He Then Dismounted, Laid His Spear Across The
Road, And Having Said A Number Of Short Prayers, Concluded With
Three Loud Whistles; After Which He Listened For Some Time, As If In
Expectation Of An Answer, And Receiving None, Told Us We Might
Proceed Without Fear, For There Was No Danger.
About noon we passed
a number of large villages quite deserted, the inhabitants having
fled into Kasson to avoid the horrors of war.
We reached Karankalla
at sunset. This formerly was a large town, but having been
plundered by the Bambarrans about four years ago, nearly one-half of
it is still in ruins.
February 12. - At daylight we departed from Karankalla, and as it was
but a short day's journey to Kemmoo, we travelled slower than usual,
and amused ourselves by collecting such eatable fruits as grew near
the road-side. About noon we saw at a distance the capital of
Kaarta, situated in the middle of an open plain - the country for two
miles round being cleared of wood, by the great consumption of that
article for building and fuel - and we entered the town about two
o'clock in the afternoon.
We proceeded without stopping to the court before the king's
residence; but I was so completely surrounded by the gazing
multitude that I did not attempt to dismount, but sent in the
landlord and Madi Konki's son, to acquaint the king of my arrival.
In a little time they returned, accompanied by a messenger from the
king, signifying that he would see me in the evening; and in the
meantime the messenger had orders to procure me a lodging and see
that the crowd did not molest me.
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