Early in the morning we departed from Dooggi, and being joined
by a number of Foulahs and other people, made a formidable appearance;
and were under no apprehension of being plundered in the woods.
About
eleven o'clock one of the asses proving very refractory, the Negroes took
a curious method to make him tractable. They cut a forked stick, and
putting the forked part into the ass's mouth, like the bit of a bridle,
tied the two smaller parts together above his head, leaving the lower
part of the stick of sufficient length to strike against the ground if
the ass should attempt to put his head down. After this, the ass walked
along quietly, and gravely enough, taking care, after some practice, to
hold his head sufficiently high to prevent the stones or roots of trees
from striking against the end of the stick, which experience had taught
him would give a severe shock to his teeth. This contrivance produced a
ludicrous appearance, but my fellow-travellers told me it was constantly
adopted by the Slatees, and always proved effectual.
In the evening we arrived at a few scattered villages, surrounded with
extensive cultivation; a tone of which, called Buggil, we passed the
night in a miserable hut, having no other bed than a bundle of corn
stalks, and no provisions but what we brought with us. The wells here are
dug with great ingenuity, and are very deep. I measured one of the
bucket-ropes, and found the depth of the well to be 28 fathoms.
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