In All These Countries The Serawoollies Are
The Chief Traders.
Their numerals are:
-
One ......... _Bani_.
Two ......... _Fillo_.
Three ......... _Sicco_.
Four ......... _Narrato_.
Five ......... _Karrago_.
Six ......... _Toomo_.
Seven ......... _Nero_.
Eight ......... _Sego_.
Nine ......... _Kabbo_.
Ten ......... _Tamo_.
Twenty......... _Tamo di fillo_.
We arrived at Joag, the frontier town of this kingdom, on the 24th of
December; and took up our residence at the house of the chief man, who is
here no longer known by the title of _Alkaid_, but is called the _Dooty_.
He was a rigid Mahomedan, but distinguished for his hospitality. This
town may be supposed, on a gross computation, to contain two thousand
inhabitants. It is surrounded by a high wall, in which are a number of
port-holes, for musketry to fire through; in case of an attack. Every
man's possession is likewise surrounded by a wall; the whole forming so
many distinct citadels; and amongst a people unacquainted with the use of
artillery, these walls answer all the purposes of stronger
fortifications. To the westward of the town is a small river, on the
banks of which the natives raise great plenty of tobacco and onions.
The same evening Madiboo the Bushreen, who had accompanied me from
Pisania, went to pay a visit to his father and mother, who dwelt at a
neighbouring town called Dramanet. He was joined by my other attendant
the blacksmith; and as soon as it was dark, I was invited to see the
sports of the inhabitants, it being their custom, on the arrival of
strangers, to welcome them by diversions of different kinds. I found a
great crowd surrounding a party who were dancing, by the light of some
large fires, to the music of four drums, which were beat with great
exactness and uniformity. The dances, however, consisted more in wanton
gestures than in muscular exertion or graceful attitudes. The ladies vied
with each other in displaying the most voluptuous movements imaginable.
December 25th. About two o'clock in the morning a number of horsemen came
into the town, and having awakened my landlord, talked to him for some
time in the Serawoolli tongue; after which they dismounted, and came to
the Bentang, on which I had made my bed. One of them thinking that I was
asleep, attempted to steal the musket that lay by me on the mat; but
finding that he could not effect his purpose undiscovered, he desisted:
and the strangers sat down by me till daylight.
I could now easily perceive, by the countenance of my interpreter,
Johnson, that something very unpleasant was in agitation. I was likewise
surprised to see Madiboo and the blacksmith so soon returned. On
inquiring the reason, Madiboo informed me that as they were dancing at
Dramanet, ten horsemen, belonging to Batcheri, king of the country, with
his second son at their head, had arrived there, inquiring if the white
man had passed: and on being told that I was at Joag, they rode off
without stopping. Madiboo added, that on hearing this, he and the
blacksmith hastened back to give me notice of their coming.
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