Of The Other Wild Animals In The Mandingo Countries, The Most Common
Are The Hyaena, The Panther, And The Elephant.
Considering the use
that is made of the latter in the East Indies, it may be thought
extraordinary that
The natives of Africa have not, in any part of
this immense continent, acquired the skill of taming this powerful
and docile creature, and applying his strength and faculties to the
service of man. When I told some of the natives that this was
actually done in the countries of the East, my auditors laughed me
to scorn, and exclaimed, "Tobaubo fonnio!" ("A white man's lie!")
The negroes frequently find means to destroy the elephant by
firearms; they hunt it principally for the sake of the teeth, which
they transfer in barter to those who sell them again to the
Europeans. The flesh they eat, and consider it as a great delicacy.
On the 6th of October the waters of the Gambia were at the greatest
height, being fifteen feet above the high-water mark of the tide,
after which they began to subside, at first slowly, but afterwards
very rapidly, sometimes sinking more than a foot in twenty-four
hours. By the beginning of November the river had sunk to its
former level, and the tide ebbed and flowed as usual. When the
river had subsided, and the atmosphere grew dry, I recovered apace,
and began to think of my departure, for this is reckoned the most
proper season for travelling.
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