about them.
The _parinarius senegalensis_, which is very common in the plain,
also embellishes the scene, and heightens the interest of the view to
the traveller reposing in the shade of its thick foliage. All these
beauties, with which nature is adorned, irrestibly lead the mind up
to its Creator and fill it with admiration of his profound wisdom.
These delightful plains are intersected by marshes, wherein grow a
great number of aquatic plants; as the road crosses these marshes,
I was up to the knees in water. I reached N’ghiez about one in the
afternoon: I rested there but a very short time: then, continuing
my course eastward, I passed through some fields of millet. My way
then led me into a desert plain, but clothed with vegetation, and I
arrived at N’pâl by sunset, quite tired with my day’s journey,
which I had performed barefoot and carrying my baggage on my head. I
sought a lodging with a woman of St. Louis, who had her family at
N’pâl: she received me very kindly, and thanks to her attentions,
I passed a good night, which made me some amends for the preceding one.
On the 5th I remained at N’pâl. I spent the day in visiting the
environs of the village, which is charmingly situated, amidst an
immense plain, fertilized by the rains of the tropic. The inhabitants
grow in abundance all that is requisite for their wants: accustomed
to lead a very temperate life, they frequently have a surplus,
which they carry for sale to St. Louis, bringing back in exchange
fire-arms for their defence, and amber, coral, and glass trinkets to
adorn their wives. This village is reputed to be the wealthiest in
the neighbourhood of St. Louis. Its population may be estimated at
two thousand, all marabouts. The natural advantages of their soil and
situation have a visible influence on their manners; less slothful,
less insolent, and less treacherous, than the negroes of other parts,
they bestow hospitality without ostentation, and always in a generous
manner which heightens its value. Every stranger is sure of finding
an asylum among them.
Situated between the country of Cayor and Wâlo, twenty miles eastward
of Gandon, this village, entirely independent, is governed by a
marabout who is its absolute master. At his death he is succeeded
by his eldest son; if the latter dies without children, the supreme
power devolves to his nearest kinsman. This chief levies an impost on
millet, which is paid to him in kind at harvest-time, and amounts to
one tenth. The inhabitants are armed with muskets and lances. When
the neighbouring villages are threatened with pillage by the damel,
or king, of Cayor, their inhabitants seek refuge at N’pâl, where
they are not only received, but also find generous allies who take
up their defence.
Throughout the whole country the huts are small, ill constructed, and
extremely filthy; the door is so low that to enter you are obliged
to crawl on all fours. The residence of each family is composed of
several huts surrounded by quick hedges, planted at random and without
taste: sometimes this inclosure is formed merely of posts and rails,
or a kind of palisade of straw. The streets are extremely narrow,
winding, and dirty, all sorts of filth being thrown into them. Both
men and women are very uncleanly, as in all the negro villages in
this country, and they rub a great quantity of butter upon their heads.
Few idle persons are to be seen among them. The men employ themselves
in the cultivation of their fields during the rainy season, and in
clearing the land required for fresh crops during the dry season:
the women have to attend to the household concerns; they spin cotton;
some dye cloths blue with the indigo which the country supplies almost
without culture; and the cleverest of them traffic in the productions
of the soil, which they procure in exchange for the glass beads,
amber, and coral, purchased at St. Louis, whither they repair to sell
the corn and cloths, by which they make a great profit.
Though better than the other negroes, their neighbours, they are not
exempt from superstition: the scarcity of stones in the neighbourhood
has given rise to a fable which, being generally believed, may long
contribute to the security of the country. There is one, about a
quarter of a mile E. ¼ S.E. from the village. The absurd stories
which I heard concerning this stone made me desirous to see it. It is
by the road side, about eighteen inches in length and eight broad,
the top of it projecting about four inches above the surface of the
ground: in colour it is ferruginous and it has a volcanic appearance:
I would have broken off a piece, but the negro who accompanied me
prevented it. According to an ancient custom, all the inhabitants,
when they pass this stone, draw a thread from their pagne, which they
throw upon it, as a sort of offering which they make to it.
The marabouts assert and firmly believe, that when the village is
threatened with any danger, for instance, pillage, this stone moves
thrice round it in the preceding night, by way of warning; and all
the warriors arm themselves in consequence. The two following tales
are related by them in proof of the virtue of their stone. The Moors,
joined by the people of Wâlo, advanced to the vicinity of N’pâl
with the intention of plundering the place. This was in the dry
season. The stone, after making the circuit of the village in the
night, caused it to rain so vehemently, and blue flames to issue
from the ground in such great quantity, that the Moors, struck with
terror, betook themselves to flight: the inhabitants pursued and made
a dreadful slaughter among them, and took prisoners a great number
of Wâlo blacks, who were sold as slaves and carried to the colonies.
On another occasion, they were attacked by two Moorish kings, who
carried off some of the inhabitants into slavery. These two kings,
they say, were taken suddenly ill and died by the way: they did not
fail to attribute their death to the power of the stone; the slaves
were nevertheless carried away and have never returned. In short,
the veneration excited by this stone has always been so great, that
only ten years ago it was the object of a sort of religious worship. A
festival was held and all the inhabitants were obliged to attend it:
in the evening, calebashes full of nicely prepared couscous were
placed near the stone, and as it was always eaten by the animals,
the people believed that a spirit dwelt in the stone, and considered
the acceptance of the offering as a happy omen. The greatest part
of the day was spent in prayer; after which, on a signal given by
the chief marabouts, all present ran away. If any one, in running,
happened to fall, the accident was always regarded as an indication
of his speedy death.
As I have already observed, the plain through which runs the road from
N’ghiez to N’pâl is not cultivated, though the soil is capable
of being rendered very productive. The woods consist principally of
mimosas; and the various species of grasses which cover the ground
attract thither abundance of all sorts of game. The soil in the
environs of N’pâl is of two kinds: you meet with hollows in which
the rain water settles, and this renders them far superior to the rest
of the plain: they are composed of black sand, enriched by the mud
which the water deposits, and by the remains of the vegetables which
rot in it: these are the most productive spots. The rest of the land,
though of inferior quality, is very fertile; it contains fields of
considerable extent, cultivated with the greatest care; each marabout
has his own, which he tills himself with his slaves. The inhabitants
grow abundance of millet, cotton, water-melons, and a sort of beans,
of which they consume a great quantity. They have herds of horned
cattle, sheep, and goats: they rear great numbers of poultry, wild
and tame ducks, Guinea fowl, and several kinds of game, the young of
which they pick up in the fields.
The water which they drink is bad: they collect it in ponds during the
rainy season, for the wells are at a great distance from the village,
and even these furnish water that is by no means agreeable: I meant to
go to see them, but a violent storm prevented my making this excursion.
On the 6th I purposed to set out, but it was Tabasky day, and I
could not procure a guide. One offered himself for the following
day, when I was seized with a fever, which confined me to my bed,
and had such pains in all my limbs that I was unable to move. In the
rainy season all the negroes are liable to this disorder, for which,
however, they employ no remedy.
At length, on the 9th I was about to depart, when I was told that
my guide was a thief, and that he would certainly rob me, or arrange
with some accomplice to do it. As it was impossible for me to procure
another, I deferred my departure till the following day.
On the 10th I availed myself of the opportunity of some persons going
to their fields on the frontiers of Wâlo, who promised to put me
into the right track. We proceeded N.E. ¼ N. for three miles; there
they pointed out the route which I was to pursue, and then went to
their work. I stopped for a moment, and then travelled on alone in a
north-east direction toward Wâlo. About noon I arrived much fatigued
at Sokhogne, a village in the Wâlo country; the route which I had
followed was covered with wood. The environs of this village are
not cultivated.
After resting myself under a tamarind-tree, I bought some milk and
couscous. I went to see the chief of the village, who offered to
conduct me to Merina, whither he was going, to ascertain the truth
of certain rumours which were circulated, respecting a war between
his country and the Peulhs.[8] I accompanied him, in spite of the
fever which had not left me, and we arrived there at three in the
afternoon. This village is about eighteen miles N.E. from N’pâl. We
had still to travel through woods. I was extremely fatigued, and lay
down in the shade of a hut into which I had been refused admission. The
man, who had acted in the capacity of guide, came and informed me that
two men would set out the same evening for Mall, and he advised me to
seize this opportunity. He asked me if I could walk well at night,
adding that it was as far from that place to Mall as it was from
N’pâl to Merina; and he assured me that on the following day I
should not meet with a guide. I determined therefore to accompany
those whom chance offered me: I arranged with one of them to carry
my baggage; he agreed to do so for two quires of paper and four heads
or three leaves of tobacco; at sun-set we started.
The direction we pursued was N.E. ¼ E. One of my guides was on
horseback; we walked at a good pace. Travelling in the dark was very
unpleasant; I ran so many thorns into my feet that I was unable to
proceed, and I offered the negro who had the horse the same price to
let me ride as I paid for carrying my baggage: the negro accepted it
and made me get up behind. I found this position so inconvenient that
I was as tired as if I had walked; my feet, however, became no worse.
An hour before we reached the village, we entered some very fine fields
of millet, which the moon-light enabled us to perceive. We reached
Mall about one in the morning: at the noise made by the dogs on our
approach, some of the inhabitants rose to enquire who we were. A
good old marabout offered me his hut: my feet were so swollen and
so painful that I could not stir a step: the negro lent me his arm,
and kindly leading me in, told me to lie down on his humble bed. But
for this attention of the humane old man’s, I should not have been
able to prosecute my journey on the following day.
Having extracted a great quantity of thorns from my feet, I thought
myself capable of starting, when I was suddenly seized with a most
violent pain in my left arm, which obliged me to halt that day and
the 12th at this village. I saw the lake of Panieh-Foul or N’gher;
it is at this part about a mile broad.
On the 13th at sun-rise I set out from Mall with my old marabout,
who insisted on accompanying me to Nieyeh,[9] about three miles
distant. The whole country between these two villages is highly
cultivated. It was eight in the morning when I parted from my guide:
I proceeded northward, and about ten arrived at Neyreh. I sought a
lodging with the chief of the village, to whom the old marabout at
Mall had directed me, and who received me very kindly. He questioned
me concerning the object of my journey; I replied that I was going
to embrace the Mahometan faith: he highly approved my design, and
endeavoured to impress me with the notion that God was extremely
gracious to me in thus delivering me from the flames to which the
christians are destined. My disguise deceived some persons; for,
being in the evening at the door of the hut for the sake of coolness,
I overheard a dispute between two women, one of whom asserted that
I was a Moor.
On the following day, the 14th, I joined a Moor and three Moorish
females who were travelling the same way as I was; they were mounted
on carrier-bullocks[10]. At the distance of about three miles, we met
a troop of Moors and negroes of Wâlo, who attempted to rob me. One
of the Moors thrust his hand into my bundle, which was placed on a
bullock, and pulled out a roll of papers, among which were letters of
the utmost consequence to me, and carried them off. I ran after him,
and had a long struggle with him for the purpose of recovering them,
but several negroes interfered and knocked me down: at length the
Moor who acted as a guide to me came to my assistance and obtained
restitution of my roll. After some altercation they let me go; they
nevertheless wanted to force me to give them some tobacco, which
they had seen in my bundle; I would gladly have made a sacrifice to
get rid of them, but this article was absolutely necessary to me,
and I persisted in my refusal to give them any thing. They left us
and we continued our route, without any other accident, to the camp
to which my guides were bound, where we arrived about two in the
morning. By the way I had suffered severely from thirst; I appeased
it with milk and water, and lay down under a tent for about an hour,
after bargaining with a man to take me on a carrier-bullock to the
French settlements for a hundred head of cloves.
I set out and at five in the evening arrived at Richard-Tol, where
I waited for an opportunity of proceeding. On the 18th I embarked in
the Active cutter for Dagana. The night which I passed on board was
as harassing as that which I spent at Leybar: at this season it is
impossible to get any rest on board these small vessels unless you
are provided with a mosquito-curtain; the mosquitoes settling upon
you in countless numbers and inflicting inexpressible torments. In
the evening of the 19th I arrived at Dagana, where I sojourned eight
days. During this time I took walks in the environs, especially
towards the neighbouring _marigot_[11] to the east of the village,
where I had occasion to notice the ingenious manner, adopted by the
negroes of Wâlo to catch the fish which are very abundant in these
waters. They have a net eight or nine feet square, sewed up at one end:
two thick flexible sticks are securely fastened at the extremities
to the lateral sides of the net in such a manner, that by means of
them the net may be shut and opened at pleasure: the upper side is
left open or but half sewed up; lastly, the two sticks being held
together with the hand, the net has the form of a bag. The negroes
drive a row of stakes into the bottom of the marigot, so as to divide
it in two: these stakes are placed so close as to allow only very small
fish to pass; and they fasten to them, two feet below the surface of
the water, wooden cross-bars on which they stand. To catch the fish,
they sink the net gently to the bottom, holding the two sticks apart,
that is, keeping the net open; then bringing the sticks together,
they close it and draw it out of the water: in this manner the fish
are taken as in a bag. To manage it with the greatest ease, they take
care to let the sticks project two feet beyond the top of the net,
and support these ends upon their shoulders; then with their hands
they can move it about at pleasure. They have a stick about a foot
long, with which they kill the fish, and then by means of an iron
hook and a cotton cord they hang it to one of the stakes, to keep
moist in the water till they have finished their fishery, which is
always very productive. The nets are made of twisted cotton thread
of the thickness of sail-makers’ twine.
The fishermen cut open the fish, dry it, and take it for sale to
villages at a distance from the banks of the river; carrying on a
very extensive commerce in this article.
On the 24th of August the steam-vessel, for which I was waiting to be
conveyed to Podor, arrived; we started at seven in the evening of the
27th, and landed there on the 29th at two in the afternoon. It is an
ancient French settlement, of which few traces only are now left. I
went to lodge at the house of Moctar Boubou, the chief of the village,
and minister of Hamet-Dou, king of the Braknas, to whom I wished to
go for the purpose of completing my Arabic education, that I might
the more easily penetrate into the interior of the country, and visit
every part of that immense desert, respecting which we possess but
vague and scanty information.
At this marabout’s I found the agents of Hamet-Dou, who had been to
St. Louis to receive the customs which the government annually pays
to that prince. They were delighted to hear that it was my intention
to embrace Islamism, congratulating me at great length upon it,
and encouraging me to persist in my resolution. They also promised
to serve me as guides in my journey to their king; but, on the 1st
of September, when they set out, they refused to take me along with
them, alleging that the camp was ten days’ march distant, and that
I should not be able to support the fatigue of the voyage. I guessed
the motive which induced them to act thus: I offered two _gourdes_[12]
to Boubou-Fanfale, the chief of the party; he agreed to take me with
him and we started at eight in the morning.
We went back down the Senegal for two miles, towards the factory of
the Cock or the Braknas. At the call of my guides, a negro brought
us from the opposite bank a large canoe, into which the merchandise
was put; we then went on board ourselves, ten in number. They made
the bullocks swim after us, pulling them along by the cord passed
through their nostrils: in this manner we reached without accident the
right bank of the river. The bullocks were reloaded, and about eleven
we were ready to resume our journey. The two negroes accompanied us
to the marigot of Koundy. Our road lay through a black clayey soil,
enriched by the relics of vegetables which cover it. Large mimosas form
a thick wood under which the _zizyphus lotus_ grows in abundance. This
soil would be extremely fertile if it were cultivated.
Having reached the marigot the negroes began to look for their canoes
which they had sunk in the water for concealment: they were very
small, and could not carry the baggage across in fewer than six trips,
which greatly delayed our journey.
When the negroes left us, the Moors would have obliged me to return
with them, hoping no doubt to extort from me a fresh present: but I was
firm, and reminding Boubou-Fanfale of the engagement which he made when
receiving my two gourdes, I persisted in going along with them. At two
o’clock we resumed our journey. We halted two miles N.E. of Koundy,
on a pretty hill covered with verdure. The soil consisted of a reddish
sand, and the ground was quite open. The bullocks there found abundant
pasturage, and they were suffered to graze till five o’clock, when
we resumed our route, proceeding N.E. ¼ N. We travelled in the night:
the bullocks were already extremely fatigued, and one of them lay
down. The Moors, unable to make it rise by blows, had recourse to a
method which I have frequently seen used since, and which is always
successful: they bound a cord tight round the muzzle so as to prevent
respiration and left the animal to itself. It struggled for a moment,
and then jumped upon its legs: the cord was immediately removed,
its load replaced, and it followed the others. After we had gone nine
miles in the same direction, we halted at eleven at night.
We were threatened with a storm: the firmament was on fire in the
east quarter, and the thunder rolled incessantly. The Moors dug
large holes, into which they put their goods to preserve them from
the rain which seemed likely to be very heavy. The wind blew with
violence from the east, and raised clouds of sand, which, falling
again, annoyed us exceedingly. At length, the wind having ceased,
the storm dispersed without rain.
The weather having become calm, the Moors prepared our supper,
which consisted of a little couscous, which we took without salt,
my guides having forgotten to procure a supply at Podor; but, having
eaten nothing all day, appetite compensated the want of seasoning. The
soil was of the same nature as at our preceding halting place.
September 2nd. At five in the morning we resumed our route proceeding
N.E. Our road led through a delightful country. The ground, diversified
by hills covered with verdure, presented, with its numerous valleys,
rich in vegetation, a prospect of the most pleasing kind. Game is
here very plentiful; the woods abound in wild boars and antelopes. I
saw a wild cat, which on perceiving us, set up a loud cry, and then
scampered away. The generally received opinion that ferocious beasts
are numerous in the desert is erroneous; for, neither did I see any
during my residence among the Braknas, nor did I ever hear of any
accident indicating their presence. I have since remarked, during
my journey to Timbuctoo, that these animals are not more numerous in
the interior. It is the inhabited tracts, or those contiguous to the
lakes and rivers, which are the haunts of lions and leopards; it is
there that they attack cattle, and sometimes, but very rarely, men.
We halted an hour near a pool, by which stands a large baobab
(_adansonia digitata_); the water was so muddy, that it was scarcely
possible to drink it: the Moors, to render it less disagreeable, mix
with it a little treacle. This forenoon we travelled nine miles. At
three o’clock we stopped for prayer, and continued our journey for
the space of twelve miles to the N.E. over a tolerably rich soil,
covered with _zizyphus lotus_ and a species of the gramineous tribe,
the prickly seeds of which adhere to the clothes and run into the
flesh; I had my feet full of them, and they caused me the most acute
pain. This plant abounds in sandy soils; the negroes on the Senegal
call it _khakhame_. No person ever visited the environs of that river
without having been cruelly tormented by it. Fatigue, however, made
me forget my sufferings, and I slept soundly.
September 3rd. About one in the morning I was awakened to take
a little _sangleh_,[13] and two hours afterwards commenced the
preparations for departure; at five we started. The heat during the
day was excessive, augmented as it was by a scorching east wind. My
thirst was insupportable; perceiving a group of trees, I ran to them,
thinking to find water, but was disappointed; and I must have been
quite knocked up had I not met by the way with abundance of _grewia_,
the yellow fruit of which, of the size of a pea, is very glutinous,
though far from agreeable to the taste. I kept continually chewing it,
which relieved me much. At length, about one o’clock, we reached a
pool, where we rested ourselves till three. Here I quenched my thirst,
and my companions bathed: we had travelled nine miles to the N.E. ¼
N. over an absolutely sandy soil.
Having resumed our route to N.E. ¼ E. we came to solid ground,
covered with small flints of a bright red which incommoded us much. We
saw several ponds; and I remarked one on the banks of which were six
baobabs of prodigious dimensions. At ten we came to a ravine where
there was water: here we halted for the night. We were more fortunate
in the latter part of the day than we had been in the morning; for
there was no want of water, and we found in abundance a plant which I
took for an _anona_, a foot high, and bearing extremely green foliage:
its fruits is of the size of a pigeon’s egg, and contains several
seeds; the pulp, slightly acid, is very good to eat. The Moors fell
upon this fruit with avidity and devoured it; I followed their example
and experienced great benefit from it, for it is an excellent thing
for cooling and allaying thirst.
This day’s journey had greatly fatigued me; the sharp flints on
which we had to walk, had cut my feet sadly. In vain did I entreat the
Moors to permit me to ride for a short time on one of the bullocks;
none of them would give up his place to me, so that I was obliged to
follow on foot. Accordingly, the moment we halted, I threw myself on
the ground, and slept in spite of the storm which came on.
September 4th. An hour before sunrise we set out, directing our
course eastward, and after proceeding three miles we found traces
of a camp which appeared to have been left the same morning. We
travelled about a mile to the south, to visit a small camp occupied by
slaves of Hamet-Dou’s, who had been sent to this place to cultivate
millet. In a moment I was surrounded by the inhabitants of this camp,
who thronged round to examine me, being the first European they had
ever seen. An old marabout, who appeared to be the chief of these
slaves, ordered them to retire, and asked me numerous questions
respecting my conversion to Islamism: after making me repeat some
words of the Koran he directed sangleh to be made. Each family brought
us a small calabash full; but had we not been so hungry as we were,
we could not have eaten it, for, it was not only without salt, but
the poor creatures had not even milk to mix it with. The appearance
of the camp gave no high opinion of the magnificence of the prince to
whom it belonged: the huts were small and ill built, and they scarcely
afforded shelter from the sun. Two very shabby tents were no doubt the
dwellings of the marabouts appointed to superintend the slaves, whose
only garment was a sheep-skin, which covered them from the waist to
the knees: they were about fifty in number and lived in fifteen huts.
A Wolof[14] slave having heard me speak her language came up to me
and inquired if I was acquainted with her country: I availed myself
of this opportunity to learn some particulars concerning their
occupations. She informed me that the wealthy Moors send out slaves
every year to sow millet, and that after the harvest they return to
the camp of their masters. I went to look at their fields and found
them badly cultivated. The negroes were busy weeding the millet;
they merely scratched the surface of the ground, which, from its
clayey compact nature ought to be turned up to some depth and broken.
At two o’clock we pursued our route to the E. ¼ N.E. and, having
proceeded eight miles, crossed a rivulet in which the water was up to
our waists: its current, which is very rapid, runs to the N.N.W. I
was told that this stream descends from the mountains situated near
Galam, the direction of which was pointed out to me to the E.S.E.;
according to the Moors, it is absorbed by a lake about three days’
journey from the spot where we halted.
After crossing this rivulet, my guides changed their direction: we
travelled five miles to the east over ground covered with khakames,
which incommoded me exceedingly. It then became stony and hilly,
and we proceeded a mile to the north that we might arrive at water;
and about eleven we reached a pool, the water of which was tolerably
good. We kindled a fire for the purpose of cooking our supper, but,
by the time it was ready, a violent storm came on. The Moors took off
their _coussabes_—a sort of tunics—and put them into the pots
to protect them from the rain: I did the same, so that we were all
naked. We collected wood, made a great fire, and huddled round it, and
in this state were drenched with the rain, which fell for two hours in
torrents: it was extremely cold, and as it may be easily conceived,
we were very uncomfortable. When the storm had ceased, we again put
on our coussabes, which were perfectly dry; but a mizzling rain,
which lasted all night, incommoded us much. The bad weather having
prevented us from getting our supper, we breakfasted at the dawn of
day with a keen appetite, though our sangleh had been exposed to the
rain the whole night. At sunrise we spread out the goods to dry;
all of them had got wet, the soil, composed of ferruginous rock,
being too hard to allow us to dig holes to shelter them in.
September 5th. At noon we resumed our route, travelling to the N.E. for
the space of twelve miles, and at ten at night we arrived at a camp
situated on the bank of a rivulet: here we halted a moment, and one
of our people went to apprize the marabouts of our arrival: he soon
returned and we entered the camp; I was immediately surrounded. The
marabouts made me repeat the usual form of prayer of the Musulmans:
_There is but one God, and Mahomet is his prophet_. I was besieged,
and could not obtain a moment’s rest the whole evening. The females,
squatted behind the men, thrust their heads between the legs of the
latter to get a sight of me; but at every motion that I made they
drew back their heads with loud screams, at the risk of upsetting
the men, producing confusion among the throng which kept constantly
increasing. Being warned by my conductors not to leave the centre
of the camp, lest I should be robbed, I lay down upon the ground,
and covered myself with a pagne, hoping that the Moors would retire;
but this precaution was of no avail; they continued to torment me: the
women, having grown bolder, uncovered me; the children, after their
example, pulled me one by the leg, another by the arm, while others
struck my feet or pricked me with thorns. Being unable to endure this
treatment any longer, I started up in a rage, and my persecutors run
away: I then went to Boubou-Fanfale, and expressed my dissatisfaction
at his conduct towards me. I represented to him that I was about to
turn Musulman, and that on this account he ought to protect me and to
procure me a little rest. He spoke to an old marabout, who had great
difficulty to keep off the crowd; I then accompanied my protector to
prayers, and on my return lay down upon a mat. A calabash of milk,
containing about four quarts, was given me for supper; and more was
offered me in case I had not had enough. This was the season when the
pastures were in the best condition; there was abundance of milk and
we were supplied with more than we could drink.
September 6th. At seven in the morning, we prepared to depart. The
women and children had assembled round me; for more than half an hour
the rabble of the camp followed at my heels; the women, with their
faces concealed by the end of the Guinea cloth which serves them for
a garment, affected to take no notice of me, and turned their heads
when I looked at them, while the boys pelted me with stones, crying:
_Tahale ichouf el nasrani!_ “Come and see the christian!” I faced
about several times, and then they all ran away; but they returned
the next moment, and were more troublesome than before. At length my
guides, weary themselves of these importunities, drove off the crowd,
who returned to the camp.
It was nine o’clock when we arrived at the camp of Sidi-Mohammed:
we stopped there to obtain bullocks, for ours were exceedingly
fatigued. The whole camp thronged round me, and I had to endure a
repetition of all the annoyances of the preceding night. To quench
our thirst we were supplied with a large calabash full of sour
milk mixed with three parts of water; this pleasant and wholesome
beverage is called _cheni_ by the Moors, and is common in all the
Arab countries that I have visited. We hired two carrier-bullocks,
and at ten o’clock resumed our journey. I had walked all the way
from Podor to this place; but, as we had increased the number of our
oxen, I obtained permission to ride one of them.
After travelling eight miles to the N.E. over a stony soil, we came
to a small camp composed of fifteen tents and some ill built straw
huts, the dwellings of slaves. The baggage was deposited in a tent,
and I was invited to retire to another. To avoid disagreeable visits,
I pretended to be asleep, but it was to no purpose; the whole evening
I had to endure the same kind of persecutions as I had suffered in the
preceding camps. We supped very late; our meal consisted of sangleh,
made with fresh milk. Having observed that the grains of which this
mess was composed were whole, I inquired the reason, and was told
that it was not millet, but _haze_[15], and that at this season the
marabouts employ their slaves in gathering it. This grain is very
common, and grows naturally without cultivation. Some slaves employed
in this sort of harvest were pointed out to me: they were females,
provided with a small broom, and two baskets, one of which, less than
the other, is of an oval shape and has a handle above. When the haze
is in the ordinary state and has not been trampled by cattle, they
go along swinging this basket to the right and left, so as to rub the
ears of the plants against it by striking them with their hands; the
ripe grains fall into the basket, and when they have obtained a certain
quantity they pour it into the larger one, which is destined to receive
the produce of their labour. This method furnishes the grain in a much
cleaner state than the second, but the quantity obtained is smaller,
for, as it may be easily conceived, the whole of the grain beaten
out does not fall into the basket. When the haze has been trodden,
or a first gathering made in the manner just described, they cut
the plant with a serrated knife which they have for this purpose,
then sweep the grain together upon the ground into little heaps,
which they afterwards take up; and, as in this way they get more
mould than grain, they separate them by means of the _layot_,[16]
which requires a great deal of time. On their return home, they take
from the quantity collected (which may be estimated at five pounds of
haze in a day) as much as they need for their supper, and carry the
rest to their master’s tent. The haze is not pounded like millet:
it is separated from the straw, washed several times to clear it from
all the particles of earth and made to burst: this grain swells much
and makes a very white but not very nourishing sangleh. To reduce
it to flour, a little water is thrown upon it, and after steeping a
short time, a few strokes of the pestle are sufficient to pound it.
In this camp we passed part of the 7th of December, because we were
approaching that of the king, and my guides did not wish to reach the
latter till night. We left it at two o’clock, and proceeded northward
for three miles upon a soil composed of black sand, covered with
ferruginous stones. The country is studded with patches of verdure,
which afford pasturage for the cattle.
It was near three o’clock when we arrived at the camp of
Mohamed-Sidy-Moctar, head marabout of the king, and chief of the
tribe of Dhiedhiebe. He had been apprised of my coming, and had
waited for me, he said, with impatience: he came to meet us, took me
by the hand, and having led me to the front of his tent, made me sit
down upon a sheep-skin. He appeared highly pleased, seated himself
beside me, and having sent for Boubou-Fanfale, who spoke Wolof, to
act as interpreter, he inquired what were the motives that induced me
to change my religion; what I had been doing at St. Louis; of what
country I was; whether I had any relatives in France; and lastly,
whether I was rich. I was obliged to answer these questions, for I
perceived from the way in which they were put, that this marabout had
conceived suspicions in regard to me, which, for my security, it was
of consequence to remove: I replied therefore, that, having met with a
French translation of the Koran, I had there found important truths,
with which I was deeply impressed; that ever since I had ardently
desired to embrace Islamism, and had been incessantly engaged in
devising the means of accomplishing this purpose, but that my father
had opposed it; that since I had resided at the Senegal, where I had
settled as a trader, I had received intelligence of his death, on which
I returned to France to secure what property he had left; and that,
being then my own master, I had sold every thing I had in my country,
and bought merchandise, for the purpose of carrying my design into
execution. I added that, at the Senegal, I had heard the wisdom of the
Braknas highly extolled, and had in consequence determined to come and
live among them; but that, on entering the Senegal, the vessel which
I was in was wrecked, and I had saved but a small part of my goods;
that I had left them with M. Alain, who lived at St. Louis and was
advantageously known to them, and intended to lay out the produce
of the little pack which I had brought with me in the purchase of
cattle, for the purpose of settling in their country, as soon as my
education should be finished. He seemed satisfied with my answers;
the intimation concerning the goods was what pleased him most, and
I congratulated myself on having resorted to this artifice. It was
agreed that I should remain with him, that he should undertake my
education and provide for my wants; and he added, in an emphatic
manner, that he already considered me as one of his children.
Several young persons, doubtless with a view to learn my business,
invited me to accompany them to prayer; but the chief marabout opposed
it, alleging that I was not yet a Musulman. One of the sons of my host
came and asked me if I would choose meat or sangleh for supper. I
replied that all dishes were alike to me; on which he left me, and
at nine o’clock a large plate of meat swimming in melted butter
was brought to me: I have since learned that this dish is considered
as a great luxury by these people. After supper, Mohamed Sidy Moctar
informed me that next day we should set out for the king’s camp,
and that it would be necessary for me to bathe before I was presented
to that prince; to this I agreed with the greater pleasure, as a bath
could not but be very beneficial to me and refresh me much after the
fatigues of the journey.
September 8th. When I had risen, I took out of my sack some articles
which I had brought with me, and offered them as a present to my host,
who seemed highly flattered and accepted them with pleasure. A little
milk was brought to us; he then made me mount a camel with him and we
set out for the king’s camp. We proceeded to the N.E.; the whole
plain was studded with ferruginous rocks, and here and there small
islands of sand remarkable for their verdure; they are cultivated by
the Moors, who sow them with millet. We passed on the way several camps
of zenagues, or tributaries, but at great distances from one another.
I saw some slaves employed in weeding millet; they used an instrument
like a chimney-sweeper’s scraper, having a handle a foot long;
they knelt to their work.
The motion of the camel fatigued me to such a degree that I was obliged
to dismount. The country was open, and intersected by ravines: the soil
was composed of a very hard red sand, on which I saw a great number
of blocks of white marble; several of these I examined to ascertain
their nature. We halted at a small camp consisting of seven tents;
the marabout ordered some milk and water to be given to me to quench
my thirst. We remained there during the heat of the day; my marabout
then desired me to perform the salam[17], and we pursued our journey
still in the same direction. Before we reached the king’s camp,
we passed near a pond, in which my guide caused me to be again washed
by a zenague Moor, to purify me, as he said.
It was three o’clock when we reached the camp of the king: we had
travelled twenty-four miles, and that in a very short time, for our
camel went at a great rate. The camp was situated at a place called
Guiguis, near a pond which served for watering the cattle.
Every body was apprized of my coming; in consequence I was presently
surrounded by a numerous concourse. There were in the camp many
marabouts who expected presents from this prince; they received me
kindly: one of them, the Sherif Sidy-Mohammed, belonging to the Koont
nation, proposed to me to take up my abode in his camp, promising
to treat me as his son. I thanked him, and told him in answer to
his politeness, that if I had not promised Mohammed-Sidy-Moctar,
I should have given him the preference. I desired to be presented
afterwards to Hamet-Dou; but I was told that this prince was lying
down and that I could not see him till he awoke: in a quarter of an
hour he sent for me, and I found him with a negro who spoke a little
French and served as interpreter. When I entered the king’s tent,
he stretched out his hand with a smile, and addressed me with the
customary salutation. _Salam aleïkoom_, adding these words of
French which he had picked up at the Moorish market—“_Comment
vous portez-vous, Monsieur? Bien, merci, Monsieur._” He asked the
question, and answered it himself, not understanding the meaning of
the words, which he repeated several times; he then asked me many
questions, inquiring about the merchants of St. Louis with whom he was
acquainted, and lastly about my own profession. I told him the same
tale which I had got up the evening before for Mohammed-Sidy-Moctar;
he was perfectly satisfied with it, and I perceived (as I had on the
former occasion) that what pleased them most was the account of my
wealth. He reiterated his questions, to try whether I should repeat
the same answers, and concluded by assuring me of his protection
while I should remain in his dominions, and particularly against his
great marabout. He told me not to be afraid of any of his subjects;
to which I replied that I feared no one but God. This answer pleased
him; he took my hand with an air of satisfaction, exclaiming at
the same time: _Maloum, Abd-Allahi_ (that is right Abd-Allahi[18])
and then dismissed me, admonishing me to rejoin my mentor, and not
to leave him again. As it was now dark however, and I did not know
where to find Mohammed-Sidy-Moctar, I was lodged in a tent belonging
to the king’s suite, many of whom crowded around me.
I was not yet accustomed to the Moorish diet, and the small quantity
of milk I had drunk in the morning was very little support; it was
now late at night and I was ravenously hungry. I ventured at last,
to ask those who were about me for something to eat. One of them
repeated the request to the king, who sent for me again, made me say
a prayer, and then ordered a slave to milk a cow for me. I had hoped
for something a little more substantial, and I told Hamet-Dou, when
they brought me the milk, that I should like to eat something before
I drank, and that I was more hungry than thirsty. These words excited
“laughter unextinguishable” in all those who were in the tent; the
king himself laughed as if he would have split his sides, and then told
me he had nothing better to offer me, for that he never took any other
nourishment than milk. I drank a little, and then returned to the tent
which was allotted to me. About ten o’clock at night a Moor brought
me some scraps of mutton, which he carried in his hand; they were sent,
as I found out, by my marabout, and the bearer sitting down on a mat
very unceremoniously partook of the feast. The mutton was boiled and
full of sand, but hunger gave it a relish, and I thought it good fare.
In the night between the 8th and 9th, Boubou-Fanfale arrived; they
had only been waiting for him to break up the camp.
On the 9th, early in the morning, preparation was made for
departure. The queen sent for me, and gave me some milk for
breakfast. At sunrise the slaves took down the tents, and loaded them
upon camels, together with the stakes, each camel carrying a tent;
the rest of the goods were borne by oxen, and the women were conveyed,
on camels appropriated to that office. The saddles for this purpose are
furnished with a sort of oval pannier, large enough for two persons
to sit in, and lined with a handsome carpet; that the journey may
be more agreeable to the Moorish ladies, their seat is shaded by an
awning of their finest manufactures.
The queen’s saddle was adorned with scarlet and yellow cloth, and her
cloth housing embroidered with many colours in silk. Her bridle was
enriched with three pieces of copper, which rose like pyramids from
the nose of the animal. The camels of the princesses were also much
ornamented; and they sit in their saddles cross-legged like so many
tailors. This position is so habitual to them, that they never change
it, even on the couches, where they sit all the day. On the journey,
their camels were led by slaves, and that on which Hamet-Dou rode
was led also. The saddles for the men are of a different construction
from those used by the women; they are high, narrow seats, on which a
single man sits with his legs stretched out and crossed on the neck
of the beast. If several men ride on the same camel, only one sits
on the saddle, the others are behind; and it was thus that I rode
with my marabout.
Our party when on march resembled a routed army, all confusion. The
cattle went first, driven by a few men mounted on oxen; the mournful
lowing of the animals, the shouts of the men, and the shrill voices
of the women, resounded on all sides. Here a camel had disburdened
himself of a woman, there a refractory bullock refused to proceed,
a little farther a restive horse threatened to throw his rider,
and was rearing and plunging amongst oxen and camels; women losing
their balance in consequence, were rolling on the ground screaming;
the hurly-burly was such, that there was no hearing one’s self
speak. At last, after having proceeded three miles towards the north,
we halted to pitch our tents, and the confusion subsided. The slaves
unloaded the beasts and set up the tents, and as there was no water at
this place, they went back for it to the lake of Guiguis which we had
just left. Such of the slaves as took charge of the cattle employed
themselves in cutting briars to make fences for the calves, and others
went to seek fire-wood to light fires before the tents. This article
is so rare in this country, that when the camp remains long in a place,
the poor fellows are obliged to go a couple of miles in search of it.
The Moors always burn fires before their tents; a custom which is
inconvenient on many accounts: in the day time the heat of these fires
is unpleasant, and a multitude of grasshoppers and other insects,
with which the country abounds in this season, take refuge in the
tents and prove a great nuisance.
On the 10th of September, the king left us to carry a present to his
brother Sidy Aibi, chief of a tribe of Braknas; he took my marabout
along with him. At his departure he directed that I should lodge with
his aunt Fatmé-Anted-Moctar, to whom he recommended me. I had not
seen her before, but she treated me with great kindness, as did also
two of her nieces who lived with her. They were considerate enough
to send away all the curious who were incessantly besetting me.
At noon, they gave me some sangleh, the first I had eaten since
I arrived at the king’s camp. I was indebted no doubt to the
protection of Hamet-Dou for the peace I enjoyed here; the women also
were less annoying than I had found them in the districts I had lately
traversed; their curiosity was sometimes vexatious, but I was no longer
tormented as I had been elsewhere. The wind was high, and it raised
a prodigious quantity of sand, which fell like rain on our heads,
and incommoded us for half an hour, so that we could not stir out of
doors. In the evening we had a shower of rain, and I could breathe
more freely again. On the 12th, the king returned; and on the 15th,
we made our arrangements for proceeding on our journey, for we had
only stopped to give Hamet-Dou the opportunity of visiting his brother.
We advanced nine miles E. ¼ N.E. on a stony ground covered with briars
and abounding in pasturage. At noon we encamped in the vicinity of a
range of mountains which they told me were called Zirih, but, as I
afterwards learnt, Zirih signifies _mountain_.