Strange As This Story May Appear, I Have No
Doubt Of The Truth Of It:
It was told me at Malacotta by the Negroes; it
was afterwards related to me by the Europeans on
The Gambia; by some of
the French at Goree; and confirmed by nine slaves who were taken
prisoners along with Abdulkader, by the watering place in the woods, and
carried in the same ship with me to the West Indies.
CHAPTER XXVI.
_The caravan proceeds to Konkadoo, and crosses the Faleme River. - Its
arrival at Baniserile, Kirwani, and Tambacunda. - Incidents on the
road. - A matrimonial case. - The caravan proceeds through many towns and
villages, and arrives at length on the banks of the Gambia. - Passes
through Medina, the capital of Wolli, and finally stops at Jindey. - The
Author, accompanied by Karfa, proceeds to Pisania. - Various occurrences
previous to his departure from Africa. - Takes his passage in an American
ship. - Short account of his voyage to Great Britain by way of the West
Indies._
On the 7th of May, we departed from Malacotta, and having crossed the _Ba
lee_, "Honey river," a branch of the Senegal, we arrived in the evening
at a walled town called Bintingala, where we rested two days. From
thence, in one day more, we proceeded to Dindikoo, a small town situated
at the bottom of a high ridge of hills, from which this district is named
_Konkadoo_, "the country of mountains." These hills are very productive
of gold. I was shown a small quantity of this metal, which had been
lately collected: the grains were about the usual size, but much flatter
than those of Manding, and were found in white quartz, which had been
broken to pieces by hammers. At this town I met with a Negro, whose hair
and skin were of a dull white colour. He was of that sort which are
called in the Spanish West Indies _Albinos_, or white Negroes. The skin
is cadaverous and unsightly, and the natives considered this complexion
(I believe truly) as the effect of disease.
May 11th. At daybreak we departed from Dindikoo, and after a toilsome
day's travel, arrived in the evening at Satadoo, the capital of a
district of the same name. This town was formerly of considerable extent;
but many families had left it in consequence of the predatory incursions
of the Foulahs of Foota Jalla, who made it a practice to come secretly
through the woods, and carry off people from the corn fields, and even
from the wells near the town. In the afternoon of the 12th, we crossed
the Faleme river, the same which I had formerly crossed at Bondou in my
journey eastward. This river, at this season of the year, is easily
forded at this place, the stream being only about two feet deep. The
water is very pure, and flows rapidly over a bed of sand and gravel. We
lodged for the night at a small village called Medina, the sole property
of a Mandingo merchant, who, by a long intercourse with Europeans, has
been induced to adopt some of their customs. His victuals were served up
in pewter dishes, and even his houses were built after the fashion of the
English houses on the Gambia.
May 13th. In the morning, as we were preparing to depart, a coffle of
slaves, belonging to some Serawoolli traders, crossed the river, and
agreed to proceed with us to Baniserile, the capital of Dentila; a very
long day's journey from this place. We accordingly set out together, and
travelled with great expedition through the woods until noon; when one of
the Serawoolli slaves dropt the load from his head, for which he was
smartly whipped. The load was replaced; but he had not proceeded above a
mile before he let it fall a second time, for which he received the same
punishment. After this he travelled in great pain until about two
o'clock, when we stopt to breathe a little, by a pool of water, the day
being remarkably hot. The poor slave was now so completely exhausted that
his master was obliged to release him from the rope, for he lay
motionless on the ground. A Serawoolli therefore undertook to remain with
him, and endeavour to bring him to the town during the cool of the night;
in the meanwhile we continued our route, and after a very hard day's
travel, arrived at Baniserile late in the evening.
One of our Slatees was a native of this place, from which he had been
absent three years. This man invited me to go with him to his house; at
the gate of which his friends met him with many expressions of joy;
shaking hands with him, embracing him, and singing and dancing before
him. As soon as he had seated himself upon a mat by the threshold of his
door, a young woman (his intended bride) brought a little water in a
calabash, and kneeling down before him, desired him to wash his hands;
when he had done this, the girl with a tear of joy sparkling in her eyes,
drank the water; this being considered the greatest proof she could give
him of her fidelity and attachment. About eight o'clock the same evening,
the Serawoolli, who had been left in the woods to take care of the
fatigued slave, returned and told us that he was dead; the general
opinion, however, was that he himself had killed him, or left him to
perish on the road; for the Serawoollies are said to be infinitely more
cruel in their treatment of slaves than the Mandingoes. We remained at
Baniserile two days, in order to purchase native iron, shea-butter, and
some other articles for sale on the Gambia; and here the Slatee who had
invited me to his house, and who possessed three slaves, part of the
coffle, having obtained information that the price on the Coast was very
low, determined to separate from us, and remain with his slaves where he
was, until an opportunity should offer of disposing of them to advantage;
giving us to understand that he should complete his nuptials with the
young woman before mentioned, in the meantime.
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