Going to a town called
Dingyee for corn; but we had not proceeded above a mile before the
ass upon which he rode threw him off, and he returned, leaving me to
prosecute the journey by myself.
I reached Dingyee about noon, but the dooty and most of the
inhabitants had gone into the fields to cultivate corn. An old
Foulah, observing me wandering about the town, desired me to come to
his hut, where I was well entertained; and the dooty, when he
returned, sent me some victuals for myself and corn for my horse.
July 7. - In the morning, when I was about to depart, my landlord,
with a great deal of diffidence, begged me to give him a lock of my
hair. He had been told, he said, that white men's hair made a
saphie that would give to the possessor all the knowledge of white
men. I had never before heard of so simple a mode of education, but
instantly complied with the request.
I reached a small town called Wassiboo, about twelve o'clock, where
I was obliged to stop until an opportunity should offer of procuring
a guide to Satile, which is distant a very long day's journey,
through woods without any beaten path. I accordingly took up my
residence at the dooty's house, where I stayed four days, during
which time I amused myself by going to the fields with the family to
plant corn. Cultivation is carried on here on a very extensive
scale; and, as the natives themselves express it, "Hunger is never
known." In cultivating the soil the men and women work together.
They use a large sharp hoe, much superior to that used in Gambia,
but they are obliged, for fear of the Moors, to carry their arms
with them to the field. The master, with the handle of his spear,
marks the field into regular plats, one of which is assigned to
every three slaves.
On the evening of the 11th eight of the fugitive Kaartans arrived at
Wassiboo. They had found it impossible to live under the tyrannical
government of the Moors, and were now going to transfer their
allegiance to the King of Bambarra. They offered to take me along
with them as far as Satile, and I accepted the offer.
July 12. - At daybreak we set out, and travelled with uncommon
expedition until sunset. We stopped only twice in the course of the
day, once at a watering-place in the woods, and at another time at
the ruins of a town formerly belonging to Daisy, called Illa-compe
(the corn-town). When we arrived in the neighbourhood of Satile,
the people who were employed in the corn-fields, seeing so many
horsemen, took us for a party of Moors, and ran screaming away from
us. The whole town was instantly alarmed, and the slaves were seen
in every direction driving the cattle and horses towards the town.
It was in vain that one of our company galloped up to undeceive
them; it only frightened them the more; and when we arrived at the
town we found the gates shut, and the people all under arms. After
a long parley we were permitted to enter, and, as there was every
appearance of a tornado, the dooty allowed us to sleep in his
baloon, and gave us each a bullock's hide for a bed.
July 13. - Early in the morning we again set forward. The roads were
wet and slippery, but the country was very beautiful, abounding with
rivulets, which were increased by the rain into rapid streams.
About ten o'clock we came to-the rains of a village which had been
destroyed by war about six months before.
About noon my horse was so much fatigued that I could not keep up
with my companions; I therefore dismounted, and desired them to ride
on, telling them that I would follow as soon as my horse had rested
a little. But I found them unwilling to leave me; the lions, they
said, were very numerous in those parts, and though they might not
so readily attack a body of people, they would soon find out an
individual; it was therefore agreed that one of the company should
stay with me to assist in driving my horse, while the others passed
on to Galloo to procure lodgings, and collect grass for the horses
before night. Accompanied by this worthy negro, I drove my horse
before me until about four o'clock, when we came in sight of Galloo,
a considerable town, standing in a fertile and beautiful valley
surrounded with high rocks.
Early next morning (July 14th), having first returned many thanks to
our landlord for his hospitality, while my fellow-travellers offered
up their prayers that he might never want, we set forward, and about
three o'clock arrived at Moorja, a large town, famous for its trade
in salt, which the Moors bring here in great quantities, to exchange
for corn and cotton cloth. As most of the people here are
Mohammedans, it is not allowed to the kafirs to drink beer, which
they call neodollo (corn spirit), except in certain houses. In one
of these I saw about twenty people sitting round large vessels of
this beer with the greatest conviviality, many of them in a state of
intoxication.
On the morning of the 16th we again set forward, accompanied by a
coffle of fourteen asses, loaded with salt, bound for Sansanding.
The road was particularly romantic, between two rocky hills; but the
Moors sometimes lie in wait here to plunder strangers. As soon as
we had reached the open country the master of the salt coffle
thanked us for having stayed with him so long, and now desired us to
ride on. The sun was almost set before we reached Datliboo. In the
evening we had a most tremendous tornado.
