The Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa, in the Year 1805 Part 21

October 28th.--At a quarter past five o'clock in the morning my dear friend Mr. Alexander Anderson died after a sickness of four months. I feel much inclined to speak of his merits; but as his worth was known only to a few friends, I will rather cherish his memory in silence, and imitate his cool and steady conduct, than weary my friends with a panegyric in which they cannot be supposed to join. I shall only observe that no event which took place during the journey, ever threw the smallest gloom over my mind, till I laid Mr. Anderson in the grave. I then felt myself, as if left a second time lonely and friendless amidst the wilds of Africa.

November 14th.--The schooner is now nearly ready for our departure; I only wait for Isaaco's return from Sego, that I may give him this paper in charge.

November 15th.--Isaaco returned; and told us that Mansong was anxious that I should depart as soon as possible, before the Moors to the East had intimation of my coming. Bought bullock hides to form an awning to secure us from the spears and arrows of the _Surka_ or _Soorka_ and _Mahinga_ who inhabit the North bank of the river betwixt Jinnie and Tombuctoo.

November 16.--All ready and we sail to-morrow morning, or evening. I will therefore conclude this long epistle with some miscellaneous information.

_Variation_ of the compa.s.s.

West of the Faleme river ---- ---- 14 11 West.

At Badoo, near Sibikillin ---- ---- 14 56

Near the _Bafing_ ---- ---- ---- 16 30

At Marraboo on the Niger ---- ---- 16 36

At Yamina ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 17 11

At Sansanding ---- ---- ---- ---- 17 40

In case any one should be inclined to doubt the accuracy of the lat.i.tudes taken by the back observation with Troughton's pocket s.e.xtant; I think it proper to mention that I have observed at Sansanding alternately with the _horizon of the river_, and the _back observation_ in water and the artificial horizon; and never found them to vary more than four minutes, but generally much nearer.

A fac-simile sketch of the course of the Niger, made by an old Somonie, who had been seven times at Tombuctoo, and is now going the eighth.

_Ba Nimma_ rises in the Kong mountains South of Marraboo; it pa.s.ses one day's journey South of Sego; and having received a branch from Miniana, empties itself into the lake Dibbie. It is not quite half so large as the Niger. I have not the least doubt of the truth of this, having heard it from so many people. We shall not see Jinnie in going to Tombuctoo.

_Route from Sego to Miniana._

From Sego in one day,

Deena, across the Ba Nimma in canoes, and halt on the south side; thence in one day, Dahmaroo, Sijirri, Neaguana, Mullo Soo, Billi Soo; In all seven days.

The inhabitants of Miniana eat their enemies, and strangers, if they die in the country. They eat the flesh of horses; but such is their veneration for the cow that she is never killed; when she dies, they eat the flesh. Miniana is hilly; all the grains are cultivated the same as in Bambarra.

_Route from Sego to Badoo_.

From Sego in one day.

Koogoo, N. goi, [Footnote: Thus written in Park's MS.]

Jeenna, Doo-Wa.s.soo.

Choyna, Guandoo on the banks of the Badingfing, a small river from Miniana.

Cheraboo, Baboo, Blendoo, Koolokoo, Kay-a, w.a.n.geera, Jibbi, Nemansana, Kooli, Chemosoo, N. jeera, Chekora, Koonteela, Doomba, Chongi, Teng: gera, a great Juli town; a Juli is called in Baedoo, Kirko Bimba; Teeleemagee, Soomasoo, Koorinsoo, Jondoo; Juli town, Sala, N. Kannoo, Juli town.

The whole of the foregoing places are in Bambarra.

Totti, a town in Baedoo.

Baedoo, the capital.

The Julis are people who understand the language of Baedoo and Miniana, and are employed as interpreters and brokers by the salt merchants. One month's travel South of Baedoo through the kingdom of Gotto, will bring the traveller to the country of the Christians, who have their houses on the banks of the _Ba Sea feena_; this water they represent as being imcomparably larger than the lake Dibbie, and that the water sometimes flows one way, sometimes another. There are no Shea trees in Kong or Gotto, and very few in Baedoo.

ISAACO'S JOURNAL.

VOL. II.

_Government House

Sierra Leone, 10th December, 1811._

"MY LORD,

"With reference to my letter of the 8th of March 1810, communicating having engaged a person to go in search, and ascertain the fate of the late Mr. Mungo Park; I have the honour to communicate to Your Lords.h.i.+p, that this person returned to Senegal on the 1st of September; but I am concerned to state that his information confirms the various reports of Mr. Park's death.

"I have enclosed a copy of the Journal of the person whom I sent, which was kept in Arabic, and has been translated into English by a person resident in Senegal.

"Isaaco has been paid the promised reward, which I hope will be approved by your Lords.h.i.+p.

"I have the honour to be,

"MY LORD,

"Your Lords.h.i.+p's most obedient

"humble Servant,

"C.W. MAXWELL.

"_Governor._"

_To the Right Honourable The Earl of Liverpool._

ISAACO'S JOURNAL.

I, Isaaco, left Senegal on Sunday, the 22d day of the moon Tabasky; [Footnote: Seventh of January, 1810.] in the afternoon we came to an anchor at the foot of the bar. We pa.s.sed the bar next morning, and had like to have lost ourselves; we got on board the George. Weighed anchor in the night of the 23d, from the roads, and anch.o.r.ed at Goree the 24th at about 4 P.M. [Footnote: These times of the day are not very exact, being regulated by the Mahometan times of prayer.] On my arrival there, I found some of my effects had been stolen; I signified to the commandant of Goree my intention to postpone my voyage, until my stolen goods were found. The commandant sent me back on board the George, and ordered the vessel to return to Senegal, that I might make there my complaint to Governor Maxwell. We were nine days at sea with heavy weather, and could not fetch; we were obliged to return to Goree on the tenth day.

The commandant next day (Friday) after my arrival, sent a courier to Senegal to the Governor, with the account of my goods being stolen; and on the Friday following the courier brought me my effects. [Footnote: These goods had been stolen in the lighter outside of the bar.] The same day in the afternoon, I left Goree in the George, and arrived in Gambia, the night after at Yoummy. We left Yoummy on the Sunday following, and arrived on Monday at Jilifrey. We left Jilifrey the same day; pa.s.sed Tancrowaly, in the night, and on Tuesday came opposite a forest. Pa.s.sed this spot, and came to anchor at Baling. From Baling came to an anchor opposite a forest at four P.M. We got under weigh in the night and came to in the morning. Departed after breakfast, and came to at noon.

Departed immediately after, and came to after sunset. Pa.s.sed Caour in the night, and came to anchor at four A.M. (Thursday). Weighed in the evening and came to Yanimmarou at noon. We left Yanimmarou in the morning of Friday, and came to Mongha. Left the Mongha the same day at sunset, and came to Mariancounda late in the evening, and Robert Ainsley being there, I landed and presented to him the Governor's letter; making in all eight days from Goree to my arrival at Mariancounda.

Robert Ainsley kept me five days with him. He gave me, by the Governor's desire, one horse, one a.s.s, and twenty bars of beads. I left Robert Ainsley on Wednesday morning, and went to the village of the king of Cataba to pay my respects. I had previously sent the same day, my baggage and people, to Giammalocoto. On my arrival before Cataba, I gave him one musket, and one string of amber No. 4. which he distributed to his attendants. In the evening of the same day, I took leave of the king, and arrived at Giammalocoto, after sunset, where I met my people and effects. I left Giammalocoto, on Friday morning, and slept at Tandacounda. I departed next morning (Sat.u.r.day) and slept at Guenda. On Sunday crossed a rivulet and slept under a tamarind tree close to the village of Sandougoumanna. I sent to Sallatigua-koura, king of that country, five bars of tobacco (ten heads). I went and slept at Woullimanna. I gave to Mansancoije, the chief, two bars of scarlet cloth and two bars of tobacco, and to his son, one bar of scarlet cloth. I also gave to my landlord three bars of tobacco. Departed next day early; stopped at Carropa at noon, and went to Coussage, where we slept. I there found my family, who had been driven away by the Bambarra army. I staid at Coussage two days and gave Maitafodey, chief of the village, three bottles of powder. [Footnote: One bottle of powder pa.s.ses for five bars.] We left Coussage in the evening, with all my family; arrived at Montogou in the morning, where my family resided before the Bambarra army entered this country. I here found my mother. I staid at Montogou about one month and a half, or forty-six days.

Having disposed of such of my property as I could not carry with me, I left Montogou at about nine A.M. with my family and people, stopped at Moundoundon, having crossed three rivulets; slept there. Mamadou, the chief, killed me a sheep: I gave him one bottle of powder. We departed in the morning, stopped at Couchiar at noon, under a bark-tree, where we pa.s.sed the rest of the day. We filled our leather bags with water and departed about four P.M. We travelled all night and came to Saabie at three A.M. This village is inhabited by Marabous (priests). We stayed there two days. I found there a relation of one of my wives. I gave him one bottle of powder and three pagnes (a piece of cloth the natives make use of in their dresses). We left Saabie in the morning, stopped at noon at Joumajaoury, and arrived at Tallimangoly. I there met a relation who killed a sheep. I gave him three grains of amber. We slept there. Next morning we departed, and arrived at midnight at Baniscrilla, where I found the King of Bondou with the Bambarra army. I went to pay my respects to him, and gave him ten bottles of powder, thirteen grains of amber No. 1, two grains of coral No. 1, and one handsome tin box. To his first valet one pagne, worth one piece of baft; to his goldsmith four pagnes; to the Chief of the village two bottles of powder. (Ten bars.) Slept there two nights; departed early, so did the army on their way to Gambia. We stopped at noon at Cambaya, being very hungry: we departed in the evening; and slept on the road. At about eight A.M. on the next day, we pa.s.sed Gnary and Sangnongagy; received at this last village some peas without stopping. We stopped at noon at Dougay. Next morning early we departed, and stopped at noon at Daacada; in the evening we stopped and slept at Bougoldanda. Next day we stopped at noon at Saamcolo. Some singers of the village paid me a visit; I gave them a few trinkets. I had here a grand palaver (dispute) about one of my dogs, who had, as was said, bit a man; with great difficulty I prevented the animal from being killed.