We Found Here Great Numbers Of Tortoises, Or
Turtle, The Shells Of Which Were Larger Than A Target.
The sailors cooked
these into different dishes, as they had done before in the gulf of
Arguin, where these
Animals are found in plenty, but not so large as here.
Out of curiosity I eat some of the flesh of these tortoises, which seemed
very good, having a good smell and taste, and was not inferior to veal.
We salted a great number of them, which proved a valuable addition to our
stock of provisions during the voyage. We caught likewise a prodigious
quantity of fish, both off the mouth of the river and in the stream; and,
though we knew not the kinds, they were large and well-flavoured. The
mouth of this river is a good arrow-shot across, and it is deep enough to
admit a vessel of 150 tons. We remained two days in this place for
refreshments, taking in a good stock of tortoises and fish, and large
quantities of pigeons, which we killed without number. To the first
island at which we anchored we gave the name of _Bona Vista_, as being
the first we got sight of; and to this other, which seemed the largest of
the four, the name of St Jago, having cast anchor there on the day of St
Philip and St James. Every thing being in readiness for pursuing our
voyage, we took our departure from these islands, and shaped our course
for Cape Verd. We arrived at _Spedegar_, and keeping within sight of land,
we came to a place named the _Two Palms_, which is between Cape Verd and
the river Senegal. Being perfectly acquainted with the coast, we doubled
the Cape next day, and came once more to the river Gambia, into which we
immediately entered; and, finding no opposition from the Negroes or their
almadias, we sailed up the river, always by day, and continually sounding.
Such of the almadias as we saw on the river kept at a distance, close to
the banks of the river, and never ventured to approach. About ten miles
up the river we cast anchor on a Sunday morning, at an island where one
of our sailors was buried who had died of a fever; and as his name
happened to be Andrew, we called it the island of St Andrew[4].
Leaving this island we proceeded up the river, followed by some of the
Negroes in their almadias, yet always keeping at a considerable distance.
Our interpreters often hailed them, and shewed them various trinkets,
which were offered for their acceptance, and endeavoured to entice them to
come near, by telling them that we were good-natured civilized people,
from whom they had nothing to fear. Wrought upon by these representations,
the Negroes at length approached, and came up with my caravel; and at last
one of them, who understood the language of our interpreter, came on board.
He was greatly surprized at every thing he saw in and about the caravel,
especially with the sails and rigging, having no other idea of moving a
vessel on the water but by means of oars. He was no less amazed at our
colour and dress, as his nation mostly go stark naked, or with a single
white cotton shirt as their sole dress. We were exceedingly kind and
attentive to this Negro, and made him many presents of trinkets, and other
things of small value, with which he was much delighted. I asked him many
questions respecting the country, through our interpreter, and at length
learnt that we were in the country of Gambia, of which Forosangoli was
chief lord; and, by what we could learn from him, the residence of
Forosangoli was at the distance of nine or ten days journey, in a
direction between the south and the southwest. He said that Forosangoli
was tributary to the king of Melli, who is the great emperor of the
Negroes; that there were many inferior lords, who dwelt near the river on
both sides, and, if we pleased, he would conduct us to the residence of
one of these lords, named Battimansa, and would endeavour to negociate a
treaty of peace and friendship between him and us. Being much pleased with
this offer, we carried this Negro along with us, and treated him with much
attention; and, sailing up the river, we came to the place where
Battimansa resided, which, in my opinion, was above forty miles from the
mouth of the river. In going up the river, into which several lesser
rivers fall, we sailed to the eastwards, and at the place where we came to
anchor, we found it much narrower than at the mouth, being not above a
mile in breadth, by our estimation[5]. On coming to this place, we sent
one of our interpreters and the native Negro to Battimansa, with a present
of a handsome garment, called an _alzimba_, made of Moorish silk, in the
form of a shirt; and they were desired to inform him of the reason of our
coming into his country, signifying, "That the Christian king of Portugal
had sent us thither, to enter into a treaty of friendship and peace with
him, and that if he had any call for our commodities, our king would
supply him with them every year."
As soon as our messengers had discharged their commission, Battimansa sent
some of his Negroes to the caravel, with whom we entered into friendship,
and bartered several things for Negro slaves and some gold; but gold was
by no means to be had in any thing like the plenty we expected, from the
account given of this country by the natives of Senegal, who, being
themselves extremely poor, consider that to be a large quantity which we
think very trifling. The Negroes value their gold as a very precious thing,
even at a higher rate than the Portuguese, yet we got it in barter very
reasonably for things of very small value.
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