I Had
Now Before Me A Boundless Forest, And A Country, The Inhabitants Of Which
Were Strangers To Civilized Life, And To Most Of Whom A White Man Was The
Object Of Curiosity Or Plunder.
I reflected that I had parted from the
last European I might probably behold, and perhaps quitted for ever the
comforts of Christian society.
Thoughts like these would necessarily cast
a gloom over the mind, and I rode musing along for about three miles,
when I was awakened from my reverie by a body of people, who came running
up and stopped the asses, giving me to understand that I must go with
them to Peckaba, to present myself to the King of Walli, or pay customs
to them. I endeavoured to make them comprehend that the object of my
journey not being traffic. I ought not to be subjected to a tax like the
Slatees, and other merchants who travel for gain; but I reasoned to no
purpose. They said it was usual for travellers of all descriptions to
make a present to the King of Walli, and without doing so I could not be
permitted to proceed. As they were more numerous than my attendants, and
withal very noisy, I thought it prudent to comply with their demand, and
having presented them with four bars of tobacco, for the king's use, I
was permitted to continue my journey, and at sunset reached a village
near Kootacunda, where we rested for the night.
In the morning of December 4th, I passed Kootacunda, the last town of
Walli, and stopped about an hour at a small adjoining village to pay
customs to an officer of the King of Woolli; we rested the ensuing night
at a village called Tabajang; and at noon the next day, (December 5th,)
we reached Medina, the capital of the King of Woolli's dominions.
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