- The difficulties I had experienced the day before made me
anxious to engage a fellow-traveller, particularly as I
Was assured
that, in the course of a few days, the country would be so
completely overflowed as to render the road utterly impassable; but
though I offered two hundred kowries for a guide, nobody would
accompany me. However, on the morning following, August 9th, a Moor
and his wife, riding upon two bullocks, and bound for Sego with
salt, passed the village, and agreed to take me along with them; but
I found them of little service, for they were wholly unacquainted
with the road, and being accustomed to a sandy soil, were very bad
travellers. Instead of wading before the bullocks to feel if the
ground was solid, the woman boldly entered the first swamp, riding
upon the top of the load; but when she had proceeded about two
hundred yards the bullock sunk into a hole, and threw both the load
and herself among the reeds. The frightened husband stood for some
time seemingly petrified with horror, and suffered his wife to be
almost drowned before he went to her assistance.
About sunset we reached Sibity, but the dooty received me very
coolly; and when I solicited for a guide to Sansanding he told me
his people were otherwise employed. I was shown into a damp old
hut, where I passed a very uncomfortable night; for when the walls
of the huts are softened by the rain they frequently become too weak
to support the weight of the roof. I heard three huts fall during
the night, and was apprehensive that the hut I lodged in would be
the fourth. In the morning, as I went to pull some grass for my
horse, I counted fourteen huts which had fallen in this manner since
the commencement of the rainy season.
It continued to rain with great violence all the 10th; and as the
dooty refused to give me any provisions, I purchased some corn,
which I divided with my horse.
August 11. - The dooty compelled me to depart from the town, and I
set out for Sansanding without any great hopes of faring better than
I had done at Sibity; for I learned, from people who came to visit
me, that a report prevailed, and was universally believed, that I
had come to Bambarra as a spy; and as Mansong had not admitted me
into his presence, the dooties of the different towns were at
liberty to treat me in what manner they pleased. From repeatedly
hearing the same story I had no doubt of the truth of it; but as
there was no alternative I determined to proceed, and a little
before sunset I arrived at Sansanding. My reception was what I
expected. Counti Mamadi, who had been so kind to me formerly,
scarcely gave me welcome. Every one wished to shun me; and my
landlord sent a person to inform me that a very unfavourable report
was received from Sego concerning me, and that he wished me to
depart early in the morning.
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