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.
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