_The Author sets out from Pisania — his Attendants — reaches
Jindey. — Story related by a Mandingo Negro. — Proceeds to Medina,
the capital of Woolli. — Interview with the King. — Saphies or
Charms. — Proceeds to Kolor. — Description of Mumbo Jumbo —
arrives at Koojar — wrestling Match. — Crosses the Wilderness,
and arrives at Tallika, in the Kingdom of Bondou._
On the 2d of December, 1795, I took my departure from the hospitable
mansion of Dr. Laidley. I was fortunately provided with a Negro
servant, who spoke both the English and Mandingo tongues. His name
was _Johnson_. He was a native of this part of Africa; and having in
his youth been conveyed to Jamaica as a slave, he had been made free,
and taken to England by his master, where he had resided many years;
and at length found his way back to his native country. As he was
known to Dr. Laidley, the Doctor recommended him to me, and I hired
him as my interpreter, at the rate of ten bars monthly, to be paid
to himself, and five bars a month to be paid to his wife, during his
absence. Dr. Laidley furthermore provided me with a Negro boy of his
own, named _Demba_; a sprightly youth, who, besides Mandingo, spoke
the language of the Serawoollies, an inland people (of whom mention
will hereafter be made), residing on the banks of the Senegal; and
to induce him to behave well, the Doctor promised him his freedom on
his return, in case I should report favourably of his fidelity and
services. I was furnished with a horse for myself, (a small, but very
hardy and spirited beast, which cost me to the value of £7. 10_s._)
and two asses for my interpreter and servant. My baggage was light,
consisting chiefly of provisions for two days; a small assortment
of beads, amber, and tobacco, for the purchase of a fresh supply,
as I proceeded: a few changes of linen, and other necessary apparel,
an umbrella, a pocket sextant, a magnetic compass, and a thermometer;
together with two fowling pieces, two pair of pistols, and some other
small articles.
A free man (a Bushreen or Mahomedan), named Madiboo, who was travelling
to the kingdom of Bambara, and two Slatees, or slave merchants
of the Serawoolli nation, and of the same sect, who were going to
Bondou, offered their services as far as they intended respectively
to proceed; as did likewise a Negro named Tami, (also a Mahomedan,)
a native of Kasson, who had been employed some years by Dr. Laidley
as a blacksmith, and was returning to his native country with the
savings of his labours. All these men travelled on foot, driving
their asses before them.
Thus I had no less than six attendants, all of whom had been taught
to regard me with great respect; and to consider that their safe
return hereafter, to the countries on the Gambia, would depend on
my preservation.
Dr. Laidley himself, and Messrs. Ainsley, with a number of their
domestics, kindly determined to accompany me the two first days; and,
I believe, they secretly thought they should never see me afterwards.
We reached Jindey the same day, having crossed the Walli creek, a
branch of the Gambia, and rested at the house of a black woman, who
had formerly been the _chere amie_ of a white trader named Hewett;
and who, in consequence thereof, was called, by way of distinction,
_Seniora_. In the evening we walked out to see an adjoining village,
belonging to a Slatee named Jemaffoo Mamadoo, the richest of all the
Gambia traders. We found him at home; and he thought so highly of
the honour done him by this visit, that he presented us with a fine
bullock, which was immediately killed, and part of it dressed for
our evening’s repast.
The Negroes do not go to supper till late; and in order to amuse
ourselves while our beef was preparing, a Mandingo was desired to
relate some diverting stories; in listening to which, and smoking
tobacco, we spent three hours. These stories bear some resemblance
to those in the Arabian Nights Entertainments; but, in general, are
of a more ludicrous cast. I shall here abridge one of them for the
reader’s amusement.
“Many years ago (said the relator), the people of Doomasansa (a town
on the Gambia), were much annoyed by a lion, that came every night,
and took away some of their cattle. By continuing his depredations,
the people were at length so much enraged, that a party of them
resolved to go and hunt the monster. They accordingly proceeded in
search of the common enemy, who they found concealed in a thicket;
and immediately firing at him, were lucky enough to wound him in such
a manner, that, in springing from the thicket towards the people,
he fell down among the grass, and was unable to rise. The animal,
however, manifested such appearance of vigour, that nobody cared to
approach him singly; and a consultation was held, concerning the
properest means of taking him alive; a circumstance, it was said,
which, while it furnished undeniable proof of their prowess, would
turn out to great advantage, it being resolved to convey him to the
Coast, and sell him to the Europeans. While some persons proposed
one plan, and some another, an old man offered a scheme. This was,
to strip the roof of a house of its thatch, and to carry the bamboo
frame (the pieces of which are well secured together by thongs),
and throw it over the lion. If, in approaching him, he should attempt
to spring upon them, they had nothing to do but to let down the roof
upon themselves, and fire at the lion through the rafters.
“This proposition was approved and adopted. The thatch was taken
from the roof of a hut, and the lion-hunters, supporting the fabric,
marched courageously to the field of battle; each person carrying a
gun in one hand, and bearing his share of the roof on the opposite
shoulder. In this manner they approached the enemy: but the beast
had by this time recovered his strength; and such was the fierceness
of his countenance, that the hunters, instead of proceeding any
further, thought it prudent to provide for their own safety, by
covering themselves with the roof. Unfortunately, the lion was too
nimble for them; for, making a spring while the roof was setting
down, both the beast and his pursuers were caught in the same cage,
and the lion devoured them at his leisure, to the great astonishment
and mortification of the people of Doomasansa; at which place it is
dangerous even at this day to tell the story; for it is become the
subject of laughter and derision, in the neighbouring countries, and
nothing will enrage an inhabitant of that town so much as desiring
him to catch a lion alive.”
About one o’clock in the afternoon of the 3d of December, I took
my leave of Dr. Laidley and Messrs. Ainsley, and rode slowly into
the woods. I had now before me a boundless forest, and a country, the
inhabitants of which were strangers to civilized life, and to most of
whom a white man was the object of curiosity or plunder. I reflected
that I had parted from the last European I might probably behold, and
perhaps quitted for ever the comforts of Christian society. Thoughts
like these would necessarily cast a gloom over the mind, and I rode
musing along for about three miles, when I was awakened from my reverie
by a body of people, who came running up and stopped the asses, giving
me to understand that I must go with them to Peckaba, to present myself
to the King of Walli, or pay customs to them. I endeavoured to make
them comprehend that the object of my journey not being traffic,
I ought not to be subjected to a tax like the Slatees, and other
merchants, who travel for gain; but I reasoned to no purpose. They said
it was usual for travellers of all descriptions to make a present to
the King of Walli, and without doing so I could not be permitted to
proceed. As they were more numerous than my attendants, and withal
very noisy, I thought it prudent to comply with their demand, and
having presented them with four bars of tobacco, for the king’s
use, I was permitted to continue my journey, and at sunset reached
a village near Kootacunda, where we rested for the night.
In the morning of December 4th, I passed Kootacunda, the last town
of Walli, and stopped about an hour at a small adjoining village
to pay customs to an officer of the King of Woolli; we rested the
ensuing night at a village called Tabajang; and at noon the next
day (December 5th) we reached Medina, the capital of the King of
Woolli’s dominions.
The kingdom of Woolli is bounded by Walli on the west, by the Gambia
on the south, by the small river Walli on the north-west; by Bondou
on the north-east; and on the east, by the Simbani wilderness.
The country every where rises into gentle acclivities, which are
generally covered with extensive woods, and the towns are situated
in the intermediate valleys. Each town is surrounded by a tract of
cultivated land, the produce of which, I presume, is found sufficient
to supply the wants of the inhabitants; for the soil appeared to me to
be every where fertile, except near the tops of the ridges, where the
red iron stone and stunted shrubs sufficiently marked the boundaries
between fertility and barrenness. The chief productions are cotton,
tobacco, and esculent vegetables; all which are raised in the valleys,
the rising grounds being appropriated to different sorts of corn.
The inhabitants are Mandingoes; and, like most of the Mandingo nations,
are divided into two great sects, the Mahomedans, who are called
_Bushreens_, and the Pagans who are called indiscriminately _Kafirs_
(unbelievers) and _Sonakies_ (_i.e._ men who drink strong liquors.) The
Pagan natives are by far the most numerous, and the government of the
country is in their hands; for though the most respectable among the
Bushreens are frequently consulted in affairs of importance, yet they
are never permitted to take any share in the executive government,
which rests solely in the hands of the _Mansa_, or sovereign, and
great officers of the state. Of these, the first in point of rank
is the presumptive heir of the crown, who is called the _Farbanna_;
next to him are the _Alkaids_, or provincial governors, who are more
frequently called _Keamos_. Then follow the two grand divisions of
freemen and slaves[4]; of the former, the Slatees, so frequently
mentioned in the preceding pages, are considered as the principal:
but in all classes, great respect is paid to the authority of aged men.
On the death of the reigning monarch, his eldest son (if he has
attained the age of manhood) succeeds to the regal authority. If there
is no son, or if the son is under the age of discretion, a meeting
of the great men is held, and the late monarch’s nearest relation
(commonly his brother), is called to the government, not as regent,
or guardian to the infant son, but in full right, and to the exclusion
of the minor. The charges of the government are defrayed by occasional
tributes from the people, and by duties on goods transported across the
country. Travellers, on going from the Gambia towards the interior,
pay customs in European merchandize. On returning, they pay in iron
and _shea-toulou_: these taxes are paid at every town.
Medina[5] the capital of the kingdom, at which I was now arrived, is
a place of considerable extent; and may contain from eight hundred to
one thousand houses. It is fortified in the common African manner,
by a surrounding high wall built of clay, and an outward fence of
pointed stakes and prickly bushes; but the walls are neglected, and
the outward fence has suffered considerably from the active hands of
busy housewives, who pluck up the stakes for firewood. I obtained
a lodging at one of the king’s near relations, who apprized me,
that at my introduction to the king, I must not presume _to shake
hands with him_. It was not usual, he said, to allow this liberty to
strangers. Thus instructed, I went in the afternoon to pay my respects
to the sovereign; and ask permission to pass through his territories
to Bondou. The king’s name was _Jatta_. He was the same venerable
old man of whom so favourable an account was transmitted by Major
Houghton. I found him seated upon a mat before the door of his hut:
a number of men and women were arranged on each side, who were singing
and clapping their hands. I saluted him respectfully, and informed
him of the purport of my visit. The king graciously replied, that
he not only gave me leave to pass through his country, but would
offer up his prayers for my safety. On this, one of my attendants,
seemingly in return for the king’s condescension, began to sing,
or rather to roar, an Arabic song; at every pause of which, the king
himself, and all the people present, struck their hands against their
foreheads, and exclaimed, with devout and affecting solemnity, _Amen,
amen!_[6] The king told me furthermore, that I should have a guide
the day following, who would conduct me safely to the frontier of
his kingdom. I then took my leave, and in the evening sent the king
an order upon Dr. Laidley for three gallons of rum, and received in
return great store of provisions.
Dec. 6th, early in the morning, I went to the king a second time,
to learn if the guide was ready. I found his majesty sitting upon
a bullock’s hide, warming himself before a large fire; for the
Africans are sensible of the smallest variation in the temperature of
the air, and frequently complain of cold when a European is oppressed
with heat. He received me with a benevolent countenance, and tenderly
entreated me to desist from my purpose of travelling into the interior;
telling me, that Major Houghton had been killed in his route, and that
if I followed his footsteps, I should probably meet with his fate. He
said that I must not judge of the people of the eastern country by
those of Woolli: that the latter were acquainted with white men,
and respected them, whereas the people of the east had never seen a
white man, and would certainly destroy me. I thanked the king for his
affectionate solicitude, but told him that I had considered the matter,
and was determined, notwithstanding all dangers, to proceed. The
king shook his head, but desisted from further persuasion; and told
me the guide should be ready in the afternoon.
About two o’clock, the guide appearing, I went and took my last
farewell of the good old king, and in three hours reached Konjour,
a small village, where we determined to rest for the night. Here I
purchased a fine sheep for some beads, and my Serawoolli attendants
killed it with all the ceremonies prescribed by their religion: part
of it was dressed for supper; after which a dispute arose between
one of the Serawoolli Negroes and Johnson, my interpreter, about
the sheep’s horns. The former claimed the horns as his perquisite,
for having acted the part of our butcher, and Johnson contested the
claim. I settled the matter by giving a horn to each of them. This
trifling incident is mentioned as introductory to what follows: for
it appeared on inquiry that these horns were highly valued, as being
easily convertible into portable sheaths, or cases, for containing
and keeping secure certain charms or amulets called _saphies_, which
the Negroes constantly wear about them. These saphies are prayers,
or rather sentences, from the Koran, which the Mahomedan priests write
on scraps of paper, and sell to the simple natives, who consider them
to possess very extraordinary virtues. Some of the Negroes wear them
to guard themselves against the bite of snakes or alligators; and
on this occasion the saphie is commonly inclosed in a snake’s or
alligator’s skin, and tied round the ancle. Others have recourse
to them in time of war, to protect their persons against hostile
weapons; but the common use to which these amulets are applied, is to
prevent or cure bodily diseases; to preserve from hunger and thirst,
and generally to conciliate the favour of superior powers under all
the circumstances and occurrences of life.[7]
In this case, it is impossible not to admire the wonderful contagion
of superstition; for, notwithstanding that the majority of the
Negroes are Pagans, and absolutely reject the doctrines of Mahomet,
I did not meet with a man, whether a Bushreen or Kafir, who was not
fully persuaded of the powerful efficacy of these amulets. The truth
is, that all the natives of this part of Africa consider the art of
writing as bordering on magic; and it is not in the doctrines of the
Prophet, but in the arts of the magician, that their confidence is
placed. It will hereafter be seen that I was myself lucky enough,
in circumstances of distress, to turn the popular credulity in this
respect to good account.
On the 7th I departed from Konjour, and slept at a village called
Malla (or Mallaing); and on the 8th about noon I arrived at Kolor,
a considerable town; near the entrance into which I observed,
hanging upon a tree, a sort of masquerade habit, made of the bark
of trees, which I was told on inquiry belonged to MUMBO JUMBO. This
is a strange bugbear, common to all the Mandingo towns, and much
employed by the Pagan natives in keeping their women in subjection;
for as the Kafirs are not restricted in the number of their wives,
every one marries as many as he can conveniently maintain; and as it
frequently happens that the ladies disagree among themselves, family
quarrels sometime rise to such a height, that the authority of the
husband can no longer preserve peace in his household. In such cases,
the interposition of Mumbo Jumbo is called in, and is always decisive.
This strange minister of justice (who is supposed to be either the
husband himself, or some person instructed by him), disguised in
the dress that has been mentioned, and armed with the rod of public
authority, announces his coming (whenever his services are required)
by loud and dismal screams in the woods near the town. He begins
the pantomime at the approach of night; and as soon as it is dark,
he enters the town, and proceeds to the Bentang, at which all the
inhabitants immediately assemble.
It may easily be supposed that this exhibition is not much relished
by the women; for as the person in disguise is entirely unknown to
them, every married female suspects that the visit may possibly be
intended for herself; but they dare not refuse to appear when they
are summoned; and the ceremony commences with songs and dances,
which continue till midnight, about which time Mumbo fixes on the
offender. This unfortunate victim being thereupon immediately seized,
is stripped naked, tied to a post, and severely scourged with Mumbo’s
rod, amidst the shouts and derision of the whole assembly; and it
is remarkable, that the rest of the women are the loudest in their
exclamations on this occasion against their unhappy sister. Daylight
puts an end to this indecent and unmanly revel.
December 9th. As there was no water to be procured on the road,
we travelled with great expedition until we reached Tambacunda, and
departing from thence early the next morning, the 10th; we reached
in the evening Kooniakary, a town of nearly the same magnitude as
Kolor. About noon on the 11th we arrived at Koojar, the frontier
town of Woolli, towards Bondou, from which it is separated by an
intervening Wilderness of two days’ journey.
The guide appointed by the King of Woolli being now to return,
I presented him with some amber for his trouble: and having been
informed that it was not possible at all times to procure water in
the Wilderness, I made inquiry for men who would serve both as guides
and water-bearers during my journey across it. Three Negroes, elephant
hunters, offered their services for these purposes, which I accepted,
and paid them 3 bars each in advance, and the day being far spent,
I determined to pass the night in my present quarters.
The inhabitants of Koojar, though not wholly unaccustomed to the sight
of Europeans (most of them having occasionally visited the countries
on the Gambia) beheld me with a mixture of curiosity and reverence,
and in the evening invited me to see a _neobering_, or wrestling match,
at the Bentang. This is an exhibition very common in all the Mandingo
countries. The spectators arranged themselves in a circle, leaving
the intermediate space for the wrestlers, who were strong active
young men, full of emulation, and accustomed I suppose from their
infancy to this sort of exertion. Being stripped of their clothing,
except a short pair of drawers, and having their skin anointed with
oil, or _shea_ butter, the combatants approached each other on all
fours, parrying with, and occasionally extending a hand for some time,
till at length one of them sprang forward, and caught his rival by the
knee. Great dexterity and judgment were now displayed; but the contest
was decided by superior strength; and I think that few Europeans would
have been able to cope with the conqueror. It must not be unobserved,
that the combatants were animated by the music of a drum, by which
their actions were in some measure regulated.
The wrestling was succeeded by a dance, in which many performers
assisted, all of whom were provided with little bells, which were
fastened to their legs and arms; and here too the drum regulated their
motions. It was beaten with a crooked stick, which the drummer held in
his right hand, occasionally using his left to deaden the sound, and
thus vary the music. The drum is likewise applied on these occasions
to keep order among the spectators, by imitating the sound of certain
Mandingo sentences: for example, when the wrestling match is about
to begin, the drummer strikes what is understood to signify _ali
bæ si_,—sit all down; upon which the spectators immediately seat
themselves; and when the combatants are to begin, he strikes _amuta
amuta_,—take hold, take hold.
In the course of the evening I was presented, by way of refreshment,
with a liquor which tasted so much like the strong-beer of my native
country (and very good beer too), as to induce me to inquire into its
composition; and I learnt, with some degree of surprise, that it was
actually made from corn which had been previously malted, much in the
same manner as barley is malted in Great Britain: a root yielding a
grateful bitter, was used in lieu of hops, the name of which I have
forgot; but the corn which yields the wort, is the _holcus spicatus_
of botanists.
Early in the morning (the 12th) I found that one of the elephant
hunters had absconded with the money he had received from me in part
of wages; and in order to prevent the other two from following his
example, I made them instantly fill their calabashes (or gourds) with
water, and as the sun rose I entered the Wilderness that separates
the kingdoms of Woolli and Bondou.
We had not travelled more than a mile before my attendants insisted
on stopping, that they might prepare a saphie, or charm, to insure
us a safe journey. This was done by muttering a few sentences, and
spitting upon a stone, which was thrown before us on the road. The same
ceremony was repeated three times, after which the Negroes proceeded
with the greatest confidence; every one being firmly persuaded that
the stone (like the scape goat) had carried with it every thing that
could induce superior powers to visit us with misfortune.
We continued our journey without stopping any more until noon, when
we came to a large tree, called by the natives _Neema Taba_. It had
a very singular appearance, being decorated with innumerable rags
or scraps of cloth, which persons travelling across the Wilderness
had, at different times, tied to the branches; probably, at first,
to inform the traveller that water was to be found near it; but
the custom has been so greatly sanctioned by time, that nobody now
presumes to pass without hanging up something. I followed the example,
and suspended a handsome piece of cloth on one of the boughs, and being
told that either a well, or pool of water, was at no great distance,
I ordered the Negroes to unload the asses, that we might give them
corn, and regale ourselves with the provisions we had brought. In
the mean time, I sent one of the elephant hunters to look for the
well, intending, if water was to be obtained, to rest here for the
night. A pool was found, but the water was thick and muddy, and the
Negro discovered near it the remains of a fire recently extinguished,
and the fragments of provisions, which afforded a proof that it had
been lately visited, either by travellers or banditti. The fears of
my attendants supposed the latter; and believing that robbers lurked
near us, I was persuaded to change my resolution of resting here all
night, and proceed to another watering place, which I was assured we
might reach early in the evening.
We departed accordingly, but it was eight o’clock at night before we
came to the watering place; and being now sufficiently fatigued with
so long a day’s journey, we kindled a large fire, and lay down,
surrounded by our cattle, on the bare ground, more than a gun-shot
from any bush; the Negroes agreeing to keep watch by turns to prevent
surprise.
I knew not indeed that any danger was justly to be dreaded, but
the Negroes were unaccountably apprehensive of banditti, during
the whole of the journey. As soon therefore as daylight appeared,
we filled our _soofros_ (skins) and calabashes at the pool, and set
out for Tallika, the first town in Bondou, which we reached about
eleven o’clock in the forenoon (the 13th of December). I cannot,
however, take leave of Woolli, without observing that I was every
where well received by the natives; and that the fatigues of the day
were generally alleviated by a hearty welcome at night; and although
the African mode of living was at first unpleasant to me, yet I found,
at length, that custom surmounted trifling inconveniences, and made
every thing palatable and easy.
[Footnote 4: The term which signifies a man of free condition is
_Horea_, that of a slave, _Jong_.]
[Footnote 5: Medina in the Arabic signifies a city; the name is
not uncommon among the Negroes, and has probably been borrowed from
the Mahomedans.]
[Footnote 6: It may seem from hence that the king was a Mahomedan; but
I was assured to the contrary. He joined in prayer on this occasion
probably from the mere dictates of his benevolent mind; considering
perhaps that prayers to the Almighty, offered up with true devotion and
sincerity, were equally acceptable, whether from Bushreen or Pagan.]
[Footnote 7: I believe that similar charms or amulets, under the
names of _domini_, _grigri_, _fetich_, &c. &c. are common in all
parts of Africa.]