Life and Travels of Mungo Park in Central Africa by Mungo Park

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The present inhabitants, though they possess both cattle and corn in
abundance, are not over nice in articles of diet; rats, moles, squirrels,
snakes, locusts, &c., are eaten without scruple by the highest and
lowest. My people were one evening invited to a feast given by some of
the townsmen, where, after making a hearty meal of what they thought fish
and kouskous, one of them found a piece of hard skin in the dish, and
brought it along with him, to show me what sort of fish they had been
eating. On examining the skin, I found they had been feasting on a large
snake. Another custom, still more extraordinary, is, that no woman is
allowed to eat an egg. This prohibition, whether arising from ancient
superstition, or from the craftiness of some old Bushreen who loved eggs
himself, is rigidly adhered to, and nothing will more affront a woman of
Teesee than to offer her an egg. The custom is the more singular, as the
men eat eggs without scruple in the presence of their wives, and I never
observed the same prohibition in any other of the Mandingo countries.

The third day after his son's departure, Tiggity Sego held a palaver on a
very extraordinary occasion, which I attended; and the debates on both
sides of the question displayed much ingenuity. The case was this: A
young man, a Kafir, of considerable affluence, who had recently married a
young and handsome wife, applied to a very devout Bushreen, or Mussulman
priest of his acquaintance, to procure him saphies for his protection
during the approaching war. The Bushreen complied with the request; and
in order, as he pretended, to render the saphies more efficacious,
enjoined the young man to avoid any nuptial intercourse with his bride
for the space of six weeks. Severe as the injunction was, the Kafir
strictly obeyed; and without telling his wife the real cause, absented
himself from her company. In the meantime, it began to be whispered at
Teesee, that the Bushreen, who always performed his evening devotions at
the door of the Kafir's hut, was more intimate with the young wife than
he ought to be. At first, the good husband was unwilling to suspect the
honour of his sanctified friend, and one whole month elapsed before any
jealousy rose in his mind; but hearing the charge repeated he at last
interrogated his wife on the subject who frankly confessed that the
Bushreen had seduced her.

Hereupon the Kafir put her into confinement, and called a palaver upon
the Bushreen's conduct. The fact was clearly proved against him; and he
was sentenced to be sold into slavery, or to find two slaves for his
redemption, according to the pleasure of the complainant. The injured
husband, however, was unwilling to proceed against his friend to such
extremity, and desired rather to have him publicly flogged before Tiggity
Sego's gate. This was agreed to, and the sentence was immediately
executed. The culprit was tied by the hands to a strong stake; and a long
black rod being brought forth, the executioner, after flourishing it
round his head for some time, applied it with such force and dexterity to
the Bushreen's back, as to make him roar until the woods resounded with
his screams. The surrounding multitude, by their hooting and laughing,
manifested how much they enjoyed the punishment of this old gallant; and
it is worthy of remark, that the number of stripes was precisely the same
as are enjoined by the Mosaic law, _forty, save one._

As there appeared great probability that Teesee, from its being a
frontier town, would be much exposed, during the war, to the predatory
excursions of the Moors of Gadumah, Tiggity Sego had, before my arrival,
sent round to the neighbouring villages, to beg or to purchase as much
provisions as would afford subsistence to the inhabitants for one whole
year, independently of the crop on the ground, which the Moors might
destroy. This project was well received by the country people, and they
fixed a day on which to bring all the provisions they could spare to
Teesee; and as my horse was not yet returned, I went in the afternoon of
January 4th, 1796, to meet the escort with the provisions.

It was composed of about 400 men marching in good order, with corn and
ground nuts in large calabashes upon their heads. They were preceded by a
strong guard of bowmen, and followed by eight musicians or singing men.
As soon as they approached the town, the latter began a song, every verse
of which was answered by the company, and succeeded by a few strokes on
the large drums. In this manner they proceeded amidst the acclamations of
the populace, till they reached the house of Tiggity Sego, where the
loads were deposited; and in the evening they all assembled under the
Bentang tree, and spent the night in dancing and merriment. Many of these
strangers remained at Teesee for three days, during which time I was
constantly attended by as many of them as could conveniently see me; one
party giving way to another, as soon as curiosity was gratified.

On the 5th of January an embassy of ten people belonging to Almami
Abdulkader, King of Foota Torra, a country to the west of Bondou, arrived
at Teesee; and desiring Tiggity Sego to call an assembly of the
inhabitants, announced publicly their king's determination, to this
effect: "That unless all the people of Kasson would embrace the Mahomedan
religion, and evince their conversion by saying eleven public prayers, he
(the King of Foota Torra) could not possibly stand neuter in the present
contest, but would certainly join his arms to those of Kajaaga." A
message of this nature, from so powerful a prince, could not fail to
create great alarm; and the inhabitants of Teesee, after a long
consultation, agreed to conform to his good pleasure, humiliating as it
was to them. Accordingly, one and all publicly offered up eleven prayers,
which were considered a sufficient testimony of their having renounced
Paganism, and embraced the doctrines of the Prophet.

It was the 8th of January before Demba Sego returned with my horse; and
being quite wearied out with the delay, I went immediately to inform his
father, that I should set out for Kooniakary early the next day. The old
man made many frivolous objections; and at length gave me to understand,
that I must not think of departing, without first paying him the same
duties he was entitled to receive from all travellers; besides which, he
expected, he said, some acknowledgment for his kindness towards me.
Accordingly, on the morning of the 9th, my friend Demba, with a number of
people, came to me, and said that they were sent by Tiggity Sego for my
present, and wished to see what goods I had appropriated for that
purpose. I knew that resistance was hopeless, and complaint unavailing;
and being in some measure prepared, by the intimation I had received the
night before, I quietly offered him seven bars of amber and five of
tobacco. After surveying these articles for some time very coolly, Demba
laid them down, and told me this, was not a present for a man of Tiggity
Sego's consequence, who had it in his power to take whatever he pleased
from me. He added, that if I did not consent to make him a larger
offering, he would carry all my baggage to his father and let him choose
for himself. I had not time for reply; for Demba and his attendants
immediately began to open my bundles, and spread the different articles
upon the floor, where they underwent a more strict examination than they
had done at Joag. Every thing that pleased them they took without
scruple; and amongst other things, Demba seized the tin box, which had so
much attracted his attention in crossing the river. Upon collecting the
scattered remains of my little fortune after these people had left me, I
found that as at Joag I had been plundered of half, so here, without even
the shadow of accusation, I was deprived of half the remainder. The
blacksmith himself, though a native of Kasson, had also been compelled to
open his bundles, and take an oath that the different articles they
contained were his own exclusive property. There was, however, no remedy;
and having been under some obligation to Demba Sego for his attention
towards me in the journey from Joag, I did not reproach him for his
rapacity, but determined to quit Teesee at all events the next morning.
In the meanwhile, in order to raise the drooping spirits of my
attendants, I purchased a fat sheep, and had it dressed for our dinner.

Early in the morning of January 10th, therefore, I left Teesee, and about
mid-day ascended a ridge, from whence we had a distant view of the hills
round Kooniakary. In the evening we reached a small village, where we
slept, and departing from thence the next morning, crossed in a few hours
a narrow but deep stream called Krieko, a branch of the Senegal. About
two miles farther to the eastward, we passed a large town called Madina;
and at two o'clock came in sight of Jumbo, the blacksmith's native town,
from whence he had been absent more than four years. Soon after this, his
brother, who had by some means been apprised of his coming, came out to
meet him, accompanied by a singing man; he brought a horse for the
blacksmith, that he might enter his native town in a dignified manner;
and he desired each of us to put a good charge of powder into our guns.
The singing man now led the way, followed by the two brothers; and we
were presently joined by a number of people from the town, all of whom
demonstrated great joy at seeing their old acquaintance the blacksmith,
by the most extravagant jumping and singing. On entering the town, the
singing man began an ex-tempore song in praise of the blacksmith,
extolling his courage in having overcome so many difficulties; and
concluding with a strict injunction to his friends to dress him plenty of
victuals.

When we arrived at the blacksmith's place of residence we dismounted and
fired our muskets. The meeting between him and his relations was very
tender; for these rude children of nature, free from restraint, display
their emotions in the strongest and most expressive manner. Amidst these
transports, the blacksmith's aged mother was led forth, leaning upon a
staff. Every one made way for her; and she stretched out her hand to bid
her son welcome. Being totally blind, she stroked his hands, arms, and
face, with great care, and seemed highly delighted that her latter days
were blessed by his return, and that her ears once more heard the music
of his voice. From this interview I was fully convinced, that whatever
difference there is between the Negro and European, in the conformation
of the nose and the colour of the skin, there is none in the genuine
sympathies and characteristic feelings of our common nature.

During the tumult of these congratulations, I had seated myself apart, by
the side of one of the huts, being unwilling to interrupt the flow of
filial and parental tenderness; and the attention of the company was so
entirely taken up with the blacksmith, that I believe none of his friends
had observed me. When all the people present had seated themselves, the
blacksmith was desired by his father to give them some account of his
adventures, and silence being commanded, he began; and after repeatedly
thanking God for the success that had attended him, related every
material occurrence that had happened to him from his leaving Kasson to
his arrival at the Gambia; his employment and success in those parts; and
the dangers he had escaped in returning to his native country. In the
latter part of his narration, he had frequently occasion to mention me;
and after many strong expressions concerning my kindness to him, he
pointed to the place where I sat, and exclaimed, _affille ibi siring_,
"see him sitting there." In a moment all eyes were turned upon me; I
appeared like a being dropped from the clouds; every one was surprised
that they had not observed me before; and a few women and children
expressed great uneasiness at being so near a man of such an uncommon
appearance. By degrees, however, their apprehensions subsided; and when
the blacksmith assured them that I was perfectly inoffensive, and would
hurt nobody, some of them ventured so far as to examine the texture of my
clothes; but many of them were still very suspicious; and when by
accident I happened to move myself, or look at the young children, their
mothers would scamper off with them with the greatest precipitation. In a
few hours, however, they all became reconciled to me.

With those worthy people I spent the remainder of that, and the whole of
the ensuing day, in feasting and merriment; and the blacksmith declared
he would not quit me during my stay at Kooniakary, for which place we set
out early on the morning of the 14th of January, and arrived about the
middle of the day at Soolo, a small village three miles to the south of
it.

As this place was somewhat out of the direct road, it is necessary to
observe, that I went thither to visit a Slatee, or Gambia trader, of
great note and reputation, named Salim Daucari. He was well known to Dr
Laidley, who had trusted him with effects to the value of five slaves,
and had given me an order for the whole of the debt. We luckily found him
at home, and he received me with great kindness and attention. It is
remarkable, however, that the King of Kasson was, by some means,
immediately apprised of my motions; for I had been at Soolo but a few
hours, before Sambo Sego, his second son, came thither with a party of
horse, to inquire what had prevented me from proceeding to Kooniakary,
and waiting immediately upon the king, who, he said, was impatient to see
me. Salim Daucari made my apology, and promised to accompany me to
Kooniakary the same evening: we accordingly departed from Soolo at
sunset, and in about an hour entered Kooniakary. But as the king had gone
to sleep, we deferred the interview till next morning, and slept at the
hut of Sambo Sego.

My interview with the king, and the incidents which occurred to me in the
kingdoms of Kasson and Kaarta, will be the subject of the ensuing
chapter.

CHAPTER VII.

_The Author admitted to an audience of the King of Kasson, whom he finds
well disposed towards him.--Incidents during the Author's stay at
Kooniakary.--Departs thence for Kemmoo, the capital of Kaarta.--Is
received with great kindness by the King of Kaarta, who dissuades him
from prosecuting his journey, on account of approaching hostilities with
the King of Bambarra.--The Author determines, notwithstanding, to
proceed: and the usual route being obstructed, takes the path to Ludamar,
a Moorish kingdom.--Is accommodated by the king with a guide to Jarra,
the frontier town of the Moorish territories; and sets out for that
place, accompanied by three of the king's sons, and 200 horsemen._

About eight o'clock in the morning of January 15, 1796, we went to an
audience of the king, (Demba Sego Jalla,) but the crowd of people to see
me was so great, that I could scarcely get admittance. A passage being at
length obtained, I made my bow to the monarch, whom we found sitting upon
a mat, in a large hut: he appeared to be a man of about sixty years of
age. His success in war, and the mildness of his behaviour in time of
peace, had much endeared him to all his subjects. He surveyed me with
great attention; and when Salim Daucari explained to him the object of my
journey, and my reasons for passing through his country, the good old
king appeared not only perfectly satisfied, but promised me every
assistance in his power. He informed me that he had seen Major Houghton,
and presented him with a white horse; but that, after crossing the
kingdom of Kaarta, he had lost his life among the Moors; in what manner
he could not inform me. When this audience was ended we returned to our
lodging, and I made up a small present for the king, out of the few
effects that were left me; for I had not yet received anything from Salim
Daucari. This present, though inconsiderable in itself, was well received
by the king, who sent me in return a large white bullock. The sight of
this animal quite delighted my attendants; not so much on account of its
bulk, as from its being of a white colour, which is considered as a
particular mark of favour. But although the king himself was well
disposed towards me, and readily granted me permission to pass through
his territories, I soon discovered that very great and unexpected
obstacles were likely to impede my progress. Besides the war which was on
the point of breaking out between Kasson and Kajaaga, I was told that the
next kingdom of Kaarta, through which my route lay, was involved in the
issue; and was furthermore threatened with hostilities on the part of
Bambarra. The king himself informed me of these circumstances, and
advised me to stay in the neighbourhood of Kooniakary, till such time as
he could procure proper information respecting Bambarra, which he
expected to do in the course of four or five days, as he had already, he
said, sent four messengers into Kaarta for that purpose. I readily
submitted to this proposal, and went to Soolo, to stay there till the
return of one of those messengers. This afforded me a favourable
opportunity of receiving what money Salim Daucari could spare me on Dr
Laidley's account. I succeeded in receiving the value of three slaves,
chiefly in gold dust; and being anxious to proceed as quickly as
possible, I begged Daucari to use his interest with the king to allow me
a guide by the way of Fooladoo, as I was informed that the war had
already commenced between the Kings of Bambarra and Kaarta. Daucari
accordingly set out for Kooniakary on the morning of the 20th, and the
same evening returned with the king's answer, which was to this purpose,
that the king had many years ago made an agreement with Daisy, King of
Kaarta, to send all merchants and travellers through his dominions; but
that if I wished to take the route through Fooladoo, I had his permission
so to do; though he could not, consistently with his agreement, lend me a
guide. Having felt the want of regal protection in a former part of my
journey, I was unwilling to hazard a repetition of the hardships I had
then experienced, especially as the money I had received was probably the
last supply that I should obtain; I therefore determined to wait for the
return of the messengers from Kaarta.

In the interim, it began to be whispered abroad, that I had received
plenty of gold from Salim Daucari; and on the morning of the 23d, Sambo
Sego paid me a visit with a party of horsemen. He insisted upon knowing
the exact amount of the money I had obtained; declaring, that whatever
the sum was, one half of it must go to the king; besides which, he
intimated that he expected a handsome present for himself, as being the
king's sons and for his attendants, as being the king's relations. The
reader will easily perceive, that if all these demands had been
satisfied, I should not have been overburdened with money; but though it
was very mortifying to me to comply with the demands of injustice, and so
arbitrary an exaction, yet, thinking it was highly dangerous to make a
foolish resistance, and irritate the lion when within the reach of his
paw, I prepared to submit; and if Salim Daucari had not interposed, all
my endeavours to mitigate this oppressive claim would have been of no
avail, Salim at last prevailed upon Sambo to accept sixteen bars of
European merchandize, and some powder and ball, as a complete payment of
every demand that could be made upon me in the kingdom of Kasson.

January 26th. In the forenoon, I went to the top of a high hill to the
southward of Soolo, where I had a most enchanting prospect of the
country. The number of towns and villages, and the extensive cultivation
around them, surpassed every thing I had yet seen in Africa. A gross
calculation may be formed of the number of inhabitants in this delightful
plain, by considering, that the King of Kasson can raise four thousand
fighting men by the sound of his war-drum. In traversing the rocky
eminences of this hill, which are almost destitute of vegetation, I
observed a number of large holes in the crevices and fissures of the
rocks, where the wolves and hyaenas take refuge during the day. Some of
these animals paid us a visit on the evening of the 27th: their approach
was discovered by the dogs of the village; and on this occasion it is
remarkable, that the dogs did not bark, but howl in the most dismal
manner. The inhabitants of the village no sooner heard them than, knowing
the cause, they armed themselves; and providing bunches of dry grass,
went in a body to the inclosure in the middle of the village where the
cattle were kept. Here they lighted the bunches of grass, and, waving
them to and fro, ran hooping and hallooing towards the hills. This
manoeuvre had the desired effect of frightening the wolves away from the
village; but, on examination, we found that they had killed five of the
cattle, and torn and wounded many others.

February 1st. The messengers arrived from Kaarta, and brought
intelligence that the war had not yet commenced between Bambarra and
Kaarta, and that I might probably pass through Kaarta before the Bambarra
army invaded that country.

Feb. 3d. Early in the morning, two guides on horseback came from
Kooniakary to conduct me to the frontiers of Kaarta. I accordingly took
leave of Salim Daucari, and parted for the last time from my
fellow-traveller the blacksmith, whose kind solicitude for my welfare had
been so conspicuous; and about ten o'clock departed from Soolo. We
travelled this day through a rocky and hilly country, along the banks of
the river Krieko, and at sunset came to the village of Soomo, where we
slept.

Feb. 4th. We departed from Soomo, and continued our route along the banks
of the Krieko, which are everywhere well cultivated, and swarm with
inhabitants. At this time they were increased by the number of people
that had flown thither from Kaarta, on account of the Bambarra war. In
the afternoon we reached Kimo, a large village, the residence of Madi
Konko, governor of the hilly country of Kasson, which is called Sorroma,
From hence the guides appointed by the King of Kasson returned, to join
in the expedition against Kajaaga; and I waited until the 6th, before I
could prevail on Madi Konko to appoint me a guide to Kaarta.

Feb. 7th. Departing from Kimo, with Madi Konko's son as a guide, we
continued our course along the banks of the Krieko until the afternoon,
when we arrived at Kangee, a considerable town. The Krieko is here but a
small rivulet; this beautiful stream takes its rise a little to the
eastward of this town, and descends with a rapid and noisy current until
it reaches the bottom of the high hill called Tappa, where it becomes
more placid, and winds gently through the lovely plains of Kooniakary;
after which, having received an additional branch from the north, it is
lost in the Senegal, somewhere near the falls of Felow.

Feb. 8th. This day we travelled over a rough stony country, and having
passed Seimpo and a number of other villages, arrived in the afternoon at
Lackarago, a small village, which stands upon the ridge of hills that
separates the kingdoms of Kasson and Kaarta. In the course of the day we
passed many hundreds of people flying from Kaarta, with their families
and effects.

Feb. 9th. Early in the morning we departed from Lackarago, and a little
to the eastward came to the brow of a hill, from whence we had an
extensive view of the country. Towards the south-east were perceived some
very distant hills, which our guide told us were the mountains of
Fooladoo. We travelled with great difficulty down a stony and abrupt
precipice, and continued our way in the bed of a dry river course, where
the trees meeting over head made the place dark and cool. In a little
time we reached the bottom of this romantic glen, and about ten o'clock
emerged from between two rocky hills, and found ourselves on the level
and sandy plains of Kaarta. At noon we arrived at a Korree, or
watering-place, where, for a few strings of beads, I purchased as much
milk and corn-meal as we could eat: indeed, provisions are here so cheap,
and the shepherds live in such affluence, that they seldom ask any,
return for what refreshments a traveller receives from them. From this
Korree we reached Feesurah at sunset, where we took up our lodging for
the night.

Feb. 10th. We continued at Feesurah all this day, to have a few clothes
washed, and learn more exactly the situation of affairs before we
ventured towards the capital.

Feb. 11th. Our landlord, taking advantage of the unsettled state of the
country, demanded so extravagant a sum for our lodging, that suspecting
he wished for an opportunity to quarrel with us, I refused to submit to
his exorbitant demand; but my attendants were so much frightened at the
reports of approaching wars that they refused to proceed any further,
unless I could settle matters with him, and induce him to accompany us to
Kemmoo, for our protection on the road. This I accomplished with some
difficulty, and by a present of a blanket which I had brought with me to
sleep in, and for which our landlord had conceived a very great liking:
matters were at length amicably adjusted, and he mounted his horse and
led the way. He was one of those Negroes who, together with the
ceremonial part of the Mahomedan religion, retain all their ancient
superstitions, and even drink strong liquors. They are called Johars, or
Jowers, and in this kingdom form a very numerous and powerful tribe. We
had no sooner got into a dark and lonely part of the first wood, than he
made a sign for us to stop, and taking hold of a hollow piece of bamboo,
that hung as an amulet round his neck, whistled very loud three times. I
confess I was somewhat startled, thinking it was a signal for some of his
companions to come and attack us; but he assured me that it was done
merely with a view to ascertain what success we were likely to meet with
on our present journey. He then dismounted, laid his spear across the
road, and having said a number of short prayers, concluded with three
loud whistles; after which he listened for some time, as if in
expectation of an answer, and receiving none, told us we might proceed
without fear, for there was no danger. About noon we passed a number of
large villages quite deserted, the inhabitants having fled into Kasson to
avoid the horrors of war. We reached Karankalla at sunset; this formerly
was a large town, but having been plundered by the Bambarrans about four
years ago, nearly one half of it is still in ruins.

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