At Daybreak On The 23d, We Departed From This Village, And Entered The
Jallonka Wilderness.
We passed, in the course of the morning, the ruins
of two small towns, which had lately been burnt by the Foulahs.
The fire
must have been very intense; for I observed that the walls of many of the
huts were slightly vitrified, and appeared at a distance as if covered
with a red varnish. About ten o'clock we came to the river Wonda, which
is somewhat larger than the river Kokoro; but the stream was at this time
rather muddy, which Karfa assured me was occasioned by amazing shoals of
fish. They were indeed seen in all directions, and in such abundance,
that I fancied the water itself tasted and smelt fishy. As soon as we had
crossed the river, Karfa gave orders that all the people of the coffle
should in future keep close together, and travel in their proper station;
the guides and young men were accordingly placed in the van, the women
and slaves in the centre, and the freemen in the rear. In this order, we
travelled with uncommon expedition through a woody, but beautiful
country, interspersed with a pleasing variety of hill and dale, and
abounding with partridges, guinea-fowls, and deer, until sunset, when we
arrived at a most romantic stream called Co-meissang. My arms and neck
having been exposed during the whole day, and irritated by the rubbing of
my dress in walking, were now very much inflamed and covered with
blisters; and I was happy to embrace the opportunity, while the coffle
rested on the bank of this river, to bathe myself in the stream. This
practice, together with the cool of the evening, much diminished the
inflammation. About three miles to the westward of the Co-meissang we
halted in a thick wood, and kindled our fires for the night. We were all,
by this time, very much fatigued, having, as I judged, travelled this day
thirty miles; but no person was heard to complain. Whilst supper was
preparing, Karfa made one of the slaves break some branches from the
trees for my bed. When we had finished our supper of kouskous, moistened
with some boiling water, and put the slaves in irons, we all lay down to
sleep; but we were frequently disturbed in the night by the howling of
wild beasts; and we found the small brown ants very troublesome.
April 24th. Before daybreak the Bushreens said their morning prayers, and
most of the free people drank a little _moening_, (a sort of gruel,) part
of which was likewise given to such of the slaves as appeared least able
to sustain the fatigues of the day. One of Karfa's female slaves was very
sulky, and when some gruel was to offered her, she refused to drink it.
As soon as day dawned we set out, and travelled the whole morning over a
wild and rocky country, by which my feet were very much bruised; and I
was sadly apprehensive that I should not be able to keep up with the
coffle during the day; but I was in a great measure relieved from this
anxiety, when I observed that others were more exhausted than myself.
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