The Bushreens Here Live Apart From The
Kafirs, And Have Built Their Huts In A Scattered Manner, At A Short
Distance From The Town.
They have a place set apart for performing their
devotions in, to which they give the name of _missura_
, Or mosque; but it
is in fact nothing more than a square piece of ground made level, and
surrounded with the trunks of trees, having a small projection towards
the east, where the Marraboo, or priest, stands, when he calls the people
to prayers. Mosques of this construction are very common among the
converted Negroes; but having neither walls nor roof, they can only be
used in fine weather. When it rains, the Bushreens perform their
devotions in their huts.
On my arrival at Kamalia, I was conducted to the house of a Bushreen
named Karfa Taura, the brother of him to whose hospitality I was indebted
at Kinyeto. He was collecting a coffle of slaves, with a view to sell
them to the Europeans on the Gambia, as soon as the rains should be over.
I found him sitting in his baloon surrounded by several Slatees, who
proposed to join the coffle. He was reading to them from an Arabic book;
and inquired, with a smile, if I understood it? Being answered in the
negative, he desired one of the Slatees to fetch the little curious book,
which had been brought from the west country. On opening this small
volume, I was surprised and delighted to find it our _Book of Common
Prayer_; and Karfa expressed great joy to hear that I could read it; for
some of the Slatees, who had seen the Europeans upon the Coast, observing
the colour of my skin, (which was now become very yellow from sickness,)
my long beard, ragged clothes, and extreme poverty, were unwilling to
admit that I was a white man, and told Karfa that they suspected I was
some Arab in disguise. Karfa, however, perceiving that I could read this
book, had no doubt concerning me; and kindly promised me every assistance
in his power. At the same time he informed me, that it was impossible to
cross the Jallonka wilderness for many months yet to come, as no less
than eight rapid rivers, he said, lay in the way. He added, that he
intended to set out himself for Gambia as soon as the rivers were
fordable, and the grass burnt; and advised me to stay and accompany him.
He remarked, that when a caravan of the natives could not travel through
the country, it was idle for a single white man to attempt it. I readily
admitted that such an attempt was an act of rashness, but I assured him
that I had now no alternative; for having no money to support myself, I
must either beg my subsistence, by travelling from place to place, or
perish for want. Karfa now looked at me with great earnestness, and
inquired if I could eat the common victuals of the country, assuring me
he had never before seen a white man.
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