The Negro Carried The Body By A Leg And An Arm, And
Threw It Into The Pit With A Savage Indifference, Which I Had Never
Before Seen.
As he covered the body with earth, the Dooty often expressed
himself, _naphula attiniata_ (money lost;) whence I concluded that the
boy had been one of his slaves.
Departing from this shocking scene, I travelled by the side of the river
until sunset, when I came to Koolikorro; a considerable town, and a great
market for salt. Here I took up my lodging at the house of a Barabarran,
who had formerly been the slave of a Moor, and in that character had
travelled to Aoran, Towdinni, and many other places in the Great Desert;
but turning Mussulman, and his master dying at Jenne, he obtained his
freedom, and settled at this place, where he carries on a considerable
trade in salt, cotton-cloth, &c. His knowledge of the world has not
lessened that superstitious confidence in saphies and charms, which he
had imbibed in his earlier years; for, when he heard that I was a
Christian, he immediately thought of procuring a saphie, and for this
purpose brought out his _walha_, or writing board, assuring me, that he
would dress me a supper of rice, if I would write him a saphie to protect
him from wicked men. The proposal was of too great consequence to me to
be refused; I therefore wrote the board full from top to bottom on both
sides; and my landlord, to be certain of having the whole force of the
charm, washed the writing from the board into a calabash with a little
water, and having said a few prayers over it, drank this powerful
draught; after which, lest a single word should escape, he licked the
board until it was quite dry. A saphie writer was a man of too great
consequence to be long concealed; the important information was carried
to the Dooty, who sent his son with half a sheet of writing paper,
desiring me to write him a _naphula saphie_ (a charm to procure wealth).
He brought me, as a present, some meal and milk; and when I had finished
the saphie, and read it to him with an audible voice, he seemed highly
satisfied with his bargain, and promised to bring me in the morning some
milk for my breakfast. When I had finished my supper of rice and salt I
laid myself down upon a bullock's hide, and slept very quietly until
morning; this being the first good meal and refreshing sleep that I had
enjoyed for a long time.
Aug. 21st. At daybreak I departed from Koolikorro, and about noon passed
the villages of Kayoo and Toolumbo. In the afternoon I arrived at
Maraboo, a large town, and like Koolikorro, famous for its trade in salt.
I was conducted to the house of a Kaartan, of the tribe of Jower, by whom
I was well received. This man had acquired a considerable property in the
slave trade; and, from his hospitality to strangers, was called by way of
pre-eminence, _Jattee_ (the landlord;) and his house was a sort of public
inn for all travellers.
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