_Some Account of the Inhabitants of Tallika. — The Author proceeds
for Fatteconda — Incidents on the Road. — Crosses the Neriko,
arrives at Koorkarany — reaches the River Falemé — Fishery on that
River — proceeds along its Bank to Naye or Nayemow — crosses the
Falemé and arrives at Fatteconda. — Has an Interview with Almami,
the Sovereign of Bondou. — Description of the King’s Dwelling
— has a second Interview with the King, who begs the Author’s
Coat. — Author visits the King’s Wives — is permitted to depart
on friendly Terms. — Journey by Night — arrives at Joag. — Some
Account of Bondou and its Inhabitants the Foulahs._
Tallika, the frontier town of Bondou towards Woolli, is inhabited
chiefly by Foulahs of the Mahomedan religion, who live in considerable
affluence, partly by furnishing provisions to the _coffles_, or
caravans, that pass through the town, and partly by the sale of ivory,
obtained by hunting elephants; in which employment the young men are
generally very successful. Here, an officer belonging to the King
of Bondou constantly resides, whose business it is to give timely
information of the arrival of the caravans; which are taxed according
to the number of loaded asses that arrive at Tallika.
I took up my residence at this officer’s house, and agreed with him
to accompany me to Fatteconda, the residence of the king; for which
he was to receive five bars; and before my departure I wrote a few
lines to Dr. Laidley, and gave my letter to the master of a caravan
bound for the Gambia. This caravan consisted of five asses loaded with
ivory. The large teeth are conveyed in nets, two on each side of the
ass; the small ones are wrapped up in skins, and secured with ropes.
December 14th. We left Tallika, and rode on very peaceably for
about two miles, when a violent quarrel arose between two of my
fellow-travellers, one of whom was the blacksmith, in the course of
which they bestowed some opprobrious terms upon each other; and it is
worthy of remark, that an African will sooner forgive a blow, than a
term of reproach applied to his ancestors: “Strike me, but do not
curse my mother,” is a common expression even among the slaves. This
sort of abuse, therefore, so enraged one of the disputants that he drew
his cutlass upon the blacksmith, and would certainly have ended the
dispute in a very serious manner, if the others had not laid hold of
him; and wrested the cutlass from him. I was obliged to interfere, and
put an end to this disagreeable business, by desiring the blacksmith
to be silent, and telling the other, who I thought was in the wrong,
that if he attempted in future to draw his cutlass, or molest any
of my attendants, I should look upon him as a robber, and shoot
him without further ceremony. This threat had the desired effect,
and we marched sullenly along till the afternoon, when we arrived
at a number of small villages scattered over an open and fertile
plain; at one of these called Ganado we took up our residence for
the night: here an exchange of presents and a good supper terminated
all animosities among my attendants; and the night was far advanced
before any of us thought of going to sleep. We were amused by an
itinerant _singing man_,[8] who told a number of diverting stories,
and played some sweet airs, by blowing his breath upon a bowstring,
and striking it at the same time with a stick.
December 15th. At daybreak my fellow-travellers, the Serawoollies, took
leave of me, with many prayers for my safety. About a mile from Ganado,
we crossed a considerable branch of the Gambia, called Neriko. The
banks were steep, and covered with _mimosas_; and I observed in the
mud a number of large muscles, but the natives do not eat them. About
noon, the sun being exceedingly hot, we rested two hours in the shade
of a tree, and purchased some milk and pounded corn from some Foulah
herdsmen, and at sunset reached a town called Koorkarany, where the
blacksmith had some relations; and here we rested two days.
Koorkarany is a Mahomedan town, surrounded by a high wall, and
is provided with a mosque. Here I was shewn a number of Arabic
manuscripts, particularly a copy of the book before mentioned called
_Al Shara_. The _Maraboo_, or priest, in whose possession it was,
read and explained to me in Mandingo, many of the most remarkable
passages; and in return I shewed him Richardson’s Arabic grammar,
which he very much admired.
On the evening of the second day (Dec. 17th) we departed from
Koorkarany. We were joined by a young man who was travelling to
Fatteconda for salt; and as night set in we reached Dooggi, a small
village about three miles from Koorkarany.
Provisions were here so cheap that I purchased a bullock for six
small stones of amber; for I found my company increase or diminish
according to the good fare they met with.
Dec. 18th. Early in the morning we departed from Dooggi, and being
joined by a number of Foulahs and other people, made a formidable
appearance; and were under no apprehension of being plundered in the
woods. About eleven o’clock one of the asses proving very refractory,
the Negroes took a curious method to make him tractable. They cut
a forked stick, and putting the forked part into the ass’s mouth,
like the bit of a bridle, tied the two smaller parts together above
his head, leaving the lower part of the stick of sufficient length to
strike against the ground, if the ass should attempt to put his head
down. After this, the ass walked along quietly, and gravely enough,
taking care, after some practice, to hold his head sufficiently high
to prevent the stones or roots of trees from striking against the
end of the stick, which experience had taught him would give a severe
shock to his teeth. This contrivance produced a ludicrous appearance,
but my fellow-travellers told me it was constantly adopted by the
Slatees, and always proved effectual.
In the evening we arrived at a few scattered villages, surrounded with
extensive cultivation; at one of which, called Buggil, we passed the
night in a miserable hut, having no other bed than a bundle of corn
stalks, and no provisions but what we brought with us. The wells here
are dug with great ingenuity, and are very deep. I measured one of
the bucket ropes, and found the depth of the well to be 28 fathoms.
Dec. 19th. We departed from Buggil, and travelled along a dry, stony
height, covered with _mimosas_, till mid-day; when the land sloped
towards the east, and we descended into a deep valley, in which I
observed abundance of whin-stone, and white quartz. Pursuing our course
to the eastward, along this valley, in the bed of an exhausted river
course, we came to a large village, where we intended to lodge. We
found many of the natives, dressed in a thin French gauze, which they
called _Byqui_; this being a light airy dress, and well calculated to
display the shape of their persons, is much esteemed by the ladies. The
manners of these females, however, did not correspond with their
dress; for they were rude and troublesome in the highest degree; they
surrounded me in numbers, begging for amber, beads, &c.; and were so
vehement in their solicitations, that I found it impossible to resist
them. They tore my cloak, cut the buttons from my boy’s clothes,
and were proceeding to other outrages, when I mounted my horse and
rode off, followed for half a mile by a body of these harpies.
In the evening we reached Soobrudooka, and as my company was numerous,
(being fourteen) I purchased a sheep, and abundance of corn for supper;
after which we lay down by the bundles, and passed an uncomfortable
night in a heavy dew.
Dec. 20th. We departed from Soobrudooka, and at two o’clock reached
a large village situated on the banks of the Falemé river, which is
here rapid and rocky. The natives were employed in fishing in various
ways. The large fish were taken in long baskets made of split cane,
and placed in a strong current, which was created by walls of stone
built across the stream, certain open places being left, through which
the water rushed with great force. Some of these baskets were more
than 20 feet long, and when once the fish had entered one of them,
the force of the stream prevented it from returning. The small fish
were taken in great numbers in hand-nets, which the natives weave of
cotton, and use with great dexterity. The fish last mentioned are
about the size of sprats, and are prepared for sale in different
ways; the most common is by pounding them entire as they come from
the stream, in a wooden mortar, and exposing them to dry in the sun,
in large lumps, like sugar loaves. It may be supposed that the smell
is not very agreeable; but in the Moorish countries to the north
of the Senegal, where fish is scarcely known, this preparation is
esteemed as a luxury, and sold to considerable advantage. The manner
of using it by the natives is, by dissolving a piece of this black
loaf in boiling water, and mixing it with their _kouskous_.
I thought it very singular, at this season of the year, to find the
banks of the Falemé every where covered with large and beautiful
fields of corn; but on examination I found it was not the same species
of grain as is commonly cultivated on the Gambia; it is called by
the natives _Manio_; and grows in the dry season, is very prolific,
and is reaped in the month of January. It is the same which, from
the depending position of the ear, is called by botanical writers
_holcus cernuus_.
On returning to the village, after an excursion to the river side,
to inspect the fishery, an old Moorish shereeff came to bestow his
blessing upon me, and beg some paper to write saphies upon. This
man had seen Major Houghton in the kingdom of Kaarta, and told me
that he died in the country of the Moors. I gave him a few sheets of
paper, and he levied a similar tribute from the blacksmith; for it
is customary for young Mussulmen to make presents to the old ones,
in order to obtain their blessing, which is pronounced in Arabic,
and received with great humility.
About three in the afternoon we continued our course along the bank
of the river, to the northward, till eight o’clock, when we reached
Nayemow; here the hospitable master of the town received us kindly,
and presented us with a bullock. In return, I gave him some amber
and beads.
Dec. 21st. In the morning, having agreed for a canoe to carry over
my bundles, I crossed the river, which came up to my knees, as I
sat on my horse; but the water is so clear, that from the high bank,
the bottom is visible all the way over.
About noon we entered Fatteconda, the capital of Bondou; and in a
little time received an invitation to the house of a respectable
Slatee: for as there are no public houses in Africa, it is customary
for strangers to stand at the Bentang, or some other place of
public resort, till they are invited to a lodging by some of the
inhabitants. We accepted the offer; and in an hour afterwards, a
person came and told me that he was sent on purpose to conduct me to
the king, who was very desirous of seeing me immediately, if I was
not too much fatigued.
I took my interpreter with me, and followed the messenger till
we got quite out of the town, and crossed some corn fields; when
suspecting some trick I stopped, and asked the guide whither he was
going. Upon which he pointed to a man sitting under a tree at some
little distance; and told me that the king frequently gave audience
in that retired manner, in order to avoid a crowd of people; and
that nobody but myself and my interpreter must approach him. When I
advanced, the king desired me to come and sit by him upon the mat;
and after hearing my story, on which he made no observation, he asked
if I wished to purchase any slaves, or gold: being answered in the
negative, he seemed rather surprised; but desired me to come to him
in the evening, and he would give me some provisions.
This monarch was called Almami; a Moorish name, though I was told that
he was not a Mahomedan, but a Kafir, or Pagan. I had heard that he
had acted towards Major Houghton with great unkindness, and caused
him to be plundered. His behaviour, therefore, towards myself at
this interview, though much more civil than I expected, was far from
freeing me from uneasiness. I still apprehended some double dealing;
and as I was now entirely in his power, I thought it best to smooth
the way by a present; accordingly I took with me in the evening,
one cannister of gunpowder, some amber, tobacco, and my umbrella;
and as I considered that my bundles would inevitably be searched,
I concealed some few articles in the roof of the hut where I lodged,
and I put on my new blue coat, in order to preserve it.
All the houses belonging to the king and his family are surrounded by
a lofty mud wall, which converts the whole into a kind of citadel. The
interior is subdivided into different courts. At the first place of
entrance I observed a man standing with a musket on his shoulder;
and I found the way to the presence very intricate, leading through
many passages, with centinels placed at the different doors. When we
came to the entrance of the court in which the king resides, both my
guide and interpreter, according to custom, took off their sandals;
and the former pronounced the king’s name aloud, repeating it till
he was answered from within. We found the monarch sitting upon a mat,
and two attendants with him. I repeated what I had before told him
concerning the object of my journey, and my reasons for passing
through his country. He seemed, however, but half satisfied. The
notion of travelling for curiosity, was quite new to him. He thought
it impossible, he said, that any man in his senses would undertake
so dangerous a journey, merely to look at the country, and its
inhabitants: however, when I offered to shew him the contents of
my portmanteau, and every thing belonging to me, he was convinced;
and it was evident that his suspicion had arisen from a belief, that
every white man must of necessity be a trader. When I had delivered my
presents, he seemed well pleased, and was particularly delighted with
the umbrella, which he repeatedly furled and unfurled, to the great
admiration of himself and his two attendants; who could not for some
time comprehend the use of this wonderful machine. After this I was
about to take my leave, when the king, desiring me to stop a while,
began a long preamble in favour of the whites; extolling their immense
wealth, and good dispositions. He next proceeded to an eulogium on my
blue coat, of which the yellow buttons seemed particularly to catch
his fancy; and he concluded by entreating me to present him with it;
assuring me, for my consolation under the loss of it, that he would
wear it on all public occasions, and inform every one who saw it, of
my great liberality towards him. The request of an African prince, in
his own dominions, particularly when made to a stranger, comes little
short of a command. It is only a way of obtaining by gentle means,
what he can, if he pleases, take by force; and as it was against my
interest to offend him by a refusal, I very quietly took off my coat,
the only good one in my possession, and laid it at his feet.
In return for my compliance, he presented me with great plenty of
provisions, and desired to see me again in the morning. I accordingly
attended, and found him sitting upon his bed. He told me he was sick,
and wished to have a little blood taken from him; but I had no sooner
tied up his arm, and displayed the lancet, than his courage failed; and
he begged me to postpone the operation till the afternoon, as he felt
himself, he said, much better than he had been, and thanked me kindly
for my readiness to serve him. He then observed, that his women were
very desirous to see me, and requested that I would favour them with
a visit. An attendant was ordered to conduct me; and I had no sooner
entered the court appropriated to the ladies, than the whole seraglio
surrounded me; some begging for physic, some for amber; and all of them
desirous of trying that great African specific, _blood-letting_. They
were 10 or 12 in number, most of them young and handsome, and wearing
on their heads ornaments of gold, and beads of amber.
They rallied me with a good deal of gaiety on different subjects;
particularly upon the whiteness of my skin, and the prominency of
my nose. They insisted that both were artificial. The first, they
said, was produced when I was an infant, by dipping me in milk; and
they insisted that my nose had been pinched every day, till it had
acquired its present unsightly and unnatural conformation. On my part,
without disputing my own deformity, I paid them many compliments on
African beauty. I praised the glossy jet of their skins, and the
lovely depression of their noses; but they said that flattery, or
(as they emphatically termed it) _honey-mouth_, was not esteemed in
Bondou. In return, however, for my company or my compliments (to which,
by the way, they seemed not so insensible as they affected to be),
they presented me with a jar of honey and some fish, which were sent
to my lodging; and I was desired to come again to the king a little
before sunset.
I carried with me some beads and writing paper, it being usual to
present some small offering on taking leave: in return for which,
the king gave me five drachms of gold; observing, that it was but a
trifle, and given out of pure friendship; but would be of use to me
in travelling, for the purchase of provisions. He seconded this act
of kindness by one still greater; politely telling me, that though
it was customary to examine the baggage of every traveller passing
through his country, yet, in the present instance, he would dispense
with that ceremony; adding, I was at liberty to depart when I pleased.
Accordingly, on the morning of the 23d, we left Fatteconda, and about
eleven o’clock came to a small village, where we determined to stop
for the rest of the day.
In the afternoon my fellow-travellers informed me, that as this was
the boundary between Bondou and Kajaaga, and dangerous for travellers,
it would be necessary to continue our journey by night, until we should
reach a more hospitable part of the country. I agreed to the proposal,
and hired two people for guides through the woods; and as soon as the
people of the village were gone to sleep (the moon shining bright) we
set out. The stillness of the air, the howling of the wild beasts,
and the deep solitude of the forest, made the scene solemn and
impressive. Not a word was uttered by any of us, but in a whisper;
all were attentive, and every one anxious to shew his sagacity,
by pointing out to me the wolves and hyænas as they glided, like
shadows, from one thicket to another. Towards morning, we arrived
at a village called Kimmoo, where our guides awakened one of their
acquaintances, and we stopped to give the asses some corn, and roast
a few ground-nuts for ourselves. At daylight we resumed our journey,
and in the afternoon arrived at Joag in the kingdom of Kajaaga.
Being now in a country, and among a people, differing in many respects
from those that have as yet fallen under our observation, I shall,
before I proceed further, give some account of Bondou (the territory
we have left), and its inhabitants, the Foulahs, the description of
whom I purposely reserved for this part of my work.
Bondou is bounded on the east by Bambouk; on the south-east, and south,
by Tenda, and the Simbani Wilderness; on the south-west by Woolli;
on the west, by Foota Torra; and on the north, by Kajaaga.
The country, like that of Woolli, is very generally covered with
woods, but the land is more elevated, and towards the Falemé river,
rises into considerable hills. In native fertility the soil is not
surpassed, I believe, by any part of Africa.
From the central situation of Bondou, between the Gambia and Senegal
rivers, it is become a place of great resort, both for the Slatees,
who generally pass through it, in going from the coast to the interior
countries; and for occasional traders, who frequently come hither
from the inland countries, to purchase salt.
These different branches of commerce are conducted principally by
Mandingoes and Serawoollies, who have settled in the country. These
merchants likewise carry on a considerable trade with Gedumah, and
other Moorish countries, bartering corn and blue cotton clothes for
salt; which they again barter in Dentila and other districts for iron,
shea-butter, and small quantities of gold-dust. They likewise sell
a variety of sweet smelling gums packed up in small bags, containing
each about a pound. These gums, being thrown on hot embers, produce
a very pleasant odour, and are used by the Mandingoes for perfuming
their huts and clothes.
The customs, or duties on travellers, are very heavy; in almost
every town an ass load pays a bar of European merchandize, and at
Fatteconda, the residence of the king, one Indian baft, or a musket,
and six bottles of gunpowder, are exacted as the common tribute. By
means of these duties, the King of Bondou is well supplied with arms
and ammunition; a circumstance which makes him formidable to the
neighbouring states.
The inhabitants differ in their complexions and national manners
from the Mandingoes and Serawoollies, with whom they are frequently
at war. Some years ago the King of Bondou crossed the Falemé river
with a numerous army, and after a short and bloody campaign totally
defeated the forces of Samboo King of Bambouk, who was obliged to sue
for peace, and surrender to him all the towns along the eastern bank
of the Falemé.
The Foulahs in general (as has been observed in a former Chapter)
are of a tawny complexion, with small features, and soft silky hair;
next to the Mandingoes they are undoubtedly the most considerable
of all the nations in this part of Africa. Their original country
is said to be Fooladoo (which signifies the country of the Foulahs);
but they possess at present many other kingdoms at a great distance
from each other: their complexion, however, is not exactly the same
in the different districts; in Bondou, and the other kingdoms which
are situated in the vicinity of the Moorish territories, they are of
a more yellow complexion than in the southern states.
The Foulahs of Bondou are naturally of a mild and gentle disposition,
but the uncharitable maxims of the Koran has made them less
hospitable to strangers, and more reserved in their behaviour than
the Mandingoes. They evidently consider all the Negro natives as
their inferiors; and when talking of different nations, always rank
themselves among the white people.
Their government differs from that of the Mandingoes chiefly in this,
that they are more immediately under the influence of the Mahomedan
laws; for all the chief men (the king excepted) and a large majority of
the inhabitants of Bondou, are Mussulmen, and the authority and laws
of the Prophet, are every where looked upon as sacred and decisive. In
the exercise of their faith, however, they are not very intolerant
towards such of their countrymen as still retain their ancient
superstitions. Religious persecution is not known among them, nor
is it necessary; for the system of Mahomet is made to extend itself
by means abundantly more efficacious. By establishing small schools
in the different towns, where many of the Pagan as well as Mahomedan
children are taught to read the Koran, and instructed in the tenets of
the Prophet, the Mahomedan priests fix a bias on the minds, and form
the character of their young disciples, which no accidents of life
can ever afterwards remove or alter. Many of these little schools I
visited in my progress through the country, and observed with pleasure
the great docility and submissive deportment of the children, and
heartily wished they had had better instructors, and a purer religion.
With the Mahomedan faith is also introduced the Arabic language,
with which most of the Foulahs have a slight acquaintance. Their
native tongue abounds very much in liquids, but there is something
unpleasant in the manner of pronouncing it. A stranger on hearing
the common conversation of two Foulahs, would imagine that they were
scolding each other. Their numerals are these:—
One --- _Go_.
Two --- _Deeddee_.
Three --- _Tettee_.
Four --- _Nee_.
Five --- _Jouee_.
Six --- _Jego_.
Seven --- _Jedeeddee_.
Eight --- _Je Tettee_.
Nine --- _Je Nee_.
Ten --- _Sappo_.
The industry of the Foulahs, in the occupations of pasturage and
agriculture, is every where remarkable. Even on the banks of the
Gambia, the greater part of the corn is raised by them; and their
herds and flocks are more numerous and in better condition than those
of the Mandingoes; but in Bondou they are opulent in a high degree,
and enjoy all the necessaries of life in the greatest profusion. They
display great skill in the management of their cattle, making them
extremely gentle by kindness and familiarity. On the approach of
night, they are collected from the woods, and secured in folds,
called korrees, which are constructed in the neighbourhood of the
different villages. In the middle of each korree is erected a small
hut, wherein one or two of the herdsmen keep watch during the night,
to prevent the cattle from being stolen, and to keep up the fires
which are kindled round the korree to frighten away the wild beasts.
The cattle are milked in the mornings and evenings: the milk is
excellent; but the quantity obtained from any one cow is by no means
so great as in Europe. The Foulahs use the milk chiefly as an article
of diet, and that, not until it is quite sour. The cream which it
affords is very thick, and is converted into butter by stirring it
violently in a large calabash. This butter, when melted over a gentle
fire, and freed from impurities, is preserved in small earthen pots,
and forms a part in most of their dishes; it serves likewise to anoint
their heads, and is bestowed very liberally on their faces and arms.
But although milk is plentiful, it is somewhat remarkable that the
Foulahs, and indeed all the inhabitants of this part of Africa,
are totally unacquainted with the art of making cheese. A firm
attachment to the customs of their ancestors, makes them view with
an eye of prejudice every thing that looks like innovation. The heat
of the climate, and the great scarcity of salt, are held forth as
unanswerable objections; and the whole process appears to them too
long and troublesome, to be attended with any solid advantage.
Besides the cattle, which constitute the chief wealth of the Foulahs,
they possess some excellent horses, the breed of which seems to be
a mixture of the Arabian with the original African.
[Footnote 8: These are a sort of travelling bards and musicians,
who sing extempore songs in praise of those who employ them. A fuller
account of them will be given hereafter.]