About Eleven O'clock I Ascended An Eminence, Where I
Climbed A Tree, And Discovered, At About Eight Miles' Distance, An
Open part of the country, with several red spots, which I concluded
were cultivated land, and, directing my course that
Way, came to the
precincts of a watering-place about one o'clock. From the
appearance of the place, I judged it to belong to the Foulahs, and
was hopeful that I should meet a better reception than I had
experienced at Shrilla. In this I was not deceived, for one of the
shepherds invited me to come into his tent and partake of some
dates. This was one of those low Foulah tents in which there is
room just sufficient to sit upright, and in which the family, the
furniture, &c., seem huddled together like so many articles in a
chest. When I had crept upon my hands and knees into this humble
habitation, I found that it contained a woman and three children,
who, together with the shepherd and myself, completely occupied the
floor. A dish of boiled corn and dates was produced, and the master
of the family, as is customary in this part of the country, first
tasted it himself, and then desired me to follow his example.
Whilst I was eating, the children kept their eyes fixed upon me, and
no sooner did the shepherd pronounce the word Nazarani, than they
began to cry, and their mother crept slowly towards the door, out of
which she sprang like a greyhound, and was instantly followed by her
children. So frightened were they at the very name of a Christian,
that no entreaties could induce them to approach the tent. Here I
purchased some corn for my horse, in exchange for some brass
buttons, and having thanked the shepherd for his hospitality, struck
again into the woods. At sunset I came to a road that took the
direction for Bambarra, and resolved to follow it for the night; but
about eight o'clock, hearing some people coming from the southward,
I thought it prudent to hide myself among some thick bushes near the
road. As these thickets are generally full of wild beasts, I found
my situation rather unpleasant, sitting in the dark, holding my
horse by the nose with both hands, to prevent him from neighing, and
equally afraid of the natives without and the wild beasts within.
My fears, however, were soon dissipated; for the people, after
looking round the thicket, and perceiving nothing, went away, and I
hastened to the more open parts of the wood, where I pursued my
journey east-south-east, until past midnight, when the joyful cry of
frogs induced me once more to deviate a little from my route, in
order to quench my thirst. Having accomplished this from a large
pool of rain-water, I sought for an open place, with a single tree
in the midst, under which I made my bed for the night. I was
disturbed by some wolves towards morning, which induced me to set
forward a little before day; and having passed a small village
called Wassalita, I came about ten o'clock (July 5th), to a negro
town called Wawra, which properly belongs to Kaarta, but was at this
time tributary to Mansong, King of Bambarra.
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