When This Audience Was Ended We
Returned To Our Lodging, And I Made Up A Small Present For The King
Out Of The Few Effects That Were Left Me; For I Had Not Yet Received
Anything From Salim Daucari.
This present, though inconsiderable in
itself, was well received by the king, who sent me in return a large
white bullock.
The sight of this animal quite delighted my
attendants; not so much on account of its bulk, as from its being of
a white colour, which is considered as a particular mark of favour.
But although the king himself was well disposed towards me, and
readily granted me permission to pass through his territories, I
soon discovered that very great and unexpected obstacles were likely
to impede my progress. Besides the war which was on the point of
breaking out between Kasson and Kajaaga, I was told that the next
kingdom of Kaarta, through which my route lay, was involved in the
issue, and was furthermore threatened with hostilities on the part
of Bambarra. The king himself informed me of these circumstances,
and advised me to stay in the neighbourhood of Kooniakary till such
time as he could procure proper information respecting Bambarra,
which he expected to do in the course of four or five days, as he
had already, he said, sent four messengers into Kaarta for that
purpose. I readily submitted to this proposal, and went to Soolo,
to stay there till the return of one of those messengers. This
afforded me a favourable opportunity of receiving what money Salim
Daucari could spare me on Dr. Laidley's account. I succeeded in
receiving the value of there slaves, chiefly in gold dust; and being
anxious to proceed as quickly as possible, I begged Daucari to use
his interest with the king to allow me a guide by the way of
Fooladoo, as I was informed that the war had already commenced
between the kings of Bambarra and Kaarta. Daucari accordingly set
out for Kooniakary on the morning of the 20th, and the same evening
returned with the king's answer, which was to this purpose - that the
king had, many years ago, made an agreement with Daisy, king of
Kaarta, to send all merchants and travellers through his dominions;
but that if I wished to take the route through Fooladoo I had his
permission so to do; though he could not, consistently with his
agreement, lend me a guide. Having felt the want of regal
protection in a former part of my journey, I was unwilling to hazard
a repetition of the hardships I had then experienced, especially as
the money I had received was probably the last supply that I should
obtain. I therefore determined to wait for the return of the
messengers from Kaarta.
In the interim it began to be whispered abroad that I had received
plenty of gold from Salim Daucari, and, on the morning of the 23rd,
Sambo Sego paid me a visit, with a party of horsemen.
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