The Names Of Many Kingdoms To The Eastward Of Houssa Are Familiar To
The Inhabitants Of Bambarra.
I was shown quivers and arrows of very
curious workmanship, which I was informed came from the kingdom of
Kassina.
On the northern bank of the Niger, at a short distance from Silla,
is the kingdom of Masina, which is inhabited by Foulahs. They
employ themselves there, as in other places, chiefly in pasturage,
and pay an annual tribute to the king of Bambarra for the lands
which they occupy.
To the north-east of Masina is situated the kingdom of Timbuctoo,
the great object of European research - the capital of this kingdom
being one of the principal marts for that extensive commerce which
the Moors carry on with the negroes. The hopes of acquiring wealth
in this pursuit, and zeal for propagating their religion, have
filled this extensive city with Moors and Mohammedan converts. The
king himself and all the chief officers of state are Moors; and they
are said to be more severe and intolerant in their principles than
any other of the Moorish tribes in this part of Africa. I was
informed by a venerable old negro, that when he first visited
Timbuctoo, he took up his lodging at a sort of public inn, the
landlord of which, when he conducted him into his hut, spread a mat
on the floor, and laid a rope upon it, saying, "If you are a
Mussulman, you are my friend - sit down; but if you are a kafir, you
are my slave, and with this rope I will lead you to market." The
present king of Timbuctoo is named Abu Abrahima. He is reported to
possess immense riches. His wives and concubines are said to be
clothed in silk, and the chief officers of state live in
considerable splendour. The whole expense of his government is
defrayed, as I was told, by a tax upon merchandise, which is
collected at the gates of the city.
The city of Houssa (the capital of a large kingdom of the same name,
situated to the eastward of Timbuctoo), is another great mart for
Moorish commerce. I conversed with many merchants who had visited
that city, and they all agreed that it is larger - and more populous
than Timbuctoo. The trade, police, and government are nearly the
same in both; but in Houssa the negroes are in greater proportion to
the Moors, and have some share in the government.
Concerning the small kingdom of Jinbala I was not able to collect
much information. The soil is said to be remarkably fertile, and
the whole country so full of creeks and swamps that the Moors have
hitherto been baffled in every attempt to subdue it. The
inhabitants are negroes, and some of them are said to live in
considerable affluence, particularly those near the capital, which
is a resting-place for such merchants as transport goods from
Timbuctoo to the western parts of Africa.
To the southward of Jinbala is situated the negro kingdom of Gotto,
which is said to be of great extent. It was formerly divided into a
number of petty states, which were governed by their own chiefs; but
their private quarrels invited invasion from the neighbouring
kingdoms. At length a politic chief of the name of Moossee had
address enough to make them unite in hostilities against Bambarra;
and on this occasion he was unanimously chosen general - the
different chiefs consenting for a time to act under his command.
Moossee immediately despatched a fleet of canoes, loaded with
provisions, from the banks of the lake Dibbie up the Niger towards
Jenne, and with the whole of his army pushed forwards into Bambarra.
He arrived on the bank of the Niger opposite to Jenne before the
townspeople had the smallest intimation of his approach. His fleet
of canoes joined him the same day, and having landed the provisions,
he embarked part of his army, and in the night took Jenne by storm.
This event so terrified the king of Bambarra that he sent messengers
to sue for peace; and in order to obtain it consented to deliver to
Moossee a certain number of slaves every year, and return everything
that had been taken from the inhabitants of Gotto. Moossee, thus
triumphant, returned to Gotto, where he was declared king, and the
capital of the country is called by his name.
On the west of Gotto is the kingdom of Baedoo, which was conquered
by the present king of Bambarra about seven years ago, and has
continued tributary to him ever since.
West of Baedoo is Maniana, the inhabitants of which, according to
the best information I was able to collect, are cruel and ferocious-
-carrying their resentment towards their enemies so far as never to
give quarter, and even to indulge themselves with unnatural and
disgusting banquets of human flesh.
CHAPTER XVII - MOORZAN TO TAFFARA
Having, for the reasons assigned in the last chapter, determined to
proceed no farther eastward than Silla, I acquainted the dooty with
my intention of returning to Sego, proposing to travel along the
southern side of the river; but he informed me that, from the number
of creeks and swamps on that side, it was impossible to travel by
any other route than along the northern bank, and even that route,
he said, would soon be impassable on account of the overflowing of
the river. However, as he commended my determination to return
westward, he agreed to speak to some one of the fishermen to carry
me over to Moorzan. I accordingly stepped into a canoe about eight
o'clock in the morning of July 30th, and in about an hour was landed
at Moorzan. At this place I hired a canoe for sixty kowries, and in
the afternoon arrived at Kea, where, for forty kowries more, the
dooty permitted me to sleep in the same hut with one of his slaves.
This poor negro, perceiving that I was sickly, and that my clothes
were very ragged, humanely lent me a large cloth to cover me for the
night.
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