Favourable As This Determination
Was To The Lady, She Found It A Difficult Matter To Make Up Her
Mind, And Requested Time For Consideration; But I Think I Could
Perceive That First Love Would Carry The Day.
Lemina was indeed
somewhat older than his rival, but he was also much richer.
What
weight this circumstance had in the scale of his wife's affections I
pretend not to say.
On the morning of the 26th, as we departed from Tambacunda, Karfa
observed to me that there were no shea-trees farther to the westward
than this town. I had collected and brought with me from Manding
the leaves and flowers of this tree, but they were so greatly
bruised on the road that I thought it best to gather another
specimen at this place. The appearance of the fruit evidently
places the shea-tree in the natural order of Sapotae, and it has
some resemblance to the mudhuca tree described by Lieutenant Charles
Hamilton in the "Asiatic Researches," vol. i., p. 300.
About one o'clock on the morning of the 26th we reached Sibikillin,
a walled village; but the inhabitants having the character of
inhospitality towards strangers, and of being much addicted to
theft, we did not think proper to enter the gate. We rested a short
time under a tree, and then continued our route until it was dark,
when we halted for the night by a small stream running towards the
Gambia. Next day the road led over a wild and rocky country,
everywhere rising into hills and abounding with monkeys and wild
beasts. In the rivulets among the hills we found great plenty of
fish. This was a very hard day's journey; and it was not until
sunset that we reached the village of Koomboo, near to which are the
ruins of a large town formerly destroyed by war. The inhabitants of
Koomboo, like those of Sibikillin, have so bad a reputation that
strangers seldom lodge in the village; we accordingly rested for the
night in the fields, where we erected temporary huts for our
protection, there being great appearance of rain.
May 28. - We departed from Koomboo, and slept at a Foulah town, about
seven miles to the westward; from which, on the day following,
having crossed a considerable branch of the Gambia, called Neola
Koba, we reached a well-inhabited part of the country. Here are
several towns within sight of each other, collectively called Tenda,
but each is distinguished also by its particular name. We lodged at
one of them, called Koba Tenda, where we remained the day following,
in order to procure provisions for our support in crossing the
Simbani woods. On the 30th we reached Jallacotta, a considerable
town, but much infested by Foulah banditti, who come through the
woods from Bondou and steal everything they can lay their hands on.
A few days before our arrival they had stolen twenty head of cattle,
and on the day following made a second attempt, but were beaten off
and one of them was taken prisoner. Here one of the slaves
belonging to the coffle, who had travelled with great difficulty for
the last three days, was found unable to proceed any farther: his
master (a singing man) proposed therefore to exchange him for a
young slave girl belonging to one of the townspeople. The poor girl
was ignorant of her fate until the bundles were all tied up in the
morning, and the coffle ready to depart, when, coming with some
other young women to see the coffle set out, her master took her by
the hand, and delivered her to the singing man. Never was a face of
serenity more suddenly changed into one of the deepest distress; the
terror she manifested on having the load put upon her head and the
rope fastened round her neck, and the sorrow with which she bade
adieu to her companions, were truly affecting. About nine o'clock
we crossed a large plain covered with ciboa-trees (a species of
palm), and came to the river Nerico, a branch of the Gambia. This
was but a small river at this time, but in the rainy season it is
often dangerous to travellers. As soon as we had crossed this
river, the singing men began to vociferate a particular song,
expressive of their joy at having got safe into the west country,
or, as they expressed it, the land of the setting sun. The country
was found to be very level, and the soil a mixture of clay and sand.
In the afternoon it rained hard, and we had recourse to the common
negro umbrella, a large ciboa-leaf, which, being placed upon the
head, completely defends the whole body from the rain. We lodged
for the night under the shade of a large tabba-tree, near the ruins
of a village. On the morning following we crossed a stream called
Noulico, and about two o'clock, to my infinite joy, I saw myself
once more on the banks of the Gambia, which at this place, being
deep and smooth, is navigable; but the people told me that a little
lower down the stream is so shallow that the coffles frequently
cross it on foot.
June 2. - We departed from Seesukunda and passed a number of
villages, at none of which was the coffle permitted to stop,
although we were all very much fatigued. It was four o'clock in the
afternoon before we reached Baraconda, where we rested one day.
Departing from Baraconda on the morning of the 4th, we reached in a
few hours Medina, the capital of the king of Woolli's dominions,
from whom the reader may recollect I received an hospitable
reception in the beginning of December, 1795, in my journey
eastward. I immediately inquired concerning the health of my good
old benefactor, and learned with great concern that he was
dangerously ill. As Karfa would not allow the coffle to stop, I
could not present my respects to the king in person, but I sent him
word by the officer to whom we paid customs that his prayers for my
safety had not been unavailing.
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