In A Country Divided Into A Thousand Petty States, Mostly
Independent And Jealous Of Each Other, Where Every Freeman Is
Accustomed to arms and fond of military achievements, where the
youth, who has practised the bow and spear from his
Infancy, longs
for nothing so much as an opportunity to display his valour, it is
natural to imagine that wars frequently originate from very
frivolous provocation. When one nation is more powerful than
another, pretext is seldom wanting for commencing hostilities. Thus
the war between Kajaaga and Kasson was occasioned by the detention
of a fugitive slave; that between Bambarra and Kaarta by the loss of
a few cattle. Other cases of the same nature perpetually occur in
which the folly or mad ambition of their princes and the zeal of
their religious enthusiasts give full employment to the scythe of
desolation.
The wars of Africa are of two kinds, which are distinguished by
different appellations; that species which bears the greatest
resemblance to our European contests is denominated killi, a word
signifying "to call out," because such wars are openly avowed and
previously declared. Wars of this description in Africa commonly
terminate, however, in the course of a single campaign. A battle is
fought - the vanquished seldom think of rallying again - the whole
inhabitants become panic-struck, and the conquerors have only to
bind the slaves and carry off their plunder and their victims. Such
of the prisoners as, through age or infirmity, are unable to endure
fatigue, or are found unfit for sale, are considered as useless,
and, I have no doubt, are frequently put to death. The same fate
commonly awaits a chief or any other person who has taken a very
distinguished part in the war. And here it may be observed that,
notwithstanding this exterminating system, it is surprising to
behold how soon an African town is rebuilt and repeopled. The
circumstance arises probably from this: that their pitched battles
are few - the weakest know their own situation, and seek safety in
flight. When their country has been desolated, and their ruined
towns and villages deserted by the enemy, such of the inhabitants as
have escaped the SWORD and the CHAIN generally return, though with
cautious steps, to the place of their nativity - for it seems to be
the universal wish of mankind to spend the evening of their days
where they passed their infancy. The poor negro feels this desire
in its full force. To him no water is sweet but what is drawn from
his own well, and no tree has so cool and pleasant a shade as the
tabba tree {8} of his native village. When war compels him to
abandon the delightful spot in which he first drew his breath, and
seek for safety in some other kingdom, his time is spent in talking
about the country of his ancestors; and no sooner is peace restored
than he turns his back upon the land of strangers, rebuilds with
haste his fallen walls, and exults to see the smoke ascend from his
native village.
The other species of African warfare is distinguished by the
appellation of tegria (plundering, or stealing). It arises from a
sort of hereditary feud which the inhabitants of one nation or
district bear towards another. No immediate cause of hostility is
assigned, or notice of attack given, but the inhabitants of each
watch every opportunity to plunder and distress the objects of their
animosity by predatory excursions. These are very common,
particularly about the beginning of the dry season, when the labour
of the harvest is over and provisions are plentiful. Schemes of
vengeance are then meditated. The chief man surveys the number and
activity of his vassals as they brandish their spears at festivals,
and, elated with his own importance, turns his whole thoughts
towards revenging some depredation or insult which either he or his
ancestors may have received from a neighbouring state.
Wars of this description are generally conducted with great secrecy.
A few resolute individuals, headed by some person of enterprise and
courage, march quietly through the woods, surprise in the night some
unprotected village, and carry off the inhabitants and their effects
before their neighbours can come to their assistance. One morning
during my stay at Kamalia we were all much alarmed by a party of
this kind. The king of Fooladoo's son, with five hundred horsemen,
passed secretly through the woods a little to the southward of
Kamalia, and on the morning following plundered three towns
belonging to Madigai, a powerful chief in Jallonkadoo.
The success of this expedition encouraged the governor of Bangassi,
a town in Fooladoo, to make a second inroad upon another part of the
same country. Having assembled about two hundred of his people, he
passed the river Kokoro in the night, and carried off a great number
of prisoners. Several of the inhabitants who had escaped these
attacks were afterwards seized by the Mandingoes as they wandered
about in the woods or concealed themselves in the glens and strong
places of the mountains.
These plundering excursions always produced speedy retaliation: and
when large parties cannot be collected for this purpose, a few
friends will combine together and advance into the enemy's country,
with a view to plunder or carry off the inhabitants. A single
individual has been known to take his bow and quiver and proceed in
like manner. Such an attempt is doubtless in him an act of
rashness; but when it is considered that in one of these predatory
wars he has probably been deprived of his child or his nearest
relation, his situation will rather call for pity than censure. The
poor sufferer, urged on by the feelings of domestic or paternal
attachment and the ardour of revenge, conceals himself among the
bushes until some young or unarmed person passes by. He then,
tiger-like, springs upon his prey, drags his victim into the
thicket, and in the night carries him off as a slave.
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