_Inhospitable Reception at Taffara. — A Negro Funeral at Sooha. —
The Author continues his Route through several Villages along the
Banks of the Niger, until he comes to Koolikorro. — Supports himself
by writing_ Saphies — _reaches Maraboo — loses the Road; and
after many Difficulties arrives at Bammakoo. — Takes the Road for
Sibidooloo — meets with great Kindness at a Village called Kooma;
— is afterwards robbed, stripped, and plundered by Banditti. —
The Author’s Resource and Consolation under exquisite Distress. —
He arrives in Safety at Sibidooloo._
On my arrival at Taffara, I inquired for the Dooty, but was informed
that he had died a few days before my arrival, and that there was,
at that moment, a meeting of the chief men for electing another;
there being some dispute about the succession. It was probably
owing to this unsettled state of the town, that I experienced such
a want of hospitality in it; for though I informed the inhabitants
that I should only remain with them for one night, and assured
them that Mansong had given me some Kowries to pay for my lodging,
yet no person invited me to come in; and I was forced to sit alone,
under the Bentang tree, exposed to the rain and wind of a tornado,
which lasted with great violence until midnight. At this time the
stranger, who had assisted me in crossing the river, paid me a visit,
and observing that I had not found a lodging, invited me to take
part of his supper, which he had brought to the door of his hut; for,
being a guest himself, he could not, without his landlord’s consent,
invite me to come in. After this, I slept upon some wet grass in the
corner of a court. My horse fared still worse than myself; the corn
I had purchased being all expended, and I could not procure a supply.
Aug. 20. I passed the town of Jaba, and stopped a few minutes at a
village called Somino, where I begged and obtained some coarse food,
which the natives prepare from the husks of corn, and call _Boo_. About
two o’clock I came to the village of Sooha, and endeavoured to
purchase some corn from the Dooty, who was sitting by the gate; but
without success. I then requested a little food by way of charity, but
was told he had none to spare. Whilst I was examining the countenance
of this inhospitable old man, and endeavouring to find out the cause
of the sullen discontent, which was visible in his eye, he called
to a slave who was working in the corn-field at a little distance,
and ordered him to bring his paddle along with him. The Dooty then
told him to dig a hole in the ground; pointing to a spot at no
great distance. The slave, with his paddle, began to dig a pit in
the earth; and the Dooty, who appeared to be a man of a very fretful
disposition, kept muttering and talking to himself until the pit was
almost finished, when he repeatedly pronounced the words _dankatoo_
(good for nothing); _jankra lemen_ (a real plague); which expressions I
thought could be applied to nobody but myself; and as the pit had very
much the appearance of a grave, I thought it prudent to mount my horse,
and was about to decamp, when the slave, who had before gone into the
village, to my surprise, returned with the corpse of a boy about nine
or ten years of age, quite naked. The Negro carried the body by a leg
and an arm, and threw it into the pit with a savage indifference,
which I had never before seen. As he covered the body with earth,
the Dooty often expressed himself, _naphula attiniata_ (money lost);
whence I concluded that the boy had been one of his slaves.
Departing from this shocking scene, I travelled by the side of the
river until sunset, when I came to Koolikorro; a considerable town,
and a great market for salt. Here I took up my lodging at the house of
a Bambarran, who had formerly been the slave of a Moor, and in that
character had travelled to Aroan, Towdinni, and many other places
in the Great Desert; but turning Mussulman, and his master dying at
Jenné, he obtained his freedom, and settled at this place, where
he carries on a considerable trade in salt, cotton-cloth, &c. His
knowledge of the world had not lessened that superstitious confidence
in saphies and charms, which he had imbibed in his earlier years;
for when he heard that I was a Christian, he immediately thought of
procuring a saphie; and for this purpose brought out his _walha_, or
writing board; assuring me, that he would dress me a supper of rice, if
I would write him a saphie to protect him from wicked men. The proposal
was of too great consequence to me to be refused; I therefore wrote
the board full, from top to bottom, on both sides; and my landlord, to
be certain of having the whole force of the charm, washed the writing
from the board into a calabash with a little water, and having said a
few prayers over it, drank this powerful draught; after which, lest
a single word should escape, he licked the board until it was quite
dry. A saphie writer was a man of too great consequence to be long
concealed: the important information was carried to the Dooty, who
sent his son with half a sheet of writing-paper, desiring me to write
him a _naphula saphie_ (a charm to procure wealth). He brought me,
as a present, some meal and milk; and when I had finished the saphie,
and read it to him with an audible voice, he seemed highly satisfied
with his bargain, and promised to bring me in the morning some milk
for my breakfast. When I had finished my supper of rice and salt,
I laid myself down upon a bullock’s hide, and slept very quietly
until morning; this being the first good meal and refreshing sleep
that I had enjoyed for a long time.
Aug. 21st. At daybreak I departed from Koolikorro, and about noon
passed the villages of Kayoo and Toolumbo. In the afternoon I
arrived at Marraboo; a large town, and, like Koolikorro, famous for
its trade in salt. I was conducted to the house of a Kaartan, of the
tribe of Jower, by whom I was well received. This man had acquired a
considerable property in the slave trade; and from his hospitality to
strangers, was called, by way of pre-eminence, _Jatee_ (the landlord);
and his house was a sort of public inn for all travellers. Those who
had money were well lodged, for they always made him some return
for his kindness; but those who had nothing to give, were content
to accept whatever he thought proper; and as I could not rank myself
among the monied men, I was happy to take up my lodging in the same
hut with seven poor fellows who had come from Kancaba in a canoe. But
our landlord sent us some victuals.
Aug. 22d. One of the landlord’s servants went with me a little
way from the town, to shew me what road to take; but, whether from
ignorance or design I know not, he directed me wrong; and I did not
discover my mistake until the day was far advanced; when, coming to a
deep creek, I had some thoughts of turning back; but as, by that means,
I foresaw that I could not possibly reach Bammakoo before night,
I resolved to cross it; and leading my horse close to the brink,
I went behind him, and pushed him headlong into the water; and then
taking the bridle in my teeth, swam over to the other side. This was
the third creek I had crossed in this manner, since I had left Sego;
but having secured my notes and memorandums in the crown of my hat,
I received little or no inconvenience from such adventures. The rain
and heavy dew kept my clothes constantly wet; and the roads being
very deep, and full of mud, such a washing was sometimes pleasant,
and oftentimes necessary. I continued travelling, through high grass,
without any beaten road, and about noon came to the river; the banks
of which are here very rocky, and the force and roar of the water were
very great. The King of Bambarra’s canoes, however, frequently pass
these rapids, by keeping close to the bank; persons being stationed
on the shore with ropes fastened to the canoe, while others push it
forward with long poles. At this time, however, it would, I think,
have been a matter of great difficulty for any European boat to have
crossed the stream. About four o’clock in the afternoon, having
altered my course from the river towards the mountains, I came to a
small pathway, which led to a village called Frookaboo, where I slept.
Aug. 23d. Early in the morning I set out for Bammakoo, at which
place I arrived about five o’clock in the afternoon. I had heard
Bammakoo much talked of as a great market for salt, and I felt
rather disappointed to find it only a middling town, not quite so
large as Marraboo: however, the smallness of its size, is more than
compensated by the richness of its inhabitants; for when the Moors
bring their salt through Kaarta or Bambarra, they constantly rest a
few days at this place; and the Negro merchants here, who are well
acquainted with the value of salt in different kingdoms, frequently
purchase by wholesale, and retail it to great advantage. Here I lodged
at the house of a Sera-Woolli Negro, and was visited by a number of
Moors. They spoke very good Mandingo, and were more civil to me than
their countrymen had been. One of them had travelled to Rio Grande,
and spoke very highly of the Christians. He sent me in the evening
some boiled rice and milk. I now endeavoured to procure information
concerning my route to the westward, from a slave merchant who had
resided some years on the Gambia. He gave me some imperfect account
of the distance, and enumerated the names of a great many places that
lay in the way; but withal told me, that the road was impassable at
this season of the year: he was even afraid, he said, that I should
find great difficulty in proceeding any farther; as the road crossed
the Joliba at a town about half a day’s journey to the westward
of Bammakoo; and there being no canoes at that place large enough to
receive my horse, I could not possibly get him over for some months to
come. This was an obstruction of a very serious nature; but as I had no
money to maintain myself even for a few days, I resolved to push on,
and if I could not convey my horse across the river, to abandon him,
and swim over myself. In thoughts of this nature I passed the night,
and in the morning consulted with my landlord, how I should surmount
the present difficulty. He informed me that one road still remained,
which was indeed very rocky, and scarcely passable for horses;
but that if I had a proper guide over the hills to a town called
Sibidooloo, he had no doubt, but with patience and caution, I might
travel forwards through Manding. I immediately applied to the Dooty,
and was informed that a _Jilli kea_ (singing man) was about to depart
for Sibidooloo, and would shew me the road over the hills. With this
man, who undertook to be my conductor, I travelled up a rocky glen
about two miles, when we came to a small village; and here my musical
fellow-traveller found out that he had brought me the wrong road. He
told me that the horse-road lay on the other side of the hill, and
throwing his drum upon his back, mounted up the rocks, where indeed no
horse could follow him, leaving me to admire his agility, and trace
out a road for myself. As I found it impossible to proceed, I rode
back to the level ground, and directing my course to the eastward,
came about noon to another glen, and discovered a path on which I
observed the marks of horses’ feet: following this path, I came in
a short time to some shepherds’ huts, where I was informed that I
was in the right road, but that I could not possibly reach Sibidooloo
before night. Soon after this I gained the summit of a hill, from
whence I had an extensive view of the country. Towards the south-east,
appeared some very distant mountains, which I had formerly seen from
an eminence near Marraboo, where the people informed me, that these
mountains were situated in a large and powerful kingdom called Kong;
the sovereign of which could raise a much greater army than the King
of Bambarra. Upon this height the soil is shallow; the rocks are
iron-stone and schistus, with detached pieces of white quartz.
A little before sunset, I descended on the north-west side of this
ridge of hills, and as I was looking about for a convenient tree, under
which to pass the night (for I had no hopes of reaching any town),
I descended into a delightful valley, and soon afterwards arrived
at a romantic village called Kooma. This village is surrounded by a
high wall, and is the sole property of a Mandingo merchant, who fled
hither with his family, during a former war. The adjacent fields yield
him plenty of corn, his cattle roam at large in the valley, and the
rocky hills secure him from the depredations of war. In this obscure
retreat he is seldom visited by strangers, but whenever this happens he
makes the weary traveller welcome. I soon found myself surrounded by
a circle of the harmless villagers. They asked a thousand questions
about my country; and, in return for my information, brought corn
and milk for myself, and grass for my horse; kindled a fire in the
hut where I was to sleep, and appeared very anxious to serve me.
Aug. 25th. I departed from Kooma, accompanied by two shepherds, who
were going towards Sibidooloo. The road was very steep and rocky,
and as my horse had hurt his feet much in coming from Bammakoo,
he travelled slowly and with great difficulty; for in many places
the ascent was so sharp, and the declivities so great, that if
he had made one false step, he must inevitably have been dashed to
pieces. The shepherds being anxious to proceed, gave themselves little
trouble about me or my horse, and kept walking on at a considerable
distance. It was about eleven o’clock, as I stopped to drink a
little water at a rivulet (my companions being near a quarter of
a mile before me), that I heard some people calling to each other,
and presently a loud screaming, as from a person in great distress. I
immediately conjectured that a lion had taken one of the shepherds,
and mounted my horse to have a better view of what had happened. The
noise, however, ceased; and I rode slowly towards the place from whence
I thought it had proceeded, calling out; but without receiving any
answer. In a little time, however, I perceived one of the shepherds
lying among the long grass near the road; and though I could see no
blood upon him, I concluded he was dead. But when I came close to him,
he whispered to me to stop; telling me that a party of armed men had
seized upon his companion, and shot two arrows at himself, as he
was making his escape. I stopped to consider what course to take,
and looking round, saw at a little distance a man sitting upon the
stump of a tree: I distinguished also the heads of six or seven more,
sitting among the grass, with muskets in their hands. I had now no
hopes of escaping, and therefore determined to ride forward towards
them. As I approached them, I was in hopes they were elephant hunters;
and by way of opening the conversation, inquired if they had shot
any thing; but without returning an answer, one of them ordered me
to dismount; and then, as if recollecting himself, waved with his
hand for me to proceed. I accordingly rode past, and had with some
difficulty crossed a deep rivulet, when I heard somebody holloa; and
looking behind, saw those I had taken for elephant hunters, running
after me, and calling out to me to turn back. I stopped until they
were all come up; when they informed me, that the King of the Foulahs
had sent them on purpose to bring me, my horse, and every thing that
belonged to me, to Fooladoo; and that therefore I must turn back,
and go along with them. Without hesitating a moment, I turned round
and followed them, and we travelled together near a quarter of a
mile, without exchanging a word; when coming to a dark place in the
wood, one of them said, in the Mandingo language, “this place will
do;” and immediately snatched my hat from my head. Though I was by
no means free of apprehension, yet I resolved to shew as few signs
of fear as possible, and therefore told them, that unless my hat was
returned to me, I should proceed no further. But before I had time to
receive an answer, another drew his knife, and seizing upon a metal
button which remained upon my waistcoat, cut it off, and put it into
his pocket. Their intentions were now obvious; and I thought that the
easier they were permitted to rob me of every thing, the less I had to
fear. I therefore allowed them to search my pockets without resistance,
and examine every part of my apparel, which they did with the most
scrupulous exactness. But observing that I had one waistcoat under
another, they insisted that I should cast them both off; and at last,
to make sure work, they stripped me quite naked. Even my half boots
(though the sole of one of them was tied on to my foot with a broken
bridle-rein), were minutely inspected. Whilst they were examining the
plunder, I begged them, with great earnestness, to return my pocket
compass; but when I pointed it out to them, as it was lying on the
ground, one of the banditti, thinking I was about to take it up,
cocked his musket and swore that he would lay me dead upon the spot,
if I presumed to put my hand upon it. After this, some of them went
away with my horse, and the remainder stood considering whether they
should leave me quite naked, or allow me something to shelter me from
the sun. Humanity at last prevailed: they returned me the worst of
the two shirts, and a pair of trowsers; and, as they went away, one of
them threw back my hat, in the crown of which I kept my memorandums;
and this was probably the reason they did not wish to keep it. After
they were gone, I sat for some time, looking around me with amazement
and terror. Which ever way I turned, nothing appeared but danger and
difficulty. I saw myself in the midst of a vast wilderness, in the
depth of the rainy season; naked and alone; surrounded by savage
animals, and men still more savage. I was five hundred miles from
the nearest European settlement. All these circumstances crowded at
once on my recollection; and I confess that my spirits began to fail
me. I considered my fate as certain, and that I had no alternative,
but to lie down and perish. The influence of religion, however, aided
and supported me. I reflected that no human prudence or foresight,
could possibly have averted my present sufferings. I was indeed a
stranger in a strange land, yet I was still under the protecting
eye of that Providence who has condescended to call himself the
stranger’s friend. At this moment, painful as my reflections
were, the extraordinary beauty of a small moss, in fructification,
irresistibly caught my eye. I mention this to shew from what trifling
circumstances the mind will sometimes derive consolation; for though
the whole plant was not larger than the top of one of my fingers,
I could not contemplate the delicate conformation of its roots,
leaves, and capsula, without admiration. Can that Being (thought I),
who planted, watered, and brought to perfection, in this obscure
part of the world, a thing which appears of so small importance,
look with unconcern upon the situation and sufferings of creatures
formed after his own image?—surely not! Reflections like these,
would not allow me to despair. I started up, and disregarding both
hunger and fatigue, travelled forwards, assured that relief was at
hand; and I was not disappointed. In a short time I came to a small
village, at the entrance of which I overtook the two shepherds who
had come with me from Kooma. They were much surprised to see me;
for they said, they never doubted that the Foulahs, when they had
robbed, had murdered me. Departing from this village, we travelled
over several rocky ridges, and at sunset, arrived at Sibidooloo;
the frontier town of the kingdom of Manding.