Departing From Kirwani On The Morning Of The 20th, We Entered The Tenda
Wilderness Of Two Day's Journey.
The woods were very thick, and the
country shelved towards the south-west.
About ten o'clock we met a coffle
of twenty-six people, and seven loaded asses, returning from the Gambia.
Most of the men were armed with muskets, and had broad belts of scarlet
cloth over their shoulders, and European hats upon their heads. They
informed us that there was very little demand for slaves on the Coast, as
no vessel had arrived for some months past. On hearing this, the
Serawoollies, who had travelled with us from the Faleme river, separated
themselves and their slaves from the coffle. They had not, they said, the
means of maintaining their slaves in Gambia until a vessel should arrive,
and were unwilling to sell them to disadvantage; they therefore departed
to the northward for Kajaaga. We continued our route through the
Wilderness, and travelled all day through a rugged country, covered with
extensive thickets of bamboo. At sunset, to our great joy, we arrived at
a pool of water near a large tabba tree, whence the place is called
Tabba-gee, and here we rested a few hours. The water at this season of
the year is by no means plentiful in these woods; and as the days were
insufferably hot, Karfa proposed to travel in the night. Accordingly,
about eleven o'clock, the slaves were taken out of their irons, and the
people of the coffle received orders to keep close together, as well to
prevent the slaves from attempting to escape, as on account of the wild
beasts.
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