Travels into the Interior of Africa (30 page)

Muianta, a hill resembling a castle, bearing by compass south-by-east, is distant sixteen miles; Sambankalla bearing south the hills of Foota Jalla bearing by compass south-west by west-by-south-west and south-
west-by
south. The town of Laby is immediately beyond those hills, which are three days’ travel from this place. The river Gambia comes down the opening south-south-west between Muianta and the hills of Foota Jalla. The latter have nearly the appearance of Madeira when seen from the sea, but the hills are not so sharp-pointed as those of Madeira.

In the afternoon again set forwards, and four miles to the east passed the dry bed of a torrent course towards Gambia; road rocky; plenty of white quartz in detached lumps and small pieces. Travelled till quite dark, when we were forced to halt for the night at a place where there was no water; and of course we all slept supperless.

June 1st
– At daybreak set forwards, and at ten o’clock arrived at Julifunda, a considerable town founded by people who formerly received goods in advance from the European traders on the Gambia, Rio Nunez, and Kajaaga; the road to Bambarra from these places frequently leading through this place when the other routes were stopped by war. These people, who trade on credit, are called
Juli
in distinction from the Slatee who trades with his own capital. Julifunda was formerly inhabited
entirely
by Soninkees; but the king of Foota Jalla made war on them, and obliged them, as a condition of peace, to embrace the Mohammedan religion. The town contains, I suppose, about two thousand people, including the suburbs.

In the evening sent our guide to the chief man, who is termed
Mansa
Kussan
, and is reckoned one of the most avaricious chiefs in the whole of the road. Sent him some amber and scarlet as a present, and told him that I intended to remain one day at Julifunda in order to purchase rice.

June 2nd
– Bought some corn and two ass-loads of rice; presented Mansa Kussan with some amber, coral, and scarlet, with which he appeared to be perfectly satisfied, and sent a bullock in return; he even prayed for my safety, and told me that he would do his utmost to get us forwards. Bought an ass for twenty bars of amber. At four o’clock put on the loads and departed for Baniserile. The whole of the asses were gone, and only Mr Anderson and myself remained, having sent our guide to inform Mansa Kussan of our departure. Our guide returned, and told us that Mansa Kussan had said that, unless I gave him ten bars of all the different sorts of merchandise, he would not allow us to pass farther up the country; and if we attempted to pass without his consent, he would do his utmost to plunder us in the woods.

Recalled the people and asses, and endeavoured to settle matters in a friendly manner. Suspecting that he would not have used such language unless he had received assurances from some other towns that they would join him in attacking us, sent him some more scarlet and amber by our guide; being unwilling to go singly into the town, having received information that it was the intention of the king to detain me, with a view to make me pay handsomely for my release.

Mansa Kussan seized the money which I paid for the ass in the seller’s hands, and what evinced his hostile intentions still more, he seized the ass till such time as the palaver should be settled.

June 3rd
– Having sent him a number of presents, I concluded, and was assured by the king’s brothers, that no further demands would be made; but was much surprised when our guide and the king’s brothers told me on their return that I must send ten bars of gunpowder and ten of flints. Here I determined to put an end to the business; and told the king’s brothers that I considered myself as having paid the king very well for passing through his territory; that I would neither give him a single charge of gunpowder nor a flint; and if he refused to allow me to pass, I would go without his permission; and if his people attempted to obstruct us we would do our utmost to defend ourselves. The king’s brothers and some of the old Bushreens insisted on my sending the gunpowder or some other goods of equal value; but I assured them that Europeans would much rather run the risk of being plundered in a hostile manner than have their goods (which were brought to purchase provisions) extorted from them by such exorbitant demands. After going backwards and forwards to the king, His Majesty was pleased to say he was satisfied; and what surprised me, said that he was coming to pay us a friendly visit in the afternoon. He accordingly paid us a visit, attended by a parcel of parasites and singing women. Offered me a few Cola nuts, which I desired our guide to take and eat; he likewise told me that I should have a guide to Baniserile.

June 4th
– Early in the morning departed, and having passed the village Eercella, remarkable for a grove of large
Sitta
trees, about one o’clock arrived at Baniserile, and halted under a tree near the wells. This being His Majesty’s birthday, pitched one of the tents, purchased a bullock and a calf for the soldiers; in the afternoon had them drawn up, and fired; and made it as much a day of festivity as our circumstances would permit; and though we were under the necessity of drinking His Majesty’s health in
water
from our canteens, yet few of his subjects wished more earnestly for the continuance of his life and the prosperity of his reign.

Baniserile is a Mohammedan town; the chief man,
Fodi
Braheima, is one of the most friendly men I have met with. I gave him a copy of the New Testament in Arabic, with which he seemed very much pleased.

June 5th
– Employed in purchasing rice, having received information that there was a great scarcity of that article to the eastwards. Bought the rice both here and at Julifunda with small amber No. 5; and I found that though a scarcity existed almost to famine, I could purchase a pound of clean rice for one bead of amber, value
2d
. sterling.

Purchased three ass-loads, and on the 6th purchased two ass-loads more, making in all 750 lb. of rice. This day one of our guide’s people went away to purchase slaves at Laby in Foota Jalla, distant three long days’ travel. The people here assured me it was only three days’ travel from Badoo to Laby. Had a squall with thunder and rain during the night. As the loads were put into the tent, they were not wetted, but one of our carpenters (old James), who had been sick of the dysentery ever since we crossed the Nerico, and was recovering, became greatly worse.

Dentila is famous for its iron; the flux used for smelting the iron is the ashes of the bark of the Kino tree. These ashes are as white as flour: they are not used in dyeing blue, and must therefore have something peculiar in them. I tasted them: they did not appear to me to have so much alkali as the mimosa ashes, but had an austere taste. The people told me, if I eat them, I would certainly die.

June 7th
– Departed early in the morning, and as the carpenter before mentioned was very weak, appointed two soldiers to stay by him, and assist him in mounting, and to drive his ass. Four miles east of Baniserile came to the brow of a hill, from which we had an extensive prospect eastwards. A square-looking hill, supposed to be the hill near Dindikoo, in Konkodoo, bore by compass due
east
.

Shortly after crossed the bed of a stream running towards the Faleme river, called Samakoo on account of the vast herds of elephants which wash themselves in it during the rains. Saw their footmarks very
frequently
, and fresh dung. Heard a lion roar not far from us. This day the asses travelled very ill on account of their having eaten fresh grass, as we supposed.

Obliged to load the horses, and at noon halted at a large
pool
of water in the bed of the Samakoo, called Jananga.

From the time of our crossing the Samakoo to our halting-place, we travelled without any road; our guide being apprehensive that as there existed a war a little to the south, and the people were in arms, they might attempt to cut off some of the fatigued asses in our rear.

In the afternoon resumed our march, and travelled without any road over a wild and rocky country. Obliged to leave two of the asses on the road, and load all the horses. We did not reach the watering-place till quite dark, and were obliged to fire muskets frequently to prevent us from straying from each other.

June 8th
– Early in the morning resumed our march, and about two miles to the east came to the brow of a hill, from whence we could distinguish the course of the Faleme river by the range of dark green trees which grew on its borders. The carpenter unable to sit upright, and frequently threw himself from the ass, wishing to be left to die. Made two of the soldiers carry him by force and hold him on the ass. At noon reached Madina, and halted by the side of the Faleme river; which at this season is a little discoloured by the rain, but not sensibly swelled. The general course of this river as pointed out by the natives is from the south-east quarter; the distance to its source is six ordinary days’ travel. The bed of the river here is rocky, except at the crossing-place, where it is a mixture of sand and gravel. The river abounds in fish, some of them very large: we saw several plunge and leap that appeared to be so large as to weigh 60 or 70 lb. The velocity of the stream is about four knots per hour.

In the afternoon got all the bundles carried over, and up the opposite bank, which very much fatigued the soldiers. When everything was carried over, I found the carpenter still more weakly and apparently dying. I therefore thought it best to leave him at Madina till the morning following. Went to the village, and hired a hut for him for six bars of amber, and gave the Dooty four bars, desiring him to make some of his people assist the soldier (whom I left to take care of the sick person) in burying him, if he died during the night. In the evening went to Satadoo, which is only one mile east of the river. As there was great appearance of rain, put all the baggage into one, and slept on the top of the bundles, leaving the other tent for the soldiers. We had a heavy tornado with much thunder and lightning.

June 9th
– In the morning the soldier, who had been left to take care of the sick man, returned, and informed us that he died at eight o’clock the preceding evening; and that with the assistance of the Negroes he had buried him in the place where the people of the village bury their dead. Purchased corn for the asses, and a large bullock for the people; likewise one ass.

Went into the town in the evening, and presented the Dooty with six bars, requesting a guide to Shrondo, which he readily granted. Satadoo is walled round, and contains about three hundred huts; it was formerly much larger.

Five of the soldiers, who did not go into the tent, but staid under the tree during the rain, complained much of headache and uneasiness at stomach.

June 10th
– The soldiers still sickly. Left Satadoo at sunrise: several of our canteens stolen during the night. This forenoon we travelled for more than two miles over white quartz, large lumps of which were lying all round; no other stone to be seen. Carried forwards a large skinful of water, being uncertain whether we should find any on the road. At eleven o’clock reached the bed of a stream flowing to the left, called Billalla, where we found some muddy water.

Resumed our journey at half-past three o’clock, and travelled over a hard rocky soil towards the mountains; many of the asses very much fatigued. The front of the coffle reached Shrondo at sunset; but being in the rear I had to mount one of the sick men on my horse, and assist in driving the fatigued asses; so that I did not reach the halting-place till eight o’clock, and was forced to leave four asses in the woods. Shrondo is but a small town. We halted as usual under a tree at a little distance; and before we could pitch one of the tents, we were overtaken by a very heavy tornado, which wet us all completely. In attempting to fasten up one of the tents to a branch of the tree, had my hat blown away, and lost. The ground all round was covered with water about three inches deep. We had another tornado about two o’clock in the morning.

The tornado which took place on our arrival had an instant effect on the health of the soldiers, and proved to us to be the
beginning of sorrow
. I had proudly flattered myself that we should reach the Niger with a very moderate loss; we had had two men sick of the dysentery: one of them recovered completely on the march, and the other would doubtless have recovered had he not been wet by the rain at Baniserile. But now the rain had set in, and I trembled to think that we were only half way through our journey. The rain had not commenced three minutes before many of the soldiers were affected with vomiting; others fell asleep, and seemed as if half intoxicated. I felt a strong inclination to sleep during the storm; and as soon as it was over I fell asleep on the wet ground, although I used every exertion to keep myself awake. The soldiers likewise fell asleep on the wet bundles.

June 11th
– Twelve of the soldiers sick. Went and waited on the Dooty, and presented him with five bars of amber, and two of beads, requesting his permission to go and look at the gold-mines, which I understood were in the vicinity. Having obtained his permission, I hired a woman to go with me, and agreed to pay her a bar of amber if she would show me a grain of gold. We travelled about half a mile west of the town, when we came to a small meadow spot of about four or five acres’ extent, in which were several holes dug resembling wells. They were in general about ten or twelve feet deep; towards the middle of the meadow spot the holes were deepest, and shallower towards the sides. Their number was about thirty, besides many old ones which had sunk down. Near the mouths of these pits were several other shallow pits, lined with clay, and full of rainwater: between the mine pits and these wash pits laid several heaps of sandy gravel. On the top of each was a stone; some of the stones white, others red, others black, etc These serve to distinguish each person’s property. I could see nothing peculiar in this gravel; some silicious pebbles as large as a pigeon’s egg, pieces of white and reddish quartz, iron stone, and killow, and a soft friable yellow stone, which crumbled to pieces by the fingers, were the chief minerals that I could distinguish. Besides the above there was a great portion of sand, and a yellow earth resembling
till
.