By Degrees, However, Their Apprehensions Subsided; And When
The Blacksmith Assured Them That I Was Perfectly Inoffensive, And Would
Hurt
Nobody, some of them ventured so far as to examine the texture of my
clothes; but many of them were
Still very suspicious; and when by
accident I happened to move myself, or look at the young children, their
mothers would scamper off with them with the greatest precipitation. In a
few hours, however, they all became reconciled to me.
With those worthy people I spent the remainder of that, and the whole of
the ensuing day, in feasting and merriment; and the blacksmith declared
he would not quit me during my stay at Kooniakary, for which place we set
out early on the morning of the 14th of January, and arrived about the
middle of the day at Soolo, a small village three miles to the south of
it.
As this place was somewhat out of the direct road, it is necessary to
observe, that I went thither to visit a Slatee, or Gambia trader, of
great note and reputation, named Salim Daucari. He was well known to Dr
Laidley, who had trusted him with effects to the value of five slaves,
and had given me an order for the whole of the debt. We luckily found him
at home, and he received me with great kindness and attention. It is
remarkable, however, that the King of Kasson was, by some means,
immediately apprised of my motions; for I had been at Soolo but a few
hours, before Sambo Sego, his second son, came thither with a party of
horse, to inquire what had prevented me from proceeding to Kooniakary,
and waiting immediately upon the king, who, he said, was impatient to see
me. Salim Daucari made my apology, and promised to accompany me to
Kooniakary the same evening: we accordingly departed from Soolo at
sunset, and in about an hour entered Kooniakary. But as the king had gone
to sleep, we deferred the interview till next morning, and slept at the
hut of Sambo Sego.
My interview with the king, and the incidents which occurred to me in the
kingdoms of Kasson and Kaarta, will be the subject of the ensuing
chapter.
CHAPTER VII.
_The Author admitted to an audience of the King of Kasson, whom he finds
well disposed towards him. - Incidents during the Author's stay at
Kooniakary. - Departs thence for Kemmoo, the capital of Kaarta. - Is
received with great kindness by the King of Kaarta, who dissuades him
from prosecuting his journey, on account of approaching hostilities with
the King of Bambarra. - The Author determines, notwithstanding, to
proceed: and the usual route being obstructed, takes the path to Ludamar,
a Moorish kingdom. - Is accommodated by the king with a guide to Jarra,
the frontier town of the Moorish territories; and sets out for that
place, accompanied by three of the king's sons, and 200 horsemen._
About eight o'clock in the morning of January 15, 1796, we went to an
audience of the king, (Demba Sego Jalla,) but the crowd of people to see
me was so great, that I could scarcely get admittance.
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