_Transactions at Kamalia resumed. — Arabic MSS. in Use among
the Mahomedan Negroes. — Reflections concerning the Conversion
and Education of the Negro Children. — Return of the Author’s
Benefactor,_ KARFA. — _Further Account of the Purchase and Treatment
of Slaves. — Fast of Rhamadan, how observed by the Negroes. —
Author’s anxiety for the Day of Departure. — The Caravan sets
out — Account of it on its Departure, and Proceedings on the Road,
until its arrival at Kinytakooro._
The schoolmaster, to whose care I was entrusted during the absence of
Karfa, was a man of a mild disposition, and gentle manners; his name
was Fankooma; and although he himself adhered strictly to the religion
of Mahomet, he was by no means intolerant in his principles towards
others who differed from him. He spent much of his time in reading;
and teaching appeared to be his pleasure, as well as employment. His
school consisted of seventeen boys, most of whom were sons of Kafirs;
and two girls, one of whom was Karfa’s own daughter. The girls
received their instructions in the day time, but the boys always had
their lessons by the light of a large fire before daybreak, and again
late in the evening; for being considered, during their scholarship, as
the domestic slaves of the master, they were employed in planting corn,
bringing fire-wood, and in other servile offices, through the day.
Exclusive of the Koran, and a book or two of commentaries thereon, the
schoolmaster possessed a variety of manuscripts, which had partly been
purchased from the trading Moors, and partly borrowed from Bushreens
in the neighbourhood, and copied with great care. Other MSS. had
been produced to me at different places in the course of my journey;
and on recounting those I had before seen, and those which were now
shewn to me, and interrogating the schoolmaster on the subject, I
discovered that the Negroes are in possession (among others), of an
Arabic version of the Pentateuch of Moses, which they call _Taureta
la Moosa_. This is so highly esteemed, that it is often sold for
the value of one prime slave. They have likewise a version of the
Psalms of David (_Zabora Dawidi_); and, lastly, the book of Isaiah,
which they call _Lingeeli la Isa_, and it is in very high esteem. I
suspect, indeed, that in all these copies, there are interpolations
of some of the peculiar tenets of Mahomet, for I could distinguish
in many passages the name of the Prophet. It is possible, however,
that this circumstance might otherwise have been accounted for, if my
knowledge of the Arabic had been more extensive. By means of those
books, many of the converted Negroes have acquired an acquaintance
with some of the remarkable events recorded in the Old Testament. The
account of our first parents; the death of Abel; the deluge; the lives
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the story of Joseph and his brethren;
the history of Moses, David, Solomon, &c. All these have been related
to me in the Mandingo language, with tolerable exactness, by different
people; and my surprise was not greater on hearing these accounts
from the lips of the Negroes, than theirs, on finding that I was
already acquainted with them; for although the Negroes in general
have a very great idea of the wealth and power of the Europeans,
I am afraid that the Mahomedan converts among them, think but very
lightly of our superior attainments in religious knowledge. The white
traders in the maritime districts, take no pains to counteract this
unhappy prejudice; always performing their own devotions in secret,
and seldom condescending to converse with the Negroes in a friendly
and instructive manner. To me, therefore, it was not so much the
subject of wonder, as matter of regret, to observe, that while the
superstition of Mahomet has, in this manner, scattered a few faint
beams of learning among these poor people, the precious light of
Christianity is altogether excluded. I could not but lament, that
although the Coast of Africa has now been known and frequented by
the Europeans for more than two hundred years, yet the Negroes still
remain entire strangers to the doctrines of our holy religion. We are
anxious to draw from obscurity the opinions and records of antiquity,
the beauties of Arabian and Asiatic literature, &c.; but while our
libraries are thus stored with the learning of various countries,
we distribute with a parsimonious hand, the blessings of religious
truth, to the benighted nations of the earth. The natives of Asia
derive but little advantage in this respect from an intercourse
with us; and even the poor Africans, whom we affect to consider as
barbarians, look upon us, I fear, as little better than a race of
formidable but ignorant heathens. When I produced Richardson’s
Arabic grammar to some Slatees on the Gambia, they were astonished
to think that any European should understand, and write, the sacred
language of their religion. At first, they suspected that it might
have been written by some of the slaves carried from the Coast; but,
on a closer examination, they were satisfied that no Bushreen could
write such beautiful Arabic; and one of them offered to give me an ass,
and sixteen bars of goods, if I would part with the book. Perhaps,
a short and easy introduction to Christianity, such as is found in
some of the catechisms for children, elegantly printed in Arabic, and
distributed on different parts of the Coast, might have a wonderful
effect. The expence would be but trifling; curiosity would induce many
to read it; and the evident superiority which it would possess over
their present manuscripts, both in point of elegance and cheapness,
might at last obtain it a place among the school books of Africa.
The reflections which I have thus ventured to submit to my readers on
this important subject, naturally suggested themselves to my mind,
on perceiving the encouragement which was thus given to learning,
(such as it is,) in many parts of Africa. I have observed, that the
pupils at Kamalia were most of them the children of Pagans; their
parents, therefore, could have had no predilection for the doctrines
of Mahomet. Their aim was their children’s improvement; and if a
more enlightened system had presented itself, it would probably have
been preferred. The children, too, wanted not a spirit of emulation;
which it is the aim of the tutor to encourage. When any one of them
has read through the Koran, and performed a certain number of public
prayers, a feast is prepared by the schoolmaster, and the scholar
undergoes an examination, or (in European terms,) _takes out his
degree_. I attended at three different inaugurations of this sort,
and heard with pleasure, the distinct and intelligent answers which
the scholars frequently gave to the Bushreens, who assembled on those
occasions, and acted as examiners. When the Bushreens had satisfied
themselves respecting the learning and abilities of the scholar,
the last page of the Koran was put into his hand, and he was desired
to read it aloud: after the boy had finished this lesson, he pressed
the paper against his forehead, and pronounced the word _Amen_; upon
which all the Bushreens rose, and shaking him cordially by the hand,
bestowed upon him the title of Bushreen.
When a scholar has undergone this examination, his parents are informed
that he has completed his education, and that it is incumbent on
them to redeem their son, by giving to the schoolmaster a slave,
or the price of a slave, in exchange; which is always done, if the
parents can afford to do it; if not, the boy remains the domestic
slave of the schoolmaster until he can, by his own industry, collect
goods sufficient to ransome himself.
About a week after the departure of Karfa, three Moors arrived at
Kamalia with a considerable quantity of salt, and other merchandize,
which they had obtained on credit, from a merchant of Fezzan, who had
lately arrived at Kancaba. Their engagement was to pay him his price
when the goods were sold, which they expected would be in the course
of a month. Being rigid Bushreens, they were accommodated with two
of Karfa’s huts, and sold their goods to very great advantage.
On the 24th of January, Karfa returned to Kamalia with a number of
people, and thirteen prime slaves which he had purchased. He likewise
brought with him a young girl whom he had married at Kancaba, as his
fourth wife, and had given her parents three prime slaves for her. She
was kindly received at the door of the baloon by Karfa’s other
wives, who conducted their new acquaintance and co-partner into one
of the best huts, which they had caused to be swept and white-washed,
on purpose to receive her.[24]
My clothes were by this time become so very ragged, that I was almost
ashamed to appear out of doors; but Karfa, on the day after his
arrival, generously presented me with such a garment and trowsers,
as are commonly worn in the country.
The slaves which Karfa had brought with him were all of them prisoners
of war; they had been taken by the Bambarran army in the kingdoms
of Wassela and Kaarta, and carried to Sego, where some of them had
remained three years in irons. From Sego they were sent, in company
with a number of other captives, up the Niger in two large canoes, and
offered for sale at Yamina, Bammakoo, and Kancaba; at which places
the greater number of the captives were bartered for gold-dust,
and the remainder sent forward to Kankaree.
Eleven of them confessed to me that they had been slaves from their
infancy; but the other two refused to give any account of their
former condition. They were all very inquisitive; but they viewed me
at first with looks of horror, and repeatedly asked if my countrymen
were cannibals. They were very desirous to know what became of the
slaves after they had crossed the salt water. I told them, that they
were employed in cultivating the land; but they would not believe me;
and one of them putting his hand upon the ground, said with great
simplicity, “have you really got such ground as this, to set your
feet upon?” A deeply rooted idea, that the whites purchase Negroes
for the purpose of devouring them, or of selling them to others,
that they may be devoured hereafter, naturally makes the slaves
contemplate a journey towards the Coast with great terror; insomuch
that the Slatees are forced to keep them constantly in irons, and
watch them very closely, to prevent their escape. They are commonly
secured, by putting the right leg of one, and the left of another, into
the same pair of fetters. By supporting the fetters with a string,
they can walk, though very slowly. Every four slaves are likewise
fastened together by the necks, with a strong rope of twisted thongs;
and in the night, an additional pair of fetters is put on their hands,
and sometimes a light iron chain passed round their necks.
Such of them as evince marks of discontent, are secured in a different
manner. A thick billet of wood is cut about three feet long, and a
smooth notch being made upon one side of it, the ankle of the slave is
bolted to the smooth part by means of a strong iron staple, one prong
of which passes on each side of the ankle. All these fetters and bolts
are made from native iron; in the present case they were put on by the
blacksmith as soon as the slaves arrived from Kancaba, and were not
taken off until the morning on which the coffle departed for Gambia.
In other respects, the treatment of the slaves during their stay
at Kamalia, was far from being harsh or cruel. They were led out in
their fetters, every morning, to the shade of the tamarind tree, where
they were encouraged to play at games of hazard, and sing diverting
songs, to keep up their spirits; for though some of them sustained the
hardships of their situation with amazing fortitude, the greater part
were very much dejected, and would sit all day in a sort of sullen
melancholy, with their eyes fixed upon the ground. In the evening,
their irons were examined, and their hand fetters put on; after which
they were conducted into two large huts, where they were guarded during
the night by Karfa’s domestic slaves. But notwithstanding all this,
about a week after their arrival, one of the slaves had the address to
procure a small knife, with which he opened the rings of his fetters,
cut the rope, and made his escape: more of them would probably have
got off, had they assisted each other; but the slave no sooner found
himself at liberty, than he refused to stop, and assist in breaking
the chain which was fastened round the necks of his companions.
As all the Slatees and slaves belonging to the coffle were now
assembled, either at Kamalia, or at some of the neighbouring villages,
it might have been expected that we should have set out immediately
for Gambia; but though the day of our departure was frequently fixed,
it was always found expedient to change it. Some of the people had
not prepared their dry provisions; others had gone to visit their
relations, or collect some trifling debts; and, last of all, it was
necessary to consult whether the day would be a lucky one. On account
of one of these, or other such causes, our departure was put off, day
after day, until the month of February was far advanced; after which
all the Slatees agreed to remain in their present quarters, until
the _fast moon was over_. And here I may remark, that loss of time,
is an object of no great importance in the eyes of a Negro. If he has
any thing of consequence to perform, it is a matter of indifference to
him whether he does it to-day or to-morrow, or a month or two hence:
so long as he can spend the present moment with any degree of comfort,
he gives himself very little concern about the future.
The fast of Rhamadan was observed with great strictness, by all the
Bushreens; but, instead of compelling me to follow their example, as
the Moors did on a similar occasion, Karfa frankly told me that I was
at liberty to pursue my own inclination. In order, however, to manifest
a respect for their religious opinions, I voluntarily fasted three
days, which was thought sufficient to screen me from the reproachful
epithet of Kafir. During the fast, all the Slatees belonging to
the coffle assembled every morning in Karfa’s house, where the
schoolmaster read to them some religious lessons, from a large folio
volume, the author of which was an Arab, of the name of _Sheiffa_. In
the evening, such of the women as had embraced Mahomedanism assembled,
and said their prayers publicly at the Misura. They were all dressed
in white, and went through the different prostrations, prescribed by
their religion, with becoming solemnity. Indeed, during the whole fast
of Rhamadan, the Negroes behaved themselves with the greatest meekness
and humility; forming a striking contrast to the savage intolerance
and brutal bigotry, which at this period characterize the Moors.
When the fast month was almost at an end, the Bushreens assembled
at the Misura, to watch for the appearance of the new moon; but the
evening being rather cloudy, they were for some time disappointed,
and a number of them had gone home with a resolution to fast another
day, when on a sudden this delightful object showed her sharp horns
from behind a cloud, and was welcomed with the clapping of hands,
beating of drums, firing muskets, and other marks of rejoicing. As
this moon is reckoned extremely lucky, Karfa gave orders that all
the people belonging to the coffle should immediately pack up their
dry provisions, and hold themselves in readiness; and on the 16th
of April, the Slatees held a consultation, and fixed on the 19th of
the same month, as the day on which the coffle should depart from
Kamalia. This resolution freed me from much uneasiness; for our
departure had already been so long deferred, that I was apprehensive
it might still be put off until the commencement of the rainy season;
and although Karfa behaved towards me with the greatest kindness,
I found my situation very unpleasant. The Slatees were unfriendly
to me; and the trading Moors, who were at this time at Kamalia,
continued to plot mischief against me, from the first day of their
arrival. Under these circumstances, I reflected, that my life in a
great measure depended on the good opinion of an individual, who was
daily hearing malicious stories concerning the Europeans; and I could
hardly expect that he would always judge with impartiality between me
and his countrymen. Time had, indeed, reconciled me, in some degree,
to their mode of life; and a smoky hut, or a scanty supper, gave me
no great uneasiness; but I became at last wearied out with a constant
state of alarm and anxiety, and felt a painful longing for the manifold
blessings of civilized society.
On the morning of the 17th, a circumstance occurred, which wrought
a considerable change in my favour. The three trading Moors, who had
lodged under Karfa’s protection, ever since their arrival at Kamalia,
and had gained the esteem of all the Bushreens, by an appearance of
great sanctity, suddenly packed up their effects, and, without once
thanking Karfa for his kindness towards them, marched over the hills
to Bala. Every one was astonished at this unexpected removal; but the
affair was cleared up in the evening, by the arrival of the Fezzan
merchant from Kancaba (mentioned in p. 317); who assured Karfa, that
these Moors had borrowed all their salt and goods from him, and had
sent for him to come to Kamalia, and receive payment. When he was told
that they had fled to the westward, he wiped a tear from each eye with
the sleeve of his cloak, and exclaimed, “these _shirrukas_ (robbers)
are Mahomedans, but they are not men; they have robbed me of two
hundred minkallies.” From this merchant, I received information of
the capture of our Mediterranean convoy by the French, in October 1795.
April 19th. The long wished-for day of our departure was at length
arrived; and the Slatees having taken the irons from their slaves,
assembled with them at the door of Karfa’s house, where the bundles
were all tied up, and every one had his load assigned him. The coffle,
on its departure from Kamalia, consisted of twenty-seven slaves
for sale, the property of Karfa and four other Slatees; but we were
afterwards joined by five at Maraboo, and three at Bala; making in
all thirty-five slaves. The free men were fourteen in number, but
most of them had one or two wives, and some domestic slaves; and the
schoolmaster, who was now upon his return for Woradoo, the place of
his nativity, took with him eight of his scholars; so that the number
of free people and domestic slaves amounted to thirty-eight, and the
whole amount of the coffle was seventy-three. Among the free men were
six Jillakeas (singing men), whose musical talents were frequently
exerted either to divert our fatigue, or obtain us a welcome from
strangers. When we departed from Kamalia, we were followed for about
half a mile, by most of the inhabitants of the town, some of them
crying, and others shaking hands with their relations, who were now
about to leave them; and when we had gained a piece of rising ground,
from which we had a view of Kamalia, all the people belonging to
the coffle were ordered to sit down in one place, with their faces
towards the west, and the townspeople were desired to sit down in
another place, with their faces towards Kamalia. In this situation,
the schoolmaster, with two of the principal Slatees, having taken
their places between the two parties, pronounced a long and solemn
prayer; after which they walked three times round the coffle,
making an impression in the ground with the ends of their spears,
and muttering something by way of charm. When this ceremony was ended,
all the people belonging to the coffle sprang up, and without taking a
formal farewell of their friends, set forwards. As many of the slaves
had remained for years in irons, the sudden exertion of walking quick,
with heavy loads upon their heads, occasioned spasmodic contractions
of their legs; and we had not proceeded above a mile, before it was
found necessary to take two of them from the rope, and allow them to
walk more slowly until we reached Maraboo, a walled village, where
some people were waiting to join the coffle. Here we stopt about two
hours, to allow the strangers time to pack up their provisions, and
then continued our route to Bala, which town we reached about four in
the afternoon. The inhabitants of Bala, at this season of the year,
subsist chiefly on fish, which they take in great plenty from the
streams in the neighbourhood. We remained here until the afternoon of
the next day, the 20th, when we proceeded to Worumbang, the frontier
village of Manding towards Jallonkadoo. As we proposed shortly to
enter the Jallonka Wilderness, the people of this village furnished
us with great plenty of provisions; and on the morning of the 21st, we
entered the woods to the westward of Worumbang. After having travelled
some little way, a consultation was held, whether we should continue
our route through the Wilderness, or save one day’s provisions
by going to Kinytakooro, a town in Jallonkadoo. After debating the
matter for some time, it was agreed that we should take the road for
Kinytakooro; but as that town was a long day’s journey distant,
it was necessary to take some refreshment. Accordingly every person
opened his provision bag, and brought a handfull or two of meal, to
the place where Karfa and the Slatees were sitting. When every one had
brought his quota, and the whole was properly arranged in small gourd
shells, the schoolmaster offered up a short prayer; the substance of
which was, that God and the holy Prophet might preserve us from robbers
and all bad people, that our provisions might never fail us, nor our
limbs become fatigued. This ceremony being ended, every one partook
of the meal, and drank a little water; after which we set forward
(rather running than walking), until we came to the river Kokoro,
a branch of the Senegal, where we halted about ten minutes. The banks
of this river are very high; and from the grass and brushwood which
had been left by the stream, it was evident that at this place, the
water had risen more than twenty feet perpendicular, during the rainy
season. At this time it was only a small stream, such as would turn a
mill, swarming with fish; and on account of the number of crocodiles,
and the danger of being carried past the ford by the force of the
stream in the rainy season, it is called _Kokoro_ (dangerous). From
this place we continued to travel with the greatest expedition, and in
the afternoon crossed two small branches of the Kokoro. About sunset
we came in sight of Kinytakooro, a considerable town, nearly square,
situated in the middle of a large and well cultivated plain: before
we entered the town we halted, until the people who had fallen behind
came up. During this day’s travel, two slaves, a woman and a girl
belonging to a Slatee of Bala, were so much fatigued that they could
not keep up with the coffle; they were severely whipped, and dragged
along until about three o’clock in the afternoon, when they were
both affected with vomiting, by which it was discovered that they
had _eaten clay_. This practice is by no means uncommon amongst the
Negroes; but whether it arises from a vitiated appetite, or from a
settled intention to destroy themselves, I cannot affirm. They were
permitted to lie down in the woods, and three people remained with
them until they had rested themselves; but they did not arrive at
the town until past midnight; and were then so much exhausted, that
the Slatee gave up all thoughts of taking them across the woods in
their present condition, and determined to return with them to Bala,
and wait for another opportunity.
As this was the first town beyond the limits of Manding, greater
etiquette than usual was observed. Every person was ordered to keep
in his proper station, and we marched towards the town, in a sort
of procession, nearly as follows. In front, five or six singing men,
all of them belonging to the coffle; these were followed by the other
free people; then came the slaves fastened in the usual way by a rope
round their necks, four of them to a rope, and a man with a spear
between each four; after them came the domestic slaves, and in the
rear the women of free condition, wives of the Slatees, &c. In this
manner we proceeded, until we came within a hundred yards of the gate;
when the singing men began a loud song, well calculated to flatter the
vanity of the inhabitants, by extolling their known hospitality to
strangers, and their particular friendship for the Mandingoes. When
we entered the town we proceeded to the Bentang, where the people
gathered round us to hear our _dentegi_ (history); this was related
publicly by two of the singing men: they enumerated every little
circumstance which had happened to the coffle; beginning with the
events of the present day, and relating every thing, in a backward
series, until they reached Kamalia. When this history was ended, the
master of the town gave them a small present; and all the people of
the coffle, both free and enslaved, were invited, by some person or
other, and accommodated with lodging and provisions for the night.
[Footnote 24: The Negroes white-wash their huts with a mixture of
bone-ashes and water, to which is commonly added a little gum.]