Here Isaaco Was Paid The Stipulated
Quantity Of Goods For Having Acted As Guide, To Which Park Made An
Additional Present, Also Promising To Give Him All The Asses And Horses
When Once A Satisfactory Agreement Had Been Come To With The King Of
Bambarra.
Meantime, Isaaco was sent forward to Sego, to ask permission to
pass through the king's territories, and to build a boat for sailing down
the Niger.
Some days elapsed before any answer was received; a report was
even current, that the king had with his own hand killed Isaaco, and had
avowed his resolution that every white man who should come within his
reach should share the same fate. During this period, Park was seized
with a severe attack of dysentery, which had carried off so many of his
party; he cured himself, however, by taking a powerful course of mercury.
His apprehensions were relieved by the arrival of the king's "singing
man," who is almost a sort of privy-councillor at the African courts,
declaring Mansong's high satisfaction with the presents conveyed to him
by Park's envoy, and inviting Park to Sego, to deliver them to his
majesty in person. Park was eager to depart, but the "singing man" had
contracted a strong liking to the beef and beer which Dooty Sokee ordered
to be liberally supplied to him, and six days elapsed before he would
consent to move. At last they embarked, and Park thus describes their
voyage: - "Nothing can be more beautiful than the views of this immense
river; sometimes as smooth as a mirror, at other times ruffled with a
gentle breeze, but at all times sweeping us along at the rate of six or
seven miles per hour." After passing Koolikorro and Yamina, Park arrived
at Samee, where he met with Isaaco, who told him that Mansong seemed
favourably disposed towards the expedition, but that, whenever he
attempted to enter into particulars, the king began to construct squares
and triangles with his fingers upon the sand, and during the whole time
that he spoke, seemed unwilling to withdraw his mind from these fits of
geometrical study, and showed no anxiety to have a personal interview
with the travellers.
A few days afterwards, Park was visited by Modibinnie, the prime
minister, and four other officers of the court. It was intimated to him,
that Mansong had instructed him to inquire of Park the motives which had
brought him to Bambarra, and directed him to give an explanation of his
object next morning. Park addressed a judicious speech to them in the
Bambarran language, which seemed to produce the desired effect. He
alluded to the generous treatment he had received from Mansong in his
former journey through Bambarra, and then said, "You all know that the
white people are a trading people, and that all the articles of value
which the Moors and the people of Jinni bring to Sego are made by us. If
you speak of a good _gun_; who made it?
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 233 of 282
Words from 122197 to 122698
of 148366