In The Morning Of December 4th I Passed Kootacunda, The Last Town Of
Walli, And Stopped About An Hour At
A small adjoining village to pay
customs to an officer of the king of Woolli; we rested the ensuing
night
At a village called Tabajang; and at noon the next day
(December 5th) we reached Medina, the capital of the king of
Woolli's dominions.
The kingdom of Woolli is bounded by Walli on the west, by the Gambia
on the south, by the small river Walli on the north-west, by Bondou
on the north-east, and on the east by the Simbani wilderness.
The inhabitants are Mandingoes, and, like most of the Mandingo
nations, are divided into two great sects - the Mohammedans, who are
called bushreens, and the pagans, who are called indiscriminately
kafirs (unbelievers) and sonakies (i.e., men who drink strong
liquors). The pagan natives are by far the most numerous, and the
government of the country is in their hands; for though the most
respectable among the bushreens are frequently consulted in affairs
of importance, yet they are never permitted to take any share in the
executive government, which rests solely in the hands of the mansa,
or sovereign, and great officers of the state. Of these, the first
in point of rank is the presumptive heir of the crown, who is called
the farbanna. Next to him are the alkaids, or provincial governors,
who are more frequently called keamos. Then follow the two grand
divisions of free-men and slaves; of the former, the slatees, so
frequently mentioned in the preceding pages, are considered as the
principal; but, in all classes, great respect is paid to the
authority of aged men.
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