Bees-Wax And
Honey, Hides, Gums, And Dye Woods, Constitute The Whole Catalogue Of
Exportable Commodities.
Other productions, however, have been
incidentally noticed as the growth of Africa; such as grain of different
kinds, tobacco,
Indigo, cotton-wool, and perhaps a few others; but all of
these (which can only be obtained by cultivation and labour) the natives
raise sufficient only for their own immediate expenditure; nor, under the
present system of their laws, manners, trade, and government, can any
thing farther be expected from them. It cannot, however, admit of a
doubt, that all the rich and valuable productions, both of the East and
West Indies, might easily be naturalized, and brought to the utmost
perfection, in the tropical parts of this immense continent. Nothing is
wanting to this end but example, to enlighten the minds of the natives;
and instruction, to enable them to direct their industry to proper
objects. It was not possible for me to behold the wonderful fertility of
the soil, the vast herds of cattle, proper both for labour and food, and
a variety of other circumstances favourable to colonization and
agriculture; and reflect, withal, on the means which presented themselves
of a vast inland navigation, without lamenting that a country, so
abundantly gifted and favoured by nature, should remain in its present
savage and neglected state. Much more did I lament, that a people of
manners and disposition so gentle and benevolent, should either be left,
as they now are, immersed in the gross and uncomfortable blindness of
pagan superstition, or permitted to become converts to a system of
bigotry and fanaticism, which, without enlightening the mind, often
debases the heart. On this subject many observations might be made; but
the reader will probably think that I have already digressed too largely;
and I now, therefore, return to my situation at Kamalia.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Transactions at Kamalia resumed. - Arabic MSS. in use among the Mahomedan
Negroes. - Reflections concerning the conversion and education of the
Negro children. - Return of the Author's benefactor, Karfa. - Further
account of the purchase and treatment of slaves. - Fast of Rhamadan, how
observed by the Negroes. - Author's anxiety for the day of departure. - The
Caravan sets out. - Account of it on its departure, and proceedings on the
road, until its arrival at Kinytakooro.
The schoolmaster, to whose care I was entrusted during the absence of
Karfa, was a man of a mild disposition and gentle manners; his name was
Fankooma; and although he himself adhered strictly to the religion of
Mahomet, he was by no means intolerant in his principles towards others
who differed from him. He spent much of his time in reading; and teaching
appeared to be his pleasure, as well as employment. His school consisted
of seventeen boys, most of whom were sons of Kafirs; and two girls, one
of whom was Karfa's own daughter. The girls received their instructions
in the daytime, but the boys always had their lessons by the light of a
large fire before daybreak, and again late in the evening; for being
considered, during their scholarship, as the domestic slaves of the
master, they were employed in planting corn, bringing fire-wood, and in
other servile offices through the day.
Exclusive of the Koran, and a book or two of commentaries thereon, the
schoolmaster possessed a variety of manuscripts, which had partly been
purchased from the trading Moors, and partly borrowed from Bushreens in
the neighbourhood, and copied with great care. Other MSS. had been
produced to me at different places in the course of my journey; and on
recounting those I had before seen, and those which were now shown to me,
and interrogating the schoolmaster on the subject, I discovered that the
Negroes are in possession (among others) of an Arabic version of the
Pentateuch of Moses; which they call _Taureta la Moosa_. This is so
highly esteemed, that it is often sold for the value of one prime slave.
They have likewise a version of the Psalms of David, (_Zabora Dawidi_;)
and, lastly the book of Isaiah, which they call _Lingeeli la Isa_, and it
is in very high esteem. I suspect, indeed, that in all these copies,
there are interpolations of some of the peculiar tenets of Mahomet, for I
could distinguish in many passages the name of the Prophet. It is
possible, however, that this circumstance might otherwise have been
accounted for, if my knowledge of the Arabic had been more extensive. By
means of those books, many of the converted Negroes have acquired an
acquaintance with some of the remarkable events recorded in the Old
Testament. The account of our first parents; the death of Abel; the
Deluge; the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the story of Joseph and
his brethren; the history of Moses David, Solomon, &c. All these have
been related to me in the Mandingo language, with tolerable exactness, by
different people; and my surprise was not greater on hearing these
accounts from the lips of the Negroes, than theirs, on finding that I was
already acquainted with them; for although the Negroes in general have a
very great idea of the wealth and power of the Europeans, I am afraid
that the Mahomedan converts among them think but very lightly of our
superior attainments in religious knowledge. The white traders in the
maritime districts take no pains to counteract this unhappy prejudice;
always performing their own devotions in secret, and seldom condescending
to converse with the Negroes in a friendly and instructive manner. To me,
therefore, it was not so much the subject of wonder as matter of regret,
to observe, that while the superstition of Mahomet has in this manner
scattered a few faint beams of learning among these poor people, the
precious light of Christianity is altogether excluded. I could not but
lament, that although the Coast of Africa has now been known and
frequented by the Europeans for more than two hundred years, yet the
Negroes still remain entire strangers to the doctrines of our holy
religion.
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