I Now Fully Saw The Danger Of My Situation, And
Determined To Avoid Sego Altogether.
I accordingly mounted my
horse, and taking the road for Diggani, travelled as fast as I could
till I was out of sight of the villagers, when I struck to the
westward, through high grass and swampy ground.
About noon I
stopped under a tree to consider what course to take, for I had now
no doubt that the Moors and slatees had misinformed the king
respecting the object of my mission, and that people were absolutely
in search of me to convey me a prisoner to Sego. Sometimes I had
thoughts of swimming my horse across the Niger, and going to the
southward for Cape Coast, but reflecting that I had ten days to
travel before I should reach Kong, and afterwards an extensive
country to traverse, inhabited by various nations with whose
language and manners I was totally unacquainted, I relinquished this
scheme, and judged that I should better answer the purpose of my
mission by proceeding to the westward along the Niger, endeavouring
to ascertain how far the river was navigable in that direction.
Having resolved upon this course, I proceeded accordingly, and a
little before sunset arrived at a Foulah village called Sooboo,
where, for two hundred kowries, I procured lodging for the night.
August 14. - I continued my course along the bank of the river,
through a populous and well-cultivated country. I passed a walled
town called Kamalia {2} without stopping, and at noon rode through a
large town called Samee, where there happened to be a market, and a
number of people assembled in an open place in the middle of the
town, selling cattle, cloth, corn, &c. I rode through the midst of
them without being much observed, every one taking me for a Moor.
In the afternoon I arrived at a small village called Binni, where I
agreed with the dooty's son, for one hundred kowries, to allow me to
stay for the night; but when the dooty returned, he insisted that I
should instantly leave the place, and if his wife and son had not
interceded for me, I must have complied.
August 15. - About nine o'clock I passed a large town called Sai,
which very much excited my curiosity. It is completely surrounded
by two very deep trenches, at about two hundred yards distant from
the walls. On the top of the trenches are a number of square
towers, and the whole has the appearance of a regular fortification.
About noon I came to the village of Kaimoo, situated upon the bank
of the river, and as the corn I had purchased at Sibili was
exhausted, I endeavoured to purchase a fresh supply, but was
informed that corn was become very scarce all over the country, and
though I offered fifty kowries for a small quantity, no person would
sell me any. As I was about to depart, however, one of the
villagers (who probably mistook me for some Moorish shereef) brought
me some as a present, only desiring me to bestow my blessing upon
him, which I did in plain English, and he received it with a
thousand acknowledgments.
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