The Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa, in the Year 1805 Part 18

Here I found many of the soldiers sitting, and Mr. Anderson lying under a bush, apparently dying. Took him on my back, and carried him across the stream, which came up to my middle. Carried over the load of the a.s.s which I drove, got over the a.s.s, Mr. Anderson's horse, &c. Found myself much fatigued, having crossed the stream sixteen times. Left here four soldiers with their a.s.ses, being unable to carry over their loads.

Having loaded my a.s.s and put Mr. Anderson on his horse, we went on to the village; but was sorry to find that no rice could be had, and I was only able to buy one solitary fowl.

August 11th.--Bought a small bullock of the Moorish breed for one barraloolo; and having purchased some corn, had it cleaned and dressed for the people instead of rice. This morning hired Isaaco's people to go back, and bring up the loads of the soldiers who had halted by the side of the stream. In the course of the day all the loads arrived; but was sorry to find that in the course of the last two marches we had lost _four men_, viz. _c.o.x_, _Cahill_, _Bird_, and _Ashton_. Mr. Anderson still in a very dangerous way, being unable to walk or sit upright. Mr.

Scott much recovered. I found that I must here leave one load, one of the horses being quite finished. Left the _seine nets_ in charge of the Dooty, till I should send for them.

August 12th.--Rained all the morning. About eleven o'clock, the sky being clear, loaded the a.s.ses. None of the Europeans being able to lift a load, Isaaco made the Negroes load the whole. Saddled Mr. Anderson's horse; and having put a sick soldier on mine, took Mr. Anderson's horse by the bridle, that he might have no trouble but sitting upright on the saddle. We had not gone far before I found one of the a.s.ses with a load of gunpowder, the driver (d.i.c.kinson) being unable to proceed (I never heard of him afterwards); and shortly after the sick man dismounted from my horse, and laid down by a small pool of water, refusing to rise.

Drove the a.s.s and horse on before me. Pa.s.sed a number of sick. At half past twelve o'clock Mr. Anderson declared he could ride no farther. Took him down and laid him in the shade of a bush, and sat down beside him.

At half past two o'clock he made another attempt to proceed; but had not rode above an hundred yards before I had to take him down from the saddle, and lay him again in the shade. I now gave up all thoughts of being able to carry him forwards till the cool of the evening; and having turned the horses and a.s.s to feed, I sat down to watch the pulsations of my dying friend. At four o'clock four of the sick came up; three of them agreed to take charge of the a.s.s with the gunpowder; and I put a fourth, who had a sore leg, on my horse, telling him if he saw Mr.

Scott on the road to give him the horse.

At half past five o'clock, there being a fine breeze from the South West; Mr. Anderson agreed to make another attempt, and having again placed him on the saddle, I led the horse on pretty smartly in hopes of reaching Koomikoomi before dark. We had not proceeded above a mile, before we heard on our left a noise very much like the barking of a large mastiff, but ending in a hiss like the fuf [Footnote: Thus is Mr.

Park's MS] of a cat. I thought it must be some large monkey; and was observing to Mr. Anderson "what a bouncing fellow that must be," when we heard another bark nearer to us, and presently a third still nearer, accompanied with a growl. I now suspected that some wild animal meant to attack us, but could not conjecture of what species it was likely to be.

We had not proceeded an hundred yards farther, when coming to an opening in the bushes, I was not a little surprised to see three lions coming towards us. They were not so red as the lion I formerly saw in Barnbarra, [Footnote: Park's Travels, p. 208] but of a dusky colour, like the colour of an a.s.s. They were very large, and came bounding over the long gra.s.s, not one after another, but all abreast of each other. I was afraid, if I allowed them to come too near us, and my piece should miss fire, that we should be all devoured by them. I therefore let go the bridle, and walked forwards to meet them. As soon as they were within a long shot of me, I fired at the centre one. I do not think I hit him; but they all stopt, looked at each other, and then bounded away a few paces, when one of them stopt, and looked back at me. I was too busy in loading my piece to observe their motions as they went away, and was very happy to see the last of them march slowly off amongst the bushes. We had not proceeded above half a mile farther, when we heard another bark and growl close to us amongst the bushes. This was doubtless one of the lions before seen, and I was afraid they would follow us till dark, when they would have too many opportunities of springing on us unawares. I therefore got Mr. Anderson's call, and made as loud a whistling and noise as possible. We heard no more of them.

Just at dark we descended into a valley where was a small stream of water; but the ascent on the opposite side was through a species of broken ground, which I have never seen any where but in Africa. It is of the following nature. A stratum of stiff yellow clay fourteen or twenty feet thick, (which, unless when it rains, is as hard as rock) is washed by the annual rains into fissures of a depth equal to the thickness of the stratum. There is no vegetation on these places, except on the summit or original level. Amongst these horrid gullies I unfortunately lost sight of the footmarks of the a.s.ses which had gone before; and finding no way to get out, led the horse up a very steep place in order to gain the original level, hoping there to find the foot path. But unluckily the ground was all broken as far as I could see; and after travelling some little way, we came to a gulley which we could not cross; and finding no possibility of moving without the danger of being killed by falling into some of these ravines, or over some precipice, I thought it advisable to halt till the morning. On this rugged summit we fell in with Jonas Watkins, one of the sick; and with his a.s.sistance I lighted a fire. Wrapped Mr. Anderson in his cloak, and laid him down beside it. Watched all night to keep the fire burning, and prevent our being surprised by the lions, which we knew were at no great distance.

About two o'clock in the morning two more of the sick joined us. Mr.

Anderson slept well during the night, and as soon as day dawned,

August 13th,--having found the footmarks of the a.s.ses, and having with difficulty even in day light traced our way through this labyrinth, we found Mr. Scott and three more of the sick. They too had lost their way, and had slept about half a mile to the East of us. We reached Koomikoomi at ten o'clock. This is an unwalled village, but surrounded with extensive corn fields.

August 13th.--Halted; rested at Koomikoomi

August 14th.--Jonas Watkins died this morning; buried him. Halted here to day to see which way Mr. Anderson's fever was likely to terminate; and in the mean time sent two loaded a.s.ses forward to Doombila, the a.s.ses to return in the evening and carry loads to-morrow morning.

Obser. Mer. Alt. ---- ---- 177 7 0 0 32 0 ------------ 177 39 0 ------------ 88 49 0-1/2 ------------- Z D. ---- 1 11 0 D. 14 8 0 ------------- Lat.i.tude ---- 12 57 0 [*]

[Footnote *: Mr. Park took a wrong day's declination, i.e. the 15th instead of the 14th. It should be,

ZD. ---- ---- 1 11 0 Dec. ---- ---- 14 27 29 --------------- Lat.i.tude ---- ---- 13 16 29 --------------- ]

It is a common observation of the Negroes, that when the Indian corn is in blossom the rain stops for eleven days. The stopping of the rain evidently depends on the sun approaching the zenith of the place; the sun by this day's observation being only seventy-one miles North of us: and it is a wonderful inst.i.tution of providence, that at this time the maize here is all in full blossom; and on pa.s.sing through the fields, one is like to be blinded with the pollen of the male flowers.

August 15th.--Having slung a cloak like a hammock under a straight stick, had Mr. Anderson put into it, and carried on two men's heads: two more following to relieve them. Mr. Scott complained this morning of sickness and head ach. Made one of the soldiers saddle Mr. Anderson's horse for him; and having seen him mount, and given him his canteen with water, I rode forwards to look after four Negroes whom I had hired to carry loads on their heads; but being strangers, I was apprehensive they might run away with them. Found every thing going on well; and we travelled with such expedition, that we reached Doombila in four hours and a half, though the distance cannot be less than sixteen or eighteen miles, nearly South. It rained hard all the afternoon, and it was not till dark that all the sick soldiers came up. Only three of the soldiers were able to drive their a.s.ses to day.

When I entered the town I was happy to meet _Karfa Taura_, [Footnote: Park's Travels, p. 253.] the worthy Negro mentioned in my former travels; he heard a report at _Boori_ (where he now resides) that a coffle of white people were pa.s.sing through Fooladoo for Bambarra; and that they were conducted by a person of the name of Park, who spoke Mandingo. He heard this report in the evening; and in the morning he left his house, determined if possible to meet me at Bambakoo, a distance of six days travel. He came to Bambakoo with three of his slaves to a.s.sist me in going forward to Sego, but when he found I had not come up, he came forwards to meet me. He instantly recognised me, and you may judge of the pleasure I felt on seeing my old benefactor.

At four o'clock, as Mr. Scott had not come up, and the people in the rear had not seen him lately, I sent one of Isaaco's people back on my horse as far as the next village, suspecting that he might have halted there when the rain came on. The man returned after dark, having been nearly at Koomikoomi without seeing or hearing any thing of Mr. Scott.

We all concluded that he had returned to Koomikoomi.

August 17th--Halted at Doombila in order to dry the baggage, and in hopes of Mr. Scott coming up. Told the four Negroes, who carried Mr.

Anderson, and who returned to Koomikoomi this morning, to make every possible enquiry concerning Mr. Scott; and if he was able to ride, I would pay them handsomely for coming with him. If he had returned to Koomikoomi, I desired them to a.s.sure the Dooty that I would pay for every expence he might incur, and pay for a guide to conduct him to Marraboo. Received from the Dooty of Doombila a small bullock and a sheep. Paid him a barraloolo, five bars of amber, and fifty gun flints.

August 18th.--Hearing no account of Mr. Scott, concluded he was still at Koomikoomi, but unable to travel. At seven o'clock left Doombila, and as the a.s.ses were now very weak, it was not long before I had to dismount and put a load on my horse. Only one of the soldiers able to drive an a.s.s. Road very bad; did not reach _Toniba_ till sun set, being a distance of eighteen or twenty miles S.E. by S. Mr. Anderson's bearers halted with him at a village on the road, where there was some good beer. As soon as we had pitched the tent, it began to rain, and rained all night; the soldiers run all into the village. I pa.s.sed a very disagreeable night, having to keep our a.s.ses from eating the people's corn, which caused me to keep walking about almost the whole night.

In case it should escape my memory, I take this opportunity of observing, that the standard law of Africa runs thus: If an a.s.s should break a single stem of corn, the proprietor of the corn has a right to seize the a.s.s; and if the owner of the a.s.s will not satisfy him for the damage he thinks he has sustained, he can _retain_ the a.s.s. He cannot _sell_ or _work_ him, but he can _kill_ him; and as the Bambarrans esteem a.s.s-flesh as a great luxury, this part of the law is often put in force.

August 19th.--Mr. Anderson's bearers having brought him forward early in the morning, we immediately loaded the a.s.ses, and departed from Toniba (Sergeant McKeal appears to be slightly delirious). We kept ascending the mountains to the South of Toniba till three o'clock, at which time having gained the summit of the ridge which separates the Niger from the remote branches of the Senegal, I went on a little before; and coming to the brow of the hill, I _once more saw the Niger_ rolling its immense stream along the plain!

After the fatiguing march which we had experienced, the sight of this river was no doubt pleasant, as it promised an end to, or to be at least an alleviation of our toils. But when I reflected that three-fourths of the soldiers had died on their march, and that in addition to our weakly state we had no carpenters to build the boats, in which we proposed to prosecute our discoveries; the prospect appeared somewhat gloomy. It however afforded me peculiar pleasure, when I reflected that in conducting a party of _Europeans_, with immense baggage, through an extent of more than five hundred miles, I had always been able to preserve the most friendly terms with the natives. In fact, this journey plainly demonstrates, 1st. that with common prudence any quant.i.ty of merchandize may be transported from the Gambia to the Niger, without danger of being robbed by the natives: 2dly, that if this journey be performed in the dry season, one may calculate on losing not more than three or at most four men out of fifty.

But to return to the Niger. The river was much swelled by the rains, but did not appear to overflow its banks. It certainly is larger even here than either the Senegal or the Gambia. We descended with difficulty down the steep side of the hill towards Bambakoo, which place we reached at half past six o'clock, and pitched our tents under a tree near the town.

Of thirty-four soldiers and four carpenters, who left the Gambia, only six soldiers and one carpenter reached the Niger.

During the night the wolves carried away two large cloth bundles from the tent door to a considerable distance; where they eat off the skins with which they were covered, and left them.

August 20th--Received a bullock from the Dooty as a present. It was in the afternoon, and we fastened it to the tree close to the tent, where all the a.s.ses were tied. As soon as it was dark the wolves tore its bowels out, though within ten yards of the tent door where we were all sitting. The wolves here are the largest and most ferocious we have yet seen.

August 21st.--Dried a bundle of beads, the strings of which were all rotten with the rain. Opened a leather bag which contained about thirty pounds of gunpowder for present use. Found it all wet and damaged.

Spread it out in the sun; resolved to make something of it. Spoke for a canoe to carry down the baggage to Marraboo, the river being navigable over the rapids at this season. In the course of our march from Toniba to Bambakoo, we lost Sergeant _McKeil_, _Purvey_, and _Samuel Hill_.

August 22nd.--Early in the morning had all the bundles put on the a.s.ses, and carried to the place of embarkation, which is a village called Bossradoo, about a mile and a half East of Bambakoo. It rained hard all the forenoon. The canoes could not carry any of the soldiers, or any person except two to look after the goods. I resolved to go down with Mr. Anderson, leaving Mr. Martyn to come down with the men by land. They rode on the a.s.ses.

We embarked at ten minutes past three o'clock. The current, which is nearly five knots per hour, set us along without the trouble of rowing any more than was necessary to keep the canoe in the proper course. The river is full an English mile over, and at the rapids it is spread out to nearly twice that breadth. The rapids seem to be formed by the river pa.s.sing through a ridge of hills in a South Easterly direction: they are very numerous, and correspond with the jetting angles of the hills.

There are _three_ princ.i.p.al ones, where the water breaks with considerable noise in the middle of the river; but the canoe men easily avoided them by paddling down one of the branches near the sh.o.r.e. Even in this manner the velocity was such as to make me sigh.

We pa.s.sed two of the princ.i.p.al rapids, and three smaller ones, in the course of the afternoon. We saw on one of the islands, in the middle of the river, a large elephant; it was of a red clay colour with black legs. I was very unwell of the dysentery; otherwise I would have had a shot at him, for he was quite near us. We saw three hippopotami close to another of these islands. The canoe men were afraid they might follow us and overset the canoes. The report of a musket will in all cases frighten them away. They blow up the water exactly like a whale. As we were gliding along sh.o.r.e, one of the canoe men speared a fine turtle, of the same species as the one I formerly saw, and made a drawing of in Gambia. At sun set we rowed to the sh.o.r.e, landed on some flat rocks, and set about cooking the turtle and rice for our supper; but before this aldermanic repast was half dressed, the rain came on us, and continued with great violence all night.

August 23d.--At day break embarked again, very wet and sleepy. Pa.s.sed the third rapid, and arrived at Marraboo at nine o'clock. Our guide soon found a large pa.s.sage hut in which to deposit our baggage, for one stone of small amber per load. We carried the whole of it up in a few minutes.

In the evening Mr. Martyn arrived, and all the people, except two, who came up next day.

August 24th.--Received from the Dooty a small black bullock in a present, which our guide would not allow us to kill, it being of a jet black colour. The Dooty's name is Sokee; and so superst.i.tious was he, that all the time we remained at Marraboo he kept himself in his hut, conceiving that if he saw a white man, he would never prosper after.

August 25th--Paid Isaaco goods to the full value of two prime slaves, according to agreement. I likewise gave him several articles; and I told him, that when the palaver was adjusted at Sego, he should then have all the a.s.ses and horses for his trouble.

August 26th.--Took out such things as I meant to give to Mansong, viz.

A handsome silver plated tureen.

*Two double barrelled guns, silver mounted.

Two pair of pistols mounted in the same manner.

A sabre with Morocco scabbard.

Thirty-two yards scarlet broad cloth.

Twelve ditto blue.

Twelve ditto yellow.

Twelve ditto light green.

*Half a load of gunpowder, or two kegs and a half.

To Mansong's eldest son Da.

*A double barrelled gun, silver mounted.

A pair of pistols, ditto.

A sabre, ditto.

I wished to put a stop to the malicious reports of the Moors and Mahomedans at Sego as soon as possible. I therefore resolved to send Isaaco forward to Sego with all the articles beforementioned, except those marked thus [Symbol: *], which I desired him to say to Modibinne would be given as soon as I heard accounts that Mansong would befriend us. This Modibinne is Mansong's prime minister; he is a Mahomedan, but not intolerant in his principles. Isaaco accordingly departed on the 28th with his wife and all his goods. Ever since my arrival at Marraboo I had been subject to attacks of the dysentery; and as I found that my strength was failing very fast, I resolved to charge myself with mercury. I accordingly took calomel till it affected my mouth to such a degree, that I could not speak or sleep for six days. The salivation put an immediate stop to the dysentery, which had proved fatal to so many of the soldiers. On the 2d of September, I observed the

Mer. alt. of the Sun-- 169 54 0 --------- 84 57 0 0 16 0 --------- 85 13 0 --------- 4 47 0 8 1 0 --------- Marraboo Lat.i.tude-- 12 48 0