This Proclamation Called Upon All The Friends Of Daisy To
Join Him Immediately; But To Such As Had No Arms,
Or were afraid to enter
into the war, permission was given to retire into any of the neighbouring
kingdoms; and
It was added, that provided they observed a strict
neutrality, they should always be welcome to return to their former
habitations; if, however, they took any active part against Kaarta, they
had then "broken the key of their huts, and could never afterwards enter
the door." Such was the expression.
This proclamation was very generally applauded; but many of the Kaartans,
and, amongst others, the powerful tribes of Jower and Kakaroo, availing
themselves of the indulgent clause, retired from Daisy's dominions, and
took refuge in Ludamar and Kesson. By means of these desertions, Daisy's
army was not so numerous as might have been expected; and when I was at
Kemmoo, the whole number of effective men according to report, did not
exceed four thousand; but they were men of spirit and enterprise, and
could be depended on.
On the 22d of February, (four days after my arrival at Jarra) Mansong,
with his army, advanced towards Kemmoo; and Daisy, without hazarding a
battle, retired to Joko, a town to the north-west of Kemmoo, where he
remained three days, and then took refuge in a strong town called
Gedingooma, situated in the hilly country, and surrounded with high walls
of stone. When Daisy departed from Joko, his sons refused to follow him,
alleging that "the singing men would publish their disgrace, as soon as
it should be known that Daisy and his family had fled from Joko without
firing a gun." They were therefore left behind with a number of horsemen
to defend Joko; but, after many skirmishes, they were totally defeated,
and one of Daisy's sons taken prisoner; the remainder fled to Gedingooma,
which Daisy had stored with provisions, and where he determined to
make his final stand.
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