The Circumstance Of The Niger's Flowing Towards The East, And Its
Collateral Points, Did Not, However, Excite My Surprise, For,
Although I had left Europe in great hesitation on this subject, and
rather believed that it ran in the contrary
Direction, I had made
such frequent inquiries during my progress concerning this river,
and received from the negroes of different nations such clear and
decisive assurances that its general course was TOWARDS THE RISING
SUN, as scarce left any doubt on my mind, and more especially as I
knew that Major Houghton had collected similar information in the
same manner.
Sego, the capital of Bambarra, at which I had now arrived, consists,
properly speaking, of four distinct towns - two on the northern bank
of the Niger, called Sego Korro and Sego Boo; and two on the
southern bank, called Sego Soo Korro and Sego See Korro. They are
all surrounded with high mud walls. The houses are built of clay,
of a square form with flat roofs - some of them have two storeys, and
many of them are whitewashed. Besides these buildings, Moorish
mosques are seen in every quarter; and the streets, though narrow,
are broad enough for every useful purpose, in a country where wheel
carriages are entirely unknown. From the best inquiries I could
make, I have reason to believe that Sego contains altogether about
thirty thousand inhabitants. The King of Bambarra constantly
resides at Sego See Korro. He employs a great many slaves in
conveying people over the river, and the money they receive (though
the fare is only ten kowrie shells for each individual) furnishes a
considerable revenue to the king in the course of a year.
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