About Four O'clock We Arrived At Moorzan, A Fishing Town On The Northern
Bank; From Whence I Was Conveyed Across The River To Silla, A Large Town;
Where I Remained Until It Was Quite Dark, Under A Tree, Surrounded By
Hundreds Of People.
But their language was very different from the other
parts of Bambarra:
And I was informed that in my progress eastward, the
Bambarra tongue was but little understood, and that when I reached Jenne,
I should find that the majority of the inhabitants spoke a different
language, called _Jenne Kummo_ by the Negroes; and _Kalam Soudan_ by the
Moors.
With a great deal of entreaty the Dooty allowed me to come into his
baloon, to avoid the rain, but the place was very damp, and I had a smart
paroxysm of fever during the night. Worn down by sickness, exhausted with
hunger and fatigue, half naked, and without any article of value, by
which I might procure provisions, clothes, or lodging, I began to reflect
seriously on my situation. I was now convinced, by painful experience,
that the obstacles to my further progress were insurmountable. The
tropical rains were already set in, with all their violence, the rice
grounds and swamps were everywhere overflowed, and, in a few days more,
travelling of every kind, unless by water, would be completely
obstructed. The kowries which remained of the King of Bambarra's present,
were not sufficient to enable me to hire a canoe for any great distance;
and I had but little hopes of subsisting by charity, in a country where
the Moors have such influence. But about all, I perceived that I was
advancing more and more within the power of those merciless fanatics; and
from my reception both at Sego and Sansanding, I was apprehensive that,
in attempting to reach even Jenne, (unless under the protection of some
man of consequence amongst them, which I had no means of obtaining,) I
should sacrifice my life to no purpose, for my discoveries would perish
with me. The prospect either way was gloomy. In returning to the Gambia,
a journey on foot of many hundred miles, presented itself to my
contemplation, through regions and countries unknown. Nevertheless, this
seemed to be the only alternative; for I saw inevitable destruction, in
attempting to proceed to the eastward. With this conviction on my mind, I
hope my readers will acknowledge, that I did right in going no farther. I
had made every effort to execute my mission in its fullest extent, which
prudence could justify. Had there been the most distant prospect of a
successful termination, neither the unavoidable hardships of the journey,
nor the dangers of a second captivity, should have forced me to desist.
This, however, necessity compelled me to do; and whatever may be the
opinion of my general readers on this point, it affords me inexpressible
satisfaction, that my honourable employers have been pleased, since my
return, to express their full approbation of my conduct.
Having thus brought my mind, after much doubt and perplexity, to a
determination to return westward, I thought it incumbent on me, before I
left Silla, to collect from the Moorish and Negro traders all the
information I could, concerning the further course of the Niger eastward,
and the situation and extent of the kingdoms in its vicinage; and the
following few notices I received from such various quarters, as induce me
to think they are authentic.
Two short days journey to the eastward of Silla is the town of Jenne,
which is situated on a small island in the river, and is said to contain
a greater number of inhabitants than Sego itself, or any other town in
Bambarra. At the distance of two days more, the river spreads into a
considerable lake, called _Dibbe_ (or the dark lake), concerning the
extent of which all the information I could obtain was, that in crossing
it, from west to east, the canoes lose sight of land one whole day. From
this lake the water issues in many different streams, which terminate in
two large branches, one whereof flows towards the north-east, and the
other to the east; but these branches join at Kabra, which is one day's
journey to the southward of Tombuctoo, and is the port or shipping-place
of that city. The tract of land which the two streams encircle is called
Jinbala, and is inhabited by Negroes; and the whole distance, by land,
from Jenne to Tombuctoo, is twelve days journey.
From Kabra, at the distance of eleven days' journey, down the stream, the
river passes to the southward of Houssa, which is two days journey
distant from the river. Of the further progress of this great river and
its final exit, all the natives with whom I conversed seemed to be
entirely ignorant. Their commercial pursuits seldom induce them to travel
further than the cities of Tombuctoo and Houssa; and as the sole object
of those journeys is the acquirement of wealth, they pay but little
attention to the course of rivers, or the geography of countries. It is,
however, highly probable that the Niger affords a safe and easy
communication between very remote nations. All my informants agreed, that
many of the Negro merchants who arrive at Tombuctoo and Houssa, from the
eastward, speak a different language from that of Bambarra, or any other
kingdom with which they are acquainted. But even these merchants, it
would seem, are ignorant of the termination of the river, for such of
them as can speak Arabic, describe the amazing length of its course in
very general terms, saying only that they believe it _runs to the world's
end_.
The names of many kingdoms to the eastward of Houssa are familiar to the
inhabitants of Bambarra. I was shown quivers and arrows of very curious
workmanship, which I was informed came from the kingdom of Kassina.
On the northern bank of the Niger, at a short distance from Silla, is the
kingdom of Masina, which is inhabited by Foulahs.
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