This little incident served as a lesson to me. I found that I must use greater caution, and that above all I must pretend to be very poor, that I might not excite rapacity.
Notwithstanding my reconciliation with the Mandingo merchants, I did not think it prudent to set out with them, and I sought a better opportunity of travelling through the Fouta-Dhialon. I thought that I had found one when I made acquaintance with a Mandingo, a very devout man, according to his own account, who was honoured with the title of sherif. I did not hesitate to ask leave to accompany him to Tembo, the capital of Fouta-Dhialon: he consented very readily, and, when I offered him a reward he replied, with downcast eyes, that whatever he did would be for the love of God and the prophet, and that there was only one thing which he should beg of me, and that was to obtain a passport from the governor of Sierra-Leone. In spite of my entreaties and all I could do, the governor had given me no answer on the day before that which we had fixed for our departure. I went to inform Ibrahim (for that was my guide’s name) of this unlucky circumstance, and he did not chuse to wait any longer for me. He hastened his journey, and took with him an Arabian dress that I had had made and left with him the evening before. As soon as I recollected this, I ran after the devout sherif and asked for my bundle: he pretended to be greatly surprised at first, and then, rubbing his forehead, exclaimed, with the air of a man who is vexed: “O, good God! those rogues of slaves have gone on before, and taken your clothes along with them; but be not uneasy, I will send them back to you.” The safest way would have been to have detained the thief by way of hostage; but it was dangerous for me to make enemies, and I allowed him to continue his journey, reflecting sorrowfully, as I returned home, upon the knavish disposition of my new African friends.
Since I had been at Freetown I had resumed the French costume. Perhaps, said I, these Moors have found out my imposture; I give myself out for an Arabian and a Musulman, without forsaking my European dress and habits; I cannot act my part completely unless I renounce them. I could not well effect this change at Sierra-Leone; for the white inhabitants, who were all acquainted with my person, would not have been more indulgent to me than those of St. Louis. I thought therefore of leaving Freetown, and proposed to go to a place where I might land in my Arabian dress without inconvenience. I fixed upon Kakondy, a village situated on the Rio Nuñez, fifty leagues to the north of Sierra-Leone, where I knew that there was no European establishment.
Before I set out for Kakondy, I converted my two thousand francs partly into specie and partly into merchandise. This was my whole fortune, but I meant to devote it all to the accomplishment of my project. I expended seventeen hundred francs in the purchase of gunpowder, paper, sundry glass wares, tobacco, amber, coral, silk handkerchiefs, knives, scissors, looking-glasses, cloves, three pieces of Guinea stuff, and an umbrella. All these goods formed a bundle of no great bulk; they did not weigh one hundred pounds, for I had bought but a small quantity of each article; the price of European goods being then high in all the colonies. I put into my girdle the rest of my two thousand francs, half in silver and half in gold. Thanks to the kindness of my friends at Sierra-Leone, I had no need to buy medicines; they furnished me with cream of tartar, jalap, calomel, and different kinds of salts, sulphate of quinine, diachylon plaister, and nitrate of silver.
Provided with all these useful things, and with two pocket compasses to direct me, and dressed in my Arabian costume, with my pockets filled with leaves torn out of the Koran, I embarked at Sierra-Leone on the 22nd of March, 1827, for Rio Nuñez, on board the schooner Thomas. The wind being foul we did not arrive at the mouth of the Rio Nuñez till the thirty-first of the month. I had here the good fortune to meet with a Frenchman of the name of Castagnet, who, though not acquainted with me, took me home with him, and promised that he would do all he could to forward my undertaking. He was then going to Rio Pongo, and as he was to be absent a fortnight, he begged me to defer my journey till he came back. I was glad to accede to this obliging request, for I was told that M. Castagnet owned one of the principal factories at Kakondy, where caravans from the interior were arriving daily, and particularly from Kankan, a part of the country which I was particularly anxious to visit. I must confess that this meeting with M. Castagnet was a most fortunate circumstance for me, and that the generous hospitality which I enjoyed in his house during my stay at Kakondy merits my everlasting gratitude.
On the 5th of April, I was conducted to Rebeca by Mr. Bethman, an English merchant, the proprietor of an establishment near M. Castagnet’s residence, and who had the kindness to introduce me to the presumptive heir of the Landamas, whose name is Macandé. The king had been dead for some months, and they were waiting for the rainy season to chuse a successor.
Mr. Tudsberry, who possesses a noble factory at the foot of the mountain, was so good as to accompany us to see the prince, who received us without ceremony in the corridor belonging to his house. This corridor is supported by pillars, and goes all round the premises.
The prince was informed in the Landamas language of the object of my journey, and my wish to visit the almamy of Fouta-Dhialon. The prince of the Landamas is not a Musulman; he drinks spirits, and so do his subjects. My visit did not appear to interest him much; he told me jokingly that he thought I was a christian; but they assured him of the contrary, and added, that I was a real Arab. He did not speak to me, but he could not take his eyes off my Arabian costume, which seemed to surprise him.
The news of my arrival, soon spread in the neighbourhood, and some of the inhabitants, attracted by curiosity, came to visit me. They all shook hands with me in token of peace. Amongst the crowd was a Mandingo, who had been settled for some time in that country; he had travelled amongst the Moors of the Senegal, and acquired some knowledge of the language, in which he asked me several questions. I answered them, and begged him to tell the prince that I had been taken prisoner by the christians when very young; that I had been long away from my native land; and that, being now free, I was returning to my relations. This Mandingo interpreted my words very faithfully, and told the prince and his ministers that they were very fortunate, and ought to thank God for having sent to them an Arab from the prophet’s own country, to open to them the gates of heaven; and lastly, that they had that day seen what their ancestors had never beheld. After this short conversation we took leave of the prince and returned to Mr. Tudsberry’s.
A few days before this time a caravan had arrived at Rebeca from Kankan, with a large quantity of gold. I soon made acquaintance with the chiefs; they were not a little surprised when they heard the object of my journey, and congratulated me on my attachment to Islamism, assuring me that the chief of Tembo would be happy to see me, and anxious to forward my plans. I said prayers with my new friends, after which they received me as a true Musulman, and gave me part of their supper, which consisted of boiled rice.
As it was then the time of the Ramadan, I pretended not to eat before sun-set. I did not sit down to table till towards night, and took nothing but some dried beef, which a Mandingo brought to me. As it was late, I spent the rest of the night at Mr. Tudsberry’s, who was extremely polite, and promised to do all in his power to assist me in penetrating into the interior.
On the 6th, we went to see Mr. Bethman’s factory, situate at the foot of a mountain, not far from Mr. Tudsberry’s. Here are deposited the remains of Major Peddie and four of his companions, victims, as I have already mentioned, to the unwholesome burning climate. Their graves, which are on a little terrace near the house, are shaded by two superb orange-trees. A little to the east is a rivulet, the clear waters of which form a cascade, and keep up the freshness of the vegetation around them. The grounds, which are delightful, are planted with orange-trees, citrons, banians, and fine bombaces, which afford an agreeable shade. From the top of the mountain a great extent of country is visible; with the windings of the Rio Nuñez, the picturesque banks of which heighten the effect of the landscape.
After this little excursion, I returned to the Mandingoes. The kindness which these worthy people had shewn me made me forget the vexations I had endured at Sierra-Leone, and inspired me with the hope of travelling in safety, and accomplishing my object without any serious obstacles.
The Ramadan obliged me to wait a few days for the great caravans which were to arrive after the fast, and with which I hoped to penetrate more easily into the interior. To make the best of my time, I endeavoured to gain information about the manners and habits of the Bagos, a small tribe who inhabit the isles at the mouth of the river, and of whom I had heard some very curious particulars; but before I give any account of them, I must take some notice of the Landamas and Nalous, who live in the neighbourhood of Rio Nuñez.
These tribes are entirely idolaters, or worshippers of fetishes. The Foulahs of Fouta-Dhialon have subjected them to their dominion, but they have chosen rather to become tributaries to the almamy,[41] than to renounce their ancient superstition and adopt Mahometanism.
The tribute is received by the chief of Labé, who forwards it to Tembo. The chief of the Landamas receives himself the tribute which his subjects destine for the almamy, every one contributing according to his means. The sovereignty remains always in the same family, but the son never succeeds his father; they choose, in preference, a son of the king’s sister, conceiving that by this method, the sovereign power is more sure to be transmitted to one of the blood royal; a precaution which shows how little faith is put in the virtue of the women of this country.
Amongst the tribes on the banks of the Rio Nuñez there is a secret society, not unlike that of the freemasons. It has a head, who is called the Simo; he makes laws, and they are executed under his authority. This Simo lives in the woods, and is never seen by the uninitiated; he is attended by pupils who are partly initiated in the mysteries. Sometimes he assumes the form of a pelican, sometimes he is wrapped up in the skins of wild beasts, and sometimes covered from head to foot with leaves, which conceal his real shape.
Novices may be initiated at several different times of the year. The families in several different villages, who wish to have their children admitted, collect all the boys between the ages of twelve and fourteen, and send for the Simo. He comes to the place in disguise, to circumcise the children, none but candidates being present at the operation; the ceremony is accompanied by a great feast, at the expense of the parents, who contribute according to their respective means. The feast lasts sometimes for several days; after it is over, the Simo withdraws to the woods, and takes with him the boys who have been initiated; from this time forward, they have no further communication with their relatives. They lead a pleasant idle life; provisions are bestowed upon them in abundance, and they dwell in huts made of the branches of trees, with no other clothing than a few palm leaves skilfully arranged, from the loins half way down the thighs, the head and the rest of the body being quite naked.
I have often seen them go by with two calabashes of palm-wine slung at the two ends of a stick, which they carried on their shoulder. They walk at a prodigious rate, and seem afraid of being seen. When the Simo or his disciples meet a stranger in the wood, they ask him for the watchword of the order; if the answer is correct, the stranger is admitted amongst them; if not, the master and his pupils, all armed with sticks and rods, attack him, and, after beating him severely, exact a high ransom. If an uncircumcised boy falls into their hands, they circumcise him and keep him, for the purpose of initiating him. They have no mercy upon women, whom they beat most cruelly, and, as I have been told, they are sometimes barbarous enough to kill them.
The young persons thus initiated lead this idle and vagabond life for seven or eight years; this period, it is said, is necessary for their instruction. When the parents are desirous of getting them back from the woods, they collect all the pagnes they can, and make with them a fine girdle, which they adorn with copper bells, and send it to their children with a present of tobacco and rum for the master. It is only at such times that the son shows himself in public.
The eve of this festival is celebrated in the woods, near the spot where he is to make his appearance, and he gives notice by his loud shouts that he means to be visible. Without this notice no person excepting the uninitiated durst look at him, for they are foolish enough to think it unlucky, and if they were to feel ill after it, they would not fail to ascribe it to the unfortunate glance.
On the festival day, the Simo again announces his approach by frightful howlings, which are imitated by his pupils with cows’ horns. They are all armed with whips, in token of their authority. Those who have been formerly initiated, and reside in the neighbouring villages, collect and join in the rejoicings. They dress themselves in their best apparel, and, preceded by the music of the country, march at the head of the troop. After having complimented the Simo, they make him a little present, and conduct him in triumph to the village, with the sound of the tomtom. Those who are present accompany the music with their monotonous singing and fire off guns. The women also assemble, singing, and bearing each a calabash of rice, which they fling at the Simo, by way of offering, amid dances and shouts of joy.
These festivals are usually very gay: much palm-wine and rum are drunk, sheep and oxen are killed, and there is great feasting, which lasts several days. When all this rejoicing is over, the children whose parents cannot afford to make presents to the Simo return with him into the woods, and continue the same course of life for seven or eight years longer. When they are old enough to be serviceable, however, they are allowed to help their parents, at the approach of the rainy season, to work in the fields; after which they return to the woods and the master employs them in cultivating his land.
When the initiated return to their families, they set up before their doors a tree, or merely a stake, at the end of which is suspended a small piece of stuff, most commonly white. The tree or stake, whichever it may happen to be, is a gift from the master, in return for the handsome present which he has received.
They give the name of Simo to this tree or stake, and it becomes their tutelar deity; they respect and fear it so much, that, to prevent any one from going to a particular spot, it is only necessary to set up a Simo before it. They also swear by it, and believe that a false oath would draw upon them the vengeance of this mysterious demon; they are even afraid of lying lest they should provoke its interference.
If any thing is owing to them, or if any one has taken from them some article which they cannot recover, they piously address their prayers to this bit of wood, and offer it a sacrifice of rice, honey, or palm-wine, firing off a gun at its foot. This is a species of complaint which they make to the Simo, to petition for redress. From this time, if any of the debtor’s family should fall sick, it is ascribed to the agency of the Simo; the relations in a fright hasten to discharge the debt, to return what has been stolen, or to make reparation if any insult has been offered.
They believe in sorcery and witchcraft; whoever is suspected of sorcery is forthwith delivered to the Simo, who acts as chief magistrate. The accused is questioned, and if he confesses, he is condemned to pay a fine; if, on the other hand, he maintains his innocence, he is compelled to drink a liquor made with the bark of a tree which gives to water a beautiful red colour. The accused and the accuser are obliged to swallow the same medicine, or rather poison; they must drink it fasting and entirely naked, except that the accused is allowed a white pagne, which he wraps round his loins. The liquor is poured into a small calabash, and the accuser and accused are forced to take an equal quantity, until, unable to swallow more, they expel it or die. If the poison is expelled by vomiting, the accused is innocent, and then he has a right to reparation; if it passes downwards, he is deemed not absolutely innocent; and if it should not pass at all at the time, he is judged to be guilty.
I have been assured that few of these wretched creatures survive this ordeal; they are compelled to drink so large a dose of the poison, that they die almost immediately. If however, the family of the accused consent to pay an indemnity, the unhappy patient is excused from drinking any more liquor; he is then put into a bath of tepid water, and by the application of both feet to the abdomen they make him cast up the poison which he has swallowed.
This cruel ordeal is employed for all sorts of crimes. The consequence is, that though it may sometimes lead to the confession of crimes, it also induces the innocent to acknowledge themselves guilty, rather than submit to it.
It is not lawful either to quarrel or fight near the places which are inhabited by the mystical magistrate. When war is to be carried on in the neighbourhood, notice is given to the Simo and his retinue to retire. If two adversaries were to fight while he was near, they would be forced immediately to take him a present as a reparation for having disturbed him; if they were to omit this, they would fancy that some great calamity was continually impending over them.
When they carry their gift to the Simo, they are obliged to turn their backs to him, and put their hands over their eyes; he receives the offering, pronounces a long prayer, and picks up a little earth, which he throws at them in token of absolution. After this ridiculous ceremony, the disturbers of the Simo’s peace returned perfectly satisfied. During the few days that I was at Kakondy, I heard the Simo and his attendants howling horribly while dancing.
Polygamy is practised amongst the Landamas and Nalous, who may be said to inhabit the same country; the husbands have not only many lawful wives, but as many concubines as they can afford to keep. I have been told that the rich have sometimes so many as two hundred which I should think is a great exaggeration. This custom among these idolatrous nations proceeds no doubt from this, that the mothers do not suffer their husbands to approach them till their children are able to walk. It is very remarkable, that good order and perfect harmony prevail among all these women who are called to share the same conjugal couch.
They are not all faithful to their husbands; but when a man suspects that one of his wives is false he compels her by the fear of the Simo to confess who has been the partner of her guilt. The woman seldom holds out long against his questions and threats; the fear of being subjected to the ordeal of the magistrate of the woods forces her to confess her fault and to discover her paramour. From that moment the latter becomes the slave of the husband, who sells him without pity to the negro merchants, or to any other negroes of the country.
A young man has no need of the consent of the female whom he loves to obtain her hand; he takes care to gain over to his interest an old woman and an old man, whom he employs to convey a present to the parents of the girl, in order to incline them to give a favorable reception to his proposals. Should this offer be accepted, he continues to pay his court to the relations of his intended by these means, until, having obtained their consent, he sends a final present of rum, tobacco, stuffs, and colat-nuts,[42] which are very common on the banks of the Rio Nuñez, and which must always be of different colours. The father of the girl takes two of the colat-nuts, one white, the other red; he cuts them in two and throws the half of each into the air, to draw thence a favourable omen. After having examined the manner in which they have fallen, and being satisfied upon this point, he calls his daughter, who is not yet informed of the steps, taken to obtain her, and indeed very often does not know the lover who has applied for her. He makes her eat a little of each of the colat-nuts from which the omen has been drawn, and informs her, before the persons present, that she is to become the wife of him who has sent the presents; and the same day, without consulting her inclination the unfortunate creature is led to the home of a husband whom she will, perhaps, never love.
She is conducted thither by the old people who were charged with the preliminary negociations, and followed by a crowd of her young friends, who rejoice and sing her praises. The old woman is appointed to prepare the hut in which the new-married couple are to dwell. After taking away every thing belonging to the master of the cabin, she puts upon the bed a pair of very white pagnes to receive the happy pair the first night of their marriage; next day these pagnes are presented to the bridal party, who pass them from hand to hand, singing and dancing in honour of the chastity of the young bride. This ceremony always takes place to the sound of rustic music and lively songs which render the spectacle more animated. These festivities generally last two or three days. The parents of the new couple never attend them; they do not visit their children till a week after the marriage.
On the seventh day after the birth of a child there are great rejoicings; it is not till then that the mother begins to go out of the house. During this interval she remains shut up to bestow all her attentions on the new-born babe. That period being elapsed, the parents sacrifice an ox, and both night and day are passed in dancing.
Amongst the Landamas and Nalous, death also claims its sacrifices. On the day of interment, the relations kill a sheep and sprinkle the grave with its blood. This ceremony is proceeded by several discharges of musquetry at the grave; the sheep is afterwards divided amongst the neighbours. A month after the decease a second funeral ceremony is celebrated; such of the relations as are rich in herds kill several oxen, and all the inhabitants of the village are admitted to the feast, which often lasts several days.
These festivals are enlivened alternately by the wild music and the simple dances of the natives, and also by the fumes of palm-wine. The Landamas and Nalous take great pleasure in these amusements, and they will even deprive themselves of the necessaries of life to support the expense of their sacrifices.
The food of these uncivilized tribes consists chiefly of rice boiled in water, to which they sometimes add the fruit of the palm-tree, from which they are too idle to express the oil. They seldom eat fish, for they have not skill to catch it; but they rear poultry, sheep, and goats. They have few cattle, and still fewer horses; I saw only a single ass whilst I was at Kakondy.
These tribes carry on very little trade, for they sell nothing but salt, which they buy of the Bagos. For the rest, they are extremely indolent, and consequently work very little. Most of them do nothing but clear the ground for the purpose of sowing rice, or planting cassava, and they do not even take the trouble to break it up, though it would be more productive, if they would bestow a little labour upon it.
As they are not disciples of Mahomet, they drink a great quantity of spirits; and the palm-trees which abound in their country supply them with abundance of a very sweet wine. The fruit which they call caura also affords an agreeable beverage, when bruised and fermented with water; it is intoxicating, and I have been told that it very much resembles cyder. They sometimes eat the pulp of this fruit; for the idle (and these form the majority of them) have no other resource for satisfying their appetite. They have another liquor, called jin-jin-di, made with the root of a plant of the same name; this they burn, and then mix with the bark of a tree (which I could never get any body to shew me); the whole being pounded together, they pour water upon it and stir it briskly for a couple of hours: after having left it to ferment for two or three days, they draw it off into another vessel; it thus acquires a sweet and agreeable flavour. It is always drunk at feasts and entertainments, because it promotes digestion. The root jin-jin-di is also used, without any admixture, as an excellent aperient medicine.
The Landamas and the Nalous inhabit straw huts, like those of other negroes in the interior of Africa; these huts are small and dirty. Their costume varies much. I have seen numbers of them in the neighbourhood of Kakondy with breeches like Europeans, a pagne over their shoulders, and a hat on their head; others again without breeches, with a vest and a coussabe. The women wear pagnes.
The soil near the banks of the Rio Nuñez is fertile; all the trees which flourish in the colonies would grow there if they were cultivated. The natives, accustomed to live in idleness, in their hot and even scorching climate, do not trouble themselves with any thing of the kind; the Europeans alone have gardens.
Bees are very common in this part of the country, and the inhabitants are fond of honey, which they obtain by placing hives in the trees. To get at the honey without accident, they let down the hive, by means of a rope, to a certain distance from the ground, and light under it a great fire of damp herbs; the smoke drives away the bees, and the negroes are left masters of the hive. The wax which they make is sold to the Europeans.
Bees are so numerous, that it is not uncommon for them to swarm into the huts and drive out the inhabitants; recourse is then had to smoke to dislodge them. The short time that I passed at Kakondy not permitting me to visit the Bagos, I shall just relate what I was told of those people.
These negroes are idolaters, and they have hitherto preserved their independence. Their vicinity to the islands off the coast, and the facility with which they can transport themselves thither, may have prevented the almamy of Fouta-Dhialon from disturbing their tranquillity. They dwell near the mouth of the river; and this country, which is flat and fertile, affords abundance of rich pasturage for their numerous cattle. It is singular that this tribe, who are in many respects stupid enough, have never found out the great advantage there would be in milking their cows and ewes; their cattle however prosper, and they do not lose as many as the negroes who are accustomed to milk them.
The Bagos are very different in their manners from the Landamas their neighbours. They are more industrious, and consequently more prosperous; they inhabit a fertile country, which they cultivate with care; their principal produce is rice. They contrive to plough their fields in the European manner; and the instrument which they use for this purpose is a kind of wooden coulter two feet long, with a handle of six or seven feet.
As the country is flat, they take care to form channels to drain off the water. When the inundation is very great, they take advantage of it to fill their little reservoirs, that they may provide against the drought and supply the rice with the moisture which it requires.
They are also accustomed to sow the rice close to their villages, and then transplant it into their fields when it has risen to the height of six inches. This is the business of the women, who also weed it. The men get in the harvest which is very abundant. In this lovely country, so rich in natural advantages, the women are in the habit of going naked all their lives; young and old, without distinction, have no other dress than a single strip of calico, seven or eight feet long, and five inches wide, which they wind round their waist, and pass between the thighs. These poor creatures perform all the work of the house; they cook, and labour in the fields and at the salt-pits.
The Bagos buy salt, and sell it with a profit to the Europeans who trade with Kakondy, receiving in exchange piece-goods, tobacco, rum, glass-ware, and other trifles.
The women who are employed at the salt-works collect, at the ebb tide, the earth which is most impregnated with salt, and make heaps of it. After this first operation, they make large vessels or jars, of the earth mixed with straw, and pour into them water, which, in filtering through the earth, carries off all the saline particles. This water is afterwards poured into large coppers, in which it is boiled till nothing remains but the salt. Being collected into heaps, it is then sold to the inhabitants of Kakondy, who have a great market for it in the Fouta.
The rain, which falls in torrents in the wet season, does not prevent the Bagos from attending to their affairs. Both men and women have a little mat, two feet and a half long and one foot wide, through which they pass a string which they tie round their heads, and this serves as a protection from the rain: this species of umbrella also skreens them from the sun. The women use it also to shelter their children, whom they carry constantly on their backs, from the burning heat of the sun. They take part of the strip of cotton which covers their loins to tie the child to their bodies: and this troublesome burden does not prevent them from working. Whilst they are young they shave their heads entirely. When they are taken in labour, they lie down on the ground even before a stranger, and bring forth without a groan. As soon as the child is born, they go and wash it in the river, and then resume their usual occupations, as if nothing had happened.
The Bagos are accustomed to marry their children at a very early age; they are sometimes contracted at seven or eight years old. From the moment when a marriage is agreed upon, the father of the boy is obliged, if he has a daughter of his own, to exchange her for the girl who is promised to his son; if he has none, application is made to the lad’s relations, who never refuse to comply with the demand.
When the young people are once engaged in the manner I have mentioned, they live in the same house, and are brought up together, with the knowledge that they are designed for one another; from that time the lad brings his intended every morning a large calabash full of palm-wine, with which his parents supply him till he is capable of making the wine himself.
The children naturally live very happily together, and the marriage is not celebrated till the girl is eleven or twelve years old. Great rejoicings are made on the occasion, and an ox is killed to regale the guests, who are always very numerous.
From the time that the children come together to the celebration of the marriage, the lad furnishes the relations of his future wife with two calabashes of palm-wine every day, one in the morning, the other at night.
The girl, who on such occasions is given in exchange to be useful to the parents who have lost their daughter, leaves them when she is to be betrothed to go and live with her future husband; the adoption is, in fact, only as a compensation for services. Men are not obliged to find substitutes: like the Landamas, they have many wives; but they marry them after considerable intervals.
The Bagos also offer sacrifices at the birth of a child and at the death of a relation. When the head of a family dies, it is very common to burn every thing that is in the house. The goods are packed in boxes, and, before they are thrown into the fire, the virtues of the deceased are enumerated, with some such addition as the following: “See how industrious he has been; how well he has managed his affairs! try to imitate him, that you may be as fortunate as he was.” The riches, all the while, may probably consist of a European hat, trowsers, shirts, and a few other articles of the kind, which he never wore in his life. The bed of the deceased is held in great reverence, and at the foot of this wretched pallet a hole is dug, six feet deep, in which the corpse is buried upright; a fire is kindled over his head every night, and his relations come and talk to him under the idea that he hears what they say.
The family of the deceased, who are ruined by this act of superstition, are supported till the next harvest by the inhabitants of the village; for even their rice is not saved from the flames.
This beautiful and fertile country produces abundance of palms, from which they obtain a great quantity of oil: this they are very fond of, and use in their cookery. It is with this oil also that they anoint their bodies and heads; they even besmear their clothes with it: they are, consequently, very filthy, and smell of palm-oil to a great distance.
They wear nothing but a pagne round their loins; and though they have all the materials for clothing at hand, they will not take the trouble to use them. They wear a copper ring suspended from the cartilage of the nose, and ornament their ears with several rings of the same kind. The women have no other ornament than a few beads.
These people are considered thieves by their neighbours; and yet they are very hospitable, which seems scarcely compatible with the vice of which they are accused. They never see a stranger without inviting him to share their repast, and it would be almost an insult to refuse them; they consider it as a kind of contempt, and are much hurt at it. They are warlike, and are often at war among themselves. Whole families sometimes fight to settle their own quarrels, or even those of their ancestors. They are armed with poniards, and defend themselves very skilfully against the blows of their adversaries with large shields made of elephant’s hide. I have been assured that they are not accustomed to make slaves, but kill their prisoners without mercy.
The Bagos have no king; each village is governed by the oldest of the inhabitants, who settles their disputes, though they have, like the Landamas, a Simo, who performs the functions of chief magistrate upon important occasions.
They are a jovial people, and fond of drinking; persons of both sexes often assemble round a large calabash of palm-wine, and do not leave it till it is empty. They are great eaters, and their diet principally consists of dried fish, swimming in palm-oil, which renders it so disgusting, that a European could not touch it. When they kill a sheep, they mix the skin and entrails, unwashed, with the stews which they make: they also eat snakes, lizards, and the monkeys which they catch.
The Bagos never visit their neighbours, neither have they occasion to do so, for their own country produces abundance of every thing requisite for the subsistence of any really temperate man. They cannot imagine that any nation is better off, and believe themselves superior in every respect to all others. I could not gain any information as to their ideas of the Deity; that they have some idea of a Supreme Being, however, is certain; for when they hear thunder they dance and sing, to a drum, and say that God is rejoicing, and that they rejoice with him.[43]
Their houses are large and convenient; many families live together, and the members of each sleep upon the same bed; with the exception, however, of the head of the family, who has a bed to himself. The women never eat with the men; each has her own dish and eats in private; the boys also eat by themselves. The men are very good swimmers, and they have canoes made out of a single tree, which serve them for crossing from one island to another.
The Bagos are quite black, with curly hair; they shave the front of the head, and let the hair grow at the back; anointing it with palm-oil, which makes it look very much like sheep’s wool. When the men go to Kakondy on business, they put on trowsers and a European hat; but, as soon as they return, they lay this costume aside, and resume the pagne.
CHAPTER VI.
Departure of the author on his great expedition. — Manners and customs of his travelling companions, and account of the caravans in this part of Africa. — The Caura. — Mountains of Lantégué. — River of Doulinca. — Smelting of iron. — Rio Pongo. — Mountain of Touma. — Description of Irnanké and its inhabitants. — Telewel. — Cataract of Cocouo. — Orange trees.
The information which I have just been communicating to the reader was acquired in M. Castagnet’s absence, and by the help of some excursions that I took with Mr. Bethman and Mr. Tudsberry in the neighbourhood of Kakondy. I was endeavouring to arrange the notes that I had made respecting the Nalous, the Landamas, and the Bagos, when M.Castagnet returned. He was so good as to turn his attention immediately to my journey, and gave me much useful advice respecting my conduct amongst the tribes whom I intended to visit. He furnished me with all the particulars that had come to his knowledge concerning their manners, their jealousy, and their distrust of Europeans; and thinking that this was not sufficient, and that he had not done enough to oblige me, he sent for some Mandingoes, who deservedly enjoyed a considerable reputation in the neighbourhood for their probity, experience, and wealth. He endeavoured to persuade these Mandingoes to accompany me to Timbuctoo; and he communicated to them the object of my journey, with many encomiums upon my love of my country; he had expatiated on the courage displayed by so young a man in braving such dangers to return to his kindred: then, gradually unfolding the tale of my Egyptian origin, he endeavoured to interest their feelings in my behalf, and to secure their assistance. In vain did M. Castagnet exert his eloquence; they were perfectly indifferent till he promised to reward them for any thing they should do for me; then indeed, they showed great zeal to serve me, and protested, every one of them, that they would treat me like their own son.
They made some remarks upon the difficulties and fatigue which I should have to endure and which I might not have strength to sustain; but, upon my reply that I was determined to bear every thing, that I might return to my country, they fixed a day for our departure. M. Castagnet gave them the value of an ox in merchandise, and the Mandingoes, as they had promised, procured a slave to carry my small bundle. These arrangements were speedily terminated.
On the 19th of April, I took leave of M. Castagnet; and—shall I confess it?—I shed tears at parting from this generous friend; my regret at leaving him, however, sincere as it was, could not damp the joy which I felt in undertaking a journey upon which my mind had been bent for so many years.
Our caravan consisted of five free Mandingoes, three slaves, my Foulah porter, my guide, and his wife. All except the last two and myself carried enormous burdens.
We travelled along the left bank of the river Nuñez, and in two hours arrived at Mr. Bethman’s factory. I again saw the graves of Major Peddie and other officers of the same expedition, and was seized with an involuntary shudder at the thought that the same fate perhaps awaited me; these sad forebodings vanished however on leaving the tombs, and gave way to hopes of a happier issue.
At nine in the morning we directed our course S.S.E. Ibrahim my guide, to whom I had given several articles stopped all of a sudden, and told me, by means of a negro who could speak English, that he should be obliged to make a great many presents on the way, and that he was afraid after all I should never get safe to Fouta-Dhialon, on account of my fair complexion. This reflection appeared to come a little too late, but I understood the purport of it, when he added in good Arabic that I must give him a piece of cloth.
It would have been dangerous to encourage his importunity, so I pretended that I did not know what he said, and went on in the same direction without giving him any thing. We found the soil composed of red earth, and rather stony, but covered with most beautiful vegetation; the nédé[44] in particular is very abundant. We came to a group of Mandingoes and Foulahs seated under some large trees; they were quarrelling with one another, and looking out for the customary presents. There is such a competition in the Kakondy trade, that the proprietors of each factory send couriers before the caravans to make presents to the dealers and to draw them to themselves; if they are numerous, an ox is killed on their arrival at the factory, and they are supplied with rice all the time the traffic lasts: when they are about to return a present is made them, and they are furnished with provision for the journey. So great is the competition that the merchants will even sell their goods without profit.
As I proceeded, I found the face of the country broken by stony hillocks, covered with large trees which formed a most picturesque and varied landscape. The heat was beginning to be painful; our porters were fatigued, and we halted near a pretty rivulet, with the limpid and delicious water of which we quenched our thirst. We had then travelled nearly twelve miles to the east. We kindled a fire; the negro slaves went in quest of wood, and my guide’s wife prepared to cook our dinner.
Throughout all Africa, the merchants have adopted the plan of taking one of their wives with them to cook for the caravan. These unhappy creatures are loaded with earthen pots, calabashes, salt, &c.; in short, they are compelled to carry the heaviest burdens, whilst their husbands walk at their ease.
On our way we joined many Foulahs loaded with salt, who were going to Fouta; we afterwards met others carrying leather, wax, and rice; they were going to Kakondy to buy salt. I was very much surprised to see these poor Foulahs and Mandingoes, who were carrying nearly a hundred weight on their heads, walk with the greatest rapidity, and climb the Irnanké mountains with the utmost agility. They carry a staff in their hands to assist them in supporting their burden, which is packed in a long basket made of thin and flexible pieces of wood; this basket is about three feet long, and one foot wide and deep. When the goods are stowed in it, the lid is put down, and the whole tightly secured with cords made of the bark of trees. If the bearers are weary, they rest one end of the basket upon the branch of a tree, and support the other with their staff; thus loaded, they travel to the Kankan to sell their salt. We seated ourselves under the shades of a superb bombax to take our slender repast, consisting of boiled rice, and pistachio-nuts parched and pounded, to which they added a little palm-oil. The six free Mandingoes and I placed ourselves round the calabash containing our dinner, and each in turn took a handful of rice; the slaves and my porter ate together, and the women dined alone.
When they halt, as well as on the road, the women have all the labour; the husband lies down on dry leaves or straw, which his slaves carry for his accommodation. After this frugal repast, I lay down too for a few moments. Several of the Foulahs, who had joined us on our road, gave me some of the fruit of the nédé, which is very common in this part of Africa, and very useful to travellers; it has a great deal of nourishment in it, and helps to save the rice which is destined for the purchase of salt.
About half-past two we were again on our way, proceeding to the S.E. over the same kind of soil as in the morning. After travelling about seven miles in this direction, we arrived near a deep ravine, where we halted to pass the night. One of the slaves went to fetch water, and our cook fell to work.
The Foulahs, who had been told that I was an Arab, shewed a sort of veneration for me, and were never weary of looking at me and pitying me: their extreme devotion renders them very charitable: they came and sat by me, taking my legs upon their knees and rubbing them to relieve my fatigue. “Thou must suffer sadly,” said they, “because thou art not used to such a toilsome journey.” One of them went and fetched some leaves to make me a bed. “Here!” said he, “this is for thee; for thou canst not sleep upon the stones, as we do.” Lying upon my bed of leaves, I felt as happy and as much at my ease as if I had been in my own apartment.
The sky was serene. The heat of the day had been succeeded by a refreshing breeze, and every thing was exceedingly pleasant.
Several Foulahs gave me a little rice, and I was the more grateful for it as this was all they had to give. The Mandingoes too were exceedingly kind and attentive to me, and endeavoured to anticipate all my wishes.
Prudence required me to retire to the woods to write and arrange my notes. I observed this precaution throughout the whole of my journey; for every observation that dropped from those by whom I was surrounded convinced me how dangerous it would be to rouse their suspicion.
My guide, Ibrahim, though of a touchy disposition, was, upon the whole very kind to me. He conducted me in safety through the Fouta, notwithstanding his repeated threats to take me back to Timbo, where he knew that the almamy would have me arrested.
At five in the morning of the 20th of April, we resumed our journey, directing our course eastward. We passed near a charming rivulet, which ran in a southerly direction, between two hills, over a bed of rocks. After proceeding nine miles we halted, about eleven o’clock, on the banks of the Tankilita, a rivulet which my companions gave out to be the Rio Nuñez.
About half past one in the afternoon, we set out and travelled E.N.E. We passed near the little village of Oréous, which is inhabited by Foulahs, who rear a considerable number of sheep. This village is situated on the slope of a high mountain, which is covered with beautiful vegetation. We proceeded eastward seven miles, over a stony mountainous tract of country, interspersed with large trees. The nédé and the bombax grow here abundantly. At sun-set we halted at the foot of a stony hillock, where there is a very deep ravine, on the margin of which are some extremely agreeable spots: there we passed the night. My companions again made me a bed of leaves; but I declined the accommodation, being fearful of the ill effects of the coolness and damp, proceeding from this couch of verdure after the excessive heat of the day. I therefore preferred lying on the stones, enveloped in my wrapper.
At five o’clock on the morning of the 21st, we again started. We proceeded seven or eight miles amidst stony hillocks, which rendered our journey exceedingly fatiguing. At length we passed near a village inhabited by slaves who are employed in agriculture. All villages of this kind receive the general denomination of ourondé: the particular name of the one which we passed is Sancoubadialé.
About ten in the morning, we halted near a little spring shaded by lofty trees, which seemed to rear their majestic heads to the very clouds. The spring is in a ravine, forty or fifty feet deep, and surrounded by huge masses of quartz. The neighbourhood is inhabited by numbers of red apes, who come to the spring to drink. Two of these animals, which spied me, suddenly stopped and began to bark like dogs. They advanced upon me and as I was unprovided with any defensive weapon, I must confess that I felt somewhat alarmed. Fortunately, however, at this moment I perceived two Mandingoes of our party, who were coming to fetch some water. At their approach, the apes ran off to the woods, and we were left in undisturbed possession of the spring. About noon, we again resumed our course, proceeding to south east. Our road was less stony than it had been during the morning, but it was interspersed with hillocks, which obliged us to make frequent windings. The country was covered with large trees, the shade of which skreened us from the excessive heat of the day. I observed many wild fig-trees, and a sort of plum-tree, which the negroes call caura. This tree bears a very good fruit, it is shaped like a plum. The pellicle is reddish and marked with somewhat lighter spots. Beneath the pellicle is a pulp, which is very agreeable to the taste. It is not more than four lines thick, and it envelops a kernel as large as that of the peach. The negroes are very fond of this fruit.
After proceeding about nine miles, we passed the ruins of a village, and then continued for a mile and a half in the same direction. The road became more stony than hitherto; and at three in the afternoon, we arrived, greatly fatigued, at the village of Daourkiwar, or Daour-Kiwarat, where we passed the night. This village contains about four hundred inhabitants, partly Foulahs and partly Mandingoes. It is situated near a lake, the water of which is very good. This lake is surrounded by bombaces, plum-trees, and a few naucleas. We gathered and ate the plums, which we found delicious.
On the 22d, at five in the morning, we continued our journey in the direction of E.S.E. On the slope of a mountain, about three hundred and fifty, or four hundred feet high, we discerned the pretty Dhialonké village, called Lom-bar, which lay to our right. We next reached the little hill, on which is situated a second Daourkiwar village. The soil here is very good and susceptible of much higher cultivation. We proceeded onwards to some distance, and, having descended a mountain, we found a little stream, on the bank of which we halted. The stream flows through an extensive plain, which is surrounded by well wooded hills. These hills are composed of a red kind of earth, which might be rendered highly productive by cultivation. The road during the morning had been exceedingly stony and fatiguing; and, as my sandals galled me, I was obliged to take them off and walk barefoot; but the stones hurt my feet still more. I remarked that all the trees and shrubs were scorched with the heat of the sun. The environs were covered with reeds, which the natives use in building their huts. Some rice was boiled in water for our dinner; and after this frugal repast we again started about half-past twelve o’clock. We ascended the mountain, proceeding eastward; the path was very stony and nearly blocked up by the roots of trees. On reaching the level top of the hill we rested a little, and afterwards pursued our journey to the S.E. The road now became more agreeable than it had been during the morning. We found many caura trees, and amused ourselves in gathering the fruit; and, after travelling six miles, we arrived, at five in the evening, much fatigued, at Coussotami, a pretty little village, situated on a hill. Bananas were brought to us; we purchased them for a few glass beads. Some Foulahs of the village, being informed of my arrival, came to see me, and, as it was night, they lighted a taper made of a kind of wax, which is found in great abundance among these hills. During the night we lay down beneath some trees, upon the stones which covered the ground.
On the 23d of April, about five in the morning, we left Coussotami. Proceeding eastward, we passed a dry ravine, surrounded by trees, forming the most romantic groups. The aspect of the country was generally pleasing. Advancing to the S.E., we arrived in a beautiful valley covered with rich pasture, and next reached a deep ravine, the passage of which we found exceedingly difficult, owing to many large blocks of granite which we were obliged to climb over. This ravine brought us to the foot of a mountain, five or six hundred feet high, which we ascended by a circuitous route, and, after journeying about four or five miles, we reached its summit. Here, being greatly fatigued, we made a halt. About one in the afternoon we again started, and proceeded about four miles in the direction of E.S.E. We now reached a pretty little stream, whose limpid waters flow over a bed of granite: its course is from south to N.N.E. The natives call it Naufomou, and they informed me that it emptied itself into the Rio Nuñez. We seated ourselves for a short time on the margin of this stream, and ate some little cakes made of rice-flour, mixed with honey and allspice, and baked in the sun. I thought them very good. The Mandingo and Foulah traders always take care to provide themselves with these cakes for their journeys. We next passed Dougué, a pretty village, containing three or four hundred inhabitants, Foulahs and Dhialonkés. It is situated in a plain of grey sand, which might be rendered very fertile by cultivation. This plain is surrounded by high hills, which afford fine pasturage. We stopped near a spring to pass the night. The little village of Mirayé is situated on the declivity of a high mountain, a mile S.E. of Dougué. Several Foulah shepherds who were tending their flocks in the neighbourhood came to see us, and sold us what they call cagnan: this is a sort of small loaves or rolls, made of pistachio-nuts, baked and pounded, then mixed with maize, and sweetened with honey. These loaves form a portion of their provision when travelling. I observed a young Foulah who gazed at me very stedfastly: he invited me to go with him to his camp, where he said he would give me some milk. As I did not like to go alone, he requested some of my fellow-travellers to accompany me, which two of them readily consented to do. The young man walked before to shew us the way, and he took the trouble to remove some large pieces of stone which obstructed our path. On reaching his camp, which was not far from the place of our halt, he spread out a bullock’s hide, upon which he begged me to seat myself. The camp consisted of five or six straw huts of a roundish form, and so exceedingly low that it was necessary to stoop nearly double to get into them. The furniture consisted of a few mats and sheep-skins, and calabashes to hold milk: the bed was composed of four stakes fixed in the ground, supporting long planks of wood, which were covered with a bullock’s hide. He went to fetch his old mother and sisters to see me. He told them that I was an Arab, a countryman of the Prophet’s, going to Mecca. They looked at me with great interest, and, making several gestures, exclaimed, La allah il allah, Mahommed rasoul oullahi (There is no god but God, and Mahomet is his prophet) to which I replied according to the usual form. They seated themselves at a little distance from me that they might view me at their ease. The young Foulah went to fetch me some milk in a calabash, which he washed, an extraordinary ceremony in this part of the world; and he afterwards brought me a little fried meat: I requested him to eat with me, but, pointing with his finger to the moon, he said, smiling, and with an air of timidity, “I fast; it is the Ramadan.”
From this little camp we discerned the village of Mirayé, situated on the declivity of a high hill, apparently thickly wooded. The village is inhabited partly by Foulahs and partly by Dhialonkés, all Mahometans. We took our leave of the hospitable young Foulah, and returned to our halting place, where we found some of our party returning from Dougué, whither they had been to purchase rice for our journey. We slept in some little huts, made of branches of trees, covered with straw. These huts served to shelter travellers in rainy weather, for the village of Dougué lies at some distance from the road.
At four in the morning of the 24th of April, our caravan again moved forward. We proceeded eastward, along a pleasant road covered with fine gravel, and soon reached a stony mountain, which we ascended. In turning another mountain, seven or eight hundred feet high, we almost made the round of the compass. We then came to a beautiful valley, watered by a large rivulet, which the natives call Bangala: it runs from N. to S. We proceeded E.S.E. for the distance of half a mile. We then ascended a mountain of the same height as that just mentioned, and exceedingly steep. On reaching the summit we descended the other side by a very rapid slope, and, at eleven in the morning, we halted in a fine valley, near a spring surrounded by hillocks. We took our dinner beneath the shade of a bombax. At one in the afternoon we proceeded to the S.S.E. still across mountains. We passed near the huts of some Foulah herdsmen. When we were about four miles from the place where we had stopped to dine, we were overtaken by a violent storm. The thunder roared tremendously, and the rain poured in torrents. We took shelter in the herdsmen’s huts. The storm lasted nearly two hours and a half. When it was over we journeyed onward to Dongol, a small slave village,[45] about a mile and a half from the herdsmen’s huts. It was about three in the afternoon when we reached this place. The hospitable chief of the village received us very kindly. He sent me a supper of rice and sour milk, to which he added a little melted butter. The village contains about three hundred inhabitants, and it has a mosque of the same form as the huts.
At five in the morning of the 25th of April, we took leave of our host, to whom my guide, Ibrahim, gave a little salt. Our road lay to the S.E. We descended the hill on which the village is situated, and then crossed a very fertile plain. We arrived at a chain of mountains called, by the natives, Lantégué. It extends from N.E. to S. Each of these mountains rises perpendicularly to the height of nearly two hundred fathoms, and they exhibit scarcely any trace of vegetation. We soon found ourselves surrounded by large blocks of grey granite of a pyramidal form, resembling the ruins of an ancient castle. Having penetrated into the gorges of these mountains, which are composed of beautiful grey granite, we forded the rivulet called the Doulinca, which flows rapidly over a bed of granite from east to south. The water was more than knee-deep. We next proceeded to the distance of a mile over a fertile and very beautiful plain, surrounded by large rocks of grey granite. Large bamboos grow in the clefts of these enormous rocks. We again crossed the Doulinca, near a point where it falls in a cascade, the pleasing murmur of which charms the ear of the weary traveller. I seated myself for a few moments on the banks of the rivulet, while the poor negroes were reposing at a little distance, and I contemplated with admiration the beautiful scene around me. Though interspersed with mountains this district is fertile in the utmost degree, and it is watered by numerous streams and rivulets, which keep the verdure constantly fresh. The mountains are inhabited by Foulah herdsmen, who live secluded from all other society. The milk of their cattle, together with the rice which they cultivate, suffices for their support. I did not see a wild beast among these mountains. The country, which seems to be favoured by nature, is inhabited by numerous birds, whose plumage exhibits an endless variety of colours. I saw many of the same species as those found on the banks of the Senegal. We resumed our journey, and passed the huts of some Foulahs, who brought us milk. I bought some for a few glass beads. They looked at me with manifestations of earnest curiosity, and they said they had never seen a Moor so white as I was. On leaving them we found ourselves in a valley formed of two hills of granite. The soil, which consists of grey sand, is fertile and covered with good pasturage.
We were obliged once more to cross the Doulinca, and, about one in the afternoon, we halted among some Foulah herdsmen. Their huts were built beneath the shade of large trees, a most enviable situation in this part of the world. Since my departure from Kakondy, I had not seen so beautiful and fertile a tract of country. Instead of rocks, I now beheld on every side delightful plains, which required only the labour of the husbandman to produce every thing necessary for human life. The day had been excessively hot, and about two in the afternoon we heard thunder in the direction of N.E. The sky was overcast with black clouds, and the rain fell abundantly. We repaired for shelter to the huts of the herdsmen, who at first scrupled to admit us. The thunder rolled in terrific peals; and I expected every moment that we should be struck by the lightning. The flashes rapidly succeeded each other, and the sky appeared to be one sheet of flame. We lay down on the herdsmen’s beds, consisting of round pieces of wood placed upon posts which raised them a little from the ground, and we patiently awaited the termination of the storm. When the rain ceased, we left the huts, and the freshness which now pervaded the atmosphere added new charms to the surrounding scene. We ate a little rice, and then proceeded eastward. We crossed a little rivulet which flowed over a bed of granite. The road was wet and muddy, which rendered our journey fatiguing. After travelling half a mile to N.E. and another half mile to the east, we arrived at nightfall at an ourondé, or slave village, called Lantégué. We were again overtaken by rain on the road, and I had recourse to my umbrella which, however, did not entirely protect me. The chief of Lantégué gave us a hut. Before it there was a beautiful orange-tree, beneath which I sat down on a sheep-skin. Thunder was again heard. The sky was covered with clouds, the atmosphere warm and damp, and it continued raining the whole of the night. The incessant flashes of lightning continually illuminated our hut, the door of which would not more than half shut.
We stopped at Lantégué the whole of the 26th, for one of the slaves of our caravan, who was heavily laden, had bad feet. I spent a part of the day in visiting the village and its inhabitants, who were about one hundred and fifty in number. Many of them thought me too white for a Moor.
I observed round the huts some fine bananas, pineapples, cassavas, yams, and various other useful plants. They were well cultivated. It is the women’s business to attend to them. The men labour in the rice fields, &c. The heat was very great during the day, which denoted a storm in the evening. We were now approaching the rainy season which in these mountainous districts commences in April, and continues six consecutive months. In the course of the day a little dispute arose between my guide Ibrahim and two Mandingoes of his village, who insisted on having their share of the value of a bullock, which had been given to them by M. Castagnet, at Kakondy. The two Mandingoes came to me, and wished me to decide their difference. However, my decision only made the matter worse, and so irritated my guide, that he threatened to leave me, which would, of course, have thrown me into no little embarrassment. At length, a young negro, who had been to Sierra-Leone and spoke a little English, came to my aid. He helped to interpret what I said, and thus peace was restored among us.
The merchants spent the remainder of the day in examining their goods and I amused myself in looking about the neighbourhood of the village. I saw several furnaces for smelting iron, a metal which is found in great abundance among the mountains. These furnaces, which are from five to ten feet high, and eighteen or twenty feet in circumference, have a chimney at top, and four holes at the base, in the direction of east, west, north and south. At a little distance from the village, there are some small streams, which descend from the mountains and run rapidly over beds of granite. Here I took the opportunity of bathing, and some of the Mandingoes washed their clothes.
At half-past five, on the morning of the 27th, we left the village of Lantégué, to cross the chain of mountains of that name, proceeding to the S.E. Some of these mountains appeared to be three hundred and fifty and four hundred fathoms above the elevated plain on which we were. I observed some very beautiful granite of a whitish-grey colour. We passed not far from a little village, where the Foulahs were tending their cattle. As we crossed the chain of mountains, I saw the poor negroes, with loads on their heads, leaping from precipice to precipice, and every moment expected to see them fall into the yawning gulphs beneath. From the depths proceeds a dull murmur, produced by the numerous springs which rise among the mountains. They fall into the plain beneath, where they form a sort of river. When we descended we saw nothing but mountains on every side, though none appeared so high as those which I had seen in the morning. At the part where we crossed the chain, it extends in the direction from N.E. to S.S.E. I did not perceive any snow. I saw some very beautiful black granite, both in strata three or four feet thick and in blocks. I also saw grey, white, and pale rose-coloured granite of a very beautiful grain. We travelled on in an eastern direction until we reached the banks of the Kakiriman, a little river which runs from north to south, over a bed of granite. Its current is very rapid and its width may be about seventy or eighty ordinary paces. I could trace with my eye the course of this river to the distance of three or four miles and along that space its breadth did not appear to vary. At the point where we forded it the water came up to our waists. Having deviated a little from the course taken by my companions, I was carried to some distance by the current, and the water came up to my arm-pits. The negroes, perceiving me, called out, desiring me to make the best of my way back again. They all exclaimed with one voice, La allah il allah, Mahommed rasoul oullahi, and appeared very much alarmed at my danger. A little further down, the river becomes deep, and, as I could not have contended against the current, I should have sunk. At length, by managing to ascend a little, I gained the left bank in safety, but my baggage was completely wet. About eleven in the morning we halted not far from the banks of the river, in a place covered with hillocks of black sand, on which grew numbers of large bamboos. We seated ourselves beneath the trees. The poor slaves were dreadfully fatigued, and though I had no load to carry I was almost as tired as they. I bought some cagnan, a sort of bread which I have already described. This was the first food I had tasted during the whole of the day. Several Foulahs made me little presents. The negroes told me that the river we had just crossed was the Rio Pongo. Want of rice obliged us to pack up our baggage and proceed to Pandeya, a little village inhabited by Foulah herdsmen. On our way we met two negroes, each of whom had on his head a calabash of foigné (a small kind of grain), which they would not sell to us. After travelling eleven miles E.S.E. we reached the village about half past twelve. Our road had been level and well wooded, but covered with stones. Pandeya is situated at the foot of a mountain, and contains from one hundred and fifty to two hundred inhabitants. They all came to see me, and each brought me a little present of milk. After we had reposed for a short time in the shade of some large nédés, and refreshed ourselves with the milk, for which we were indebted to the generosity of the Foulahs, my guide Ibrahim and his comrades proposed to buy a bullock, to celebrate the festival of the Ramadan, which happened on the following day. He asked me, through the medium of the young Foulah, who spoke English, whether I would pay my share of the price. This I declined doing, alleging that I had a long journey to perform with very scanty resources; and Ibrahim said no more on the subject. They purchased the bullock for four bars of tobacco; about the value of two gourdes, the joint contribution of about twelve or fifteen of our party, including the travelling Foulahs.
On the 28th of April, which was the grand festival day, we staid at Pandeya, and about eight in the morning the merchants all ranged themselves in a line to repeat the prayer. I took care to be among them and even affected greater devotion than any of the rest. The prayer being ended, the bullock was killed. The Mandingoes spent nearly an hour in equalizing the lots of meat. They each took a little bit of wood to serve as a measure, and after mingling them all together, the lots were distributed. Some of the meat was dried and smoked, that it might keep for the journey; but a considerable portion was immediately boiled with rice for the festival.
I received numerous visits from Foulahs, who brought me their usual presents of milk and rice, which were all they had to give. The festival was celebrated with considerable gaiety. The Mandingoes, in particular, indulged in tumultuous manifestations of joy. They fired several discharges of musketry, and afterwards all the negroes assembled round my guide’s hut and sang songs in his praise. He was, as I have already mentioned, the chief of the caravan, and it was he who furnished the gunpowder for the rejoicings. These people have a bad habit of putting too great a charge of powder into their muskets, and on this occasion one of them burst in the hands of a negro; but fortunately, the poor fellow was not hurt. About eleven in the forenoon Ibrahim, accompanied by the two Mandingoes who were engaged in the dispute to which I have already alluded, came to invite me to partake of their dinner, and they again requested me to forget what had passed. I accepted the invitation. On entering Ibrahim’s hut, I saw a large calabash full of boiled rice, upon which was laid a considerable quantity of the beef. We sat down and each helped himself with his hands, according to the negro custom. When the rice was finished, Ibrahim distributed the meat. I observed that the Mandingoes ate an unusual quantity that day. Eating, indeed, seems to be the highest pleasure they are capable of enjoying. During the rest of the day they were very merry, and they exchanged the bullock’s hide for some rice, which we ate during our journey.
On the 29th of April, the remainder of the meat which had been smoked all night was put into leather bags, and we resumed our journey at six in the morning. Opposite to the village, about half a mile to the north, there was a small chain of mountains, with level summits; and at each extremity of the chain one rises to a considerable height above the rest, like the turret of an ancient castle. These mountains have no vegetation. We proceeded for a mile eastward, upon rocks level with the surface of the ground, of a reddish colour and porous nature, and we next ascended a mountain composed of blocks of beautiful black granite, among which grew various large trees particularly the nédé, which abounds throughout all this part of the country. The road was very bad; we had to walk upon black calcined stones, which had the appearance of being of volcanic origin. After crossing several little streams that flow over beds of rock, we came to a mountain about five or six hundred ordinary paces high. It is called by the natives Touma, and it separates the country of Irnanké from the Fouta-Dhialon. We rested for a short time on its summit. My companions assured me that the road thence to Cambaya, my guide’s village, would be better than the preceding part of our journey. I observed in this neighbourhood some very fine indigo, and some bombaces which rivalled in size the enormous baobabs on the banks of the Senegal.
The country of Irnanké lies to the west of the Fouta, and to the east of Kakondy. It has on the north the negroes who inhabit the neighbourhood of Casamance; and on the south the Timannee negroes, who occupy a tract of country not far from Sierra-Leone. Irnanké is studded with lofty mountains, and inhabited by pastoral Foulahs. They possess fine flocks, which are their principal wealth. The complexion of these Foulahs is a lightish chesnut colour; they have good countenances, high foreheads, aquiline noses, and thin lips, and their heads are somewhat of an oval shape. The only point in which they resemble the Mandingoes is their curly hair. They hold themselves very upright, and walk with an air of dignity; for they think themselves far superior to the other negro tribes. Their dress, like that of the Mandingoes, is exceedingly simple; it consists of a coussabe, or shirt, of white cloth, of their own manufacture, and a pair of trowsers. The trowsers are made of coarse cloth; they are very wide, and confined round the waist by means of a buckle; they reach about half-way down the leg, where they are left loose. A cap of the same material completes the costume. When these negroes travel, they are armed with bows and poisoned arrows, and they also carry lances. They rub their bodies all over with butter, and they put a great deal upon their heads, which occasions a very disagreeable smell. The women take remarkable pains in dressing their heads. They plait their hair and adorn it with various glass trinkets. They wear amber necklaces, and their whole appearance is animated and pleasing. In these mountains there are many Dhialonkés, the ancient possessors of the country of Fouta-Dhialon, which was conquered long ago by the Foulahs, who compelled part of the population to embrace Mahometanism. Those who refused to forsake idolatry became tributaries to the almamy, or chief, of Irnanké. They pay their tribute in cattle. These people are very mild and hospitable to the strangers who are continually travelling through their mountainous country. They have a particular dialect, which the Foulahs do not understand.