The Circumstance Of The Niger's Flowing Towards The East And Its
Collateral Points Did Not, However, Excite My Surprise; For
Although I
had left Europe in great hesitation on this subject, and rather believed
that it ran in the contrary
Direction, I had made such frequent inquiries
during my progress concerning this river, and received from Negroes of
different nations such clear and decisive assurances that its general
course was _towards the rising sun_, as scarce left any doubt on my mind;
and more especially, as I knew that Major Houghton had collected similar
information in the same manner.
Sego, the capital of Bambarra, at which I had now arrived, consists,
properly speaking, of four distinct towns; two on the northern bank of
the Niger, called Sego Korro, and Sego Boo; and two on the southern bank,
called Sego Soo Korro, and Sego See Korro. They are all surrounded with
high mud walls; the houses are built of clay, of a square form, with flat
roofs; some of them have two stories, and many of them are white-washed.
Besides these buildings, Moorish mosques are seen in every quarter, and
the streets, though narrow, are broad enough for every useful purpose in
a country where wheel carriages are entirely unknown. From the best
inquiries I could make, I have reason to believe that Sego contains
altogether about thirty thousand inhabitants. The king of Bambarra
constantly resides at Sego See Korro; he employs a great many slaves in
conveying people over the river, and the money they receive (though the
fare is only ten Kowrie shells for each individual) furnishes a
considerable revenue to the king in the course of a year.
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