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 precipitations. In a few hours, however, they all because
reconciled to me.
With these 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.
CHAPTER VII - INTERVIEW WITH KING DEMBA SEGO JALLA
About eight o'clock in the morning of January 15th, 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.
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