Two Days I Remained
Without Hearing Any Intelligence Of My Horse Or Clothes; And As There Was
At This Time
A great scarcity of provisions, approaching even to famine,
all over this part of the country, I was unwilling to
Trespass any
further on the Mansa's generosity, and begged permission to depart to the
next village. Finding me very anxious to proceed, he told me that I might
go as far as a town called Wonda, where he hoped I would remain a few
days, until I heard some account of my horse, &c.
I departed accordingly on the next morning of the 28th, and stopped at
some small villages for refreshment. I was presented at one of them with
a dish which I had never before seen. It was composed of the blossoms, or
_antherae_ of the maize, stewed in milk and water. It is eaten only in
time of great scarcity. On the 30th, about noon, I arrived at Wonda, a
small town with a mosque, and surrounded by a high wall. The Mansa, who
was a Mahomedan, acted in two capacities; as chief magistrate of the
town, and schoolmaster to the children. He kept his school in an open
shed, where I was desired to take up my lodging, until some account
should arrive from Sibidooloo, concerning my horse and clothes; for
though the horse was of little use to me, yet the few clothes were
essential. The little raiment upon me could neither protect me from the
sun by day, nor the dews and musquetoes by night: indeed my shirt was not
only worn thin, like a piece of muslin, but withal was so very dirty,
that I was happy to embrace an opportunity of washing it; which having
done, and spread it upon a bush, I sat down naked in the shade until it
was dry.
Ever since the commencement of the rainy season, my health had been
greatly on the decline. I had often been affected with slight paroxysms
of fever; and, from the time of leaving Bammakoo the symptoms had
considerably increased. As I was sitting in the manner described, the
fever returned with such violence, that it very much alarmed me; the more
so, as I had no medicine to stop its progress, nor any hope of obtaining
that care and attention which my situation required.
I remained at Wonda nine days; during which time I experienced the
regular return of the fever every day. And though I endeavoured as much
as possible to conceal my distress from my landlord, and frequently lay
down the whole day, out of his sight, in a corn field, conscious how
burthensome I was to him and his family, in a time of such great
scarcity, yet I found that he was apprised of my situation, and one
morning, as I feigned to be asleep by the fire; he observed to his wife
that they were likely to find me a very troublesome and chargeable guest,
for that, in my present sickly state, they should be obliged, for the
sake of their good name, to maintain me until I recovered, or died.
The scarcity of provisions was certainly felt at this time most severely
by the poor people, as the following circumstance most painfully
convinced me. Every evening, during my stay, I observed five or six women
come to the Mansa's house, and receive each of them a certain quantity of
corn. As I knew how valuable this article was at this juncture, I
enquired of the Mansa, whether he maintained these poor women from pure
bounty, or expected a return when the harvest should be gathered in.
"Observe that boy," said he, (pointing to a fine child about five years
of age;) "his mother has sold him to me for forty days' provision for
herself and the rest of her family. I have bought another boy in the same
manner." Good God, thought I, what must a mother suffer, before she sells
her own child! I could not get this melancholy subject out of my mind,
and the next night, when the women returned for their allowance, I
desired the boy to point out to me his mother, which he did. She was much
emaciated, but had nothing cruel or savage in her countenance; and when
she had received her corn, she came and talked to her son with as much
cheerfulness as if he had still been under her care.
Sept. 6th. Two people arrived from Sibidooloo, bringing with them my
horse and clothes; but I found that my pocket compass was broken to
pieces. This was a great loss, which I could not repair.
Sept. 7th. As my horse was grazing near the brink of a well, the ground
gave way, and he fell in. The well was about ten feet diameter, and so
very deep, that when I saw my horse snorting in the water, I thought it
was impossible to save him. The inhabitants of the village, however,
immediately assembled, and having tied together a number of withes[15]
they lowered a man down into the well, who fastened those withes round
the body of the horse; and the people, having first drawn up the man,
took hold of the withes, and to my surprise, pulled the horse out with
the greatest facility. The poor animal was now reduced to a mere
skeleton, and the roads were scarcely passable, being either very rocky,
or else full of mud and water. I therefore found it impracticable to
travel with him any farther, and was happy to leave him in the hands of
one who I thought would take care of him. I accordingly presented him to
my landlord, and desired him to send my saddle and bridle a present to
the Mansa of Sibidooloo, being the only return I could make him for
having taken so much trouble in procuring my horse and clothes.
[15] From a plant called _kabba_, that climbs like a vine upon the
trees.
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