Like that of the young woman,
whom they met at Jenna, their heads exactly resembled a dragoon's
helmet. Their hair was much longer of course than that of the negro,
which enables the Fallatas to weave it on both sides of the head
into a kind of queue, which passing over each cheek is tied under
the chin.
Another company of Fellatas came to them in the evening, for they had
never beheld a white man, and curiosity had led them to their
habitation. They brought with them a present of a little thick milk,
of which they begged the travellers' acceptance, and then went away
highly gratified with the interview. The behaviour of the whole of
them was extremely reserved and respectful; nothing in the persons of
the travellers excited their merriment, on the contrary, they seemed
silently to admire their dress and complexion, and having examined
them well at a distance, seemed grateful for the treat.
In the mean time, the kindness and generosity of the governor of
Bohoo continued unabated; instead of diminishing, it seemed to
strengthen; he literally inundated them with milk, and he was equally
lavish with other things. It gave them unmixed pleasure to meet with
so much native politeness and attention from a quarter, where they
the least expected it, and at a time also, when it was the most
required.
After they had retired to rest, a Fellata woman came to their
dwelling, bringing with her a number of eggs of the guinea-hen, and a
large bowl of milk fresh from the cow, as a return for a few needles
they had given her in the afternoon. This circumstance is mentioned
merely to show the difference between the Fellatas and the
Youribeans, in point of gratitude for favours which they may have
received. The latter are very seldom grateful, and never acknowledge
gratitude as a virtue. The indifference, unconcern, and even
contempt, which they often evinced on receiving the presents which
the Landers made them, was a proof of this, and with a very few
exceptions, they never observed a Youribean to be sincerely thankful
for any thing.
On the following morning, John Lander was able to sit on horseback,
and as they were on the point of taking their departure, the governor
came out to bid them farewell, and presented them with two thousand
kowries to assist them on their journey.
Two hours after leaving Bohoo, they passed through an agreeable,
thinly inhabited village called Mallo, and in somewhat less than an
hour after, arrived at Jaguta, a large and compact town, fortified by
a neater and more substantially built wall than any they had yet
seen.
Jaguta lies E. S. E. of Bohoo, from which it is distant, as nearly as
the Landers could guess, from twelve to thirteen miles. In the course
of the journey, they met a party of Nouffie traders from Coulfo, with
asses carrying trona for the Gonja market. Among them, were two
women, very neatly clad in their native costume, with clean white
tobes outside their other apparel, resembling as nearly as possible
the chemise of European ladies. These asses were the first beasts
they had observed employed in carrying burdens, for hitherto, people
of both sexes and of all ages, especially women and female children,
had performed those laborious duties.
The governor of Jaguta came to apologize in the evening, for not
having attended them the greater part of the day, on the plea that he
had been engaged in the country with his people, in making a fetish
for the prosperity of the king of Katunga. The return of the governor
and his procession to the town, was announced by a flourish of drums,
fifes, &c., with the usual accompaniments of singing and dancing. The
musicians performed before him, for some time, in a yard contiguous
to that where the Landers resided, and their ears were stunned for
the remainder of the night, by a combination of the most barbarous
sounds in the world.
They were here daily assured that the path was rendered exceedingly
dangerous by banditti, and the governor of Jaguta endeavoured with a
good deal of earnestness, to persuade them that their goods would not
be respected by them. It will, however, scarcely be believed, that
this universal dread originates from a few Borgoo desperadoes, who,
although only armed with powder and a few broken muskets, can put a
whole legion of the timid natives to flight. The inhabitants of the
town kept firing the whole of the evening, to deter their formidable
foe from scaling the wall and taking possession of their town.
On the night of Saturday May 8th, they were visited by thunder
storms, from which, however, they did not receive any great
annoyance. The natives as usual imputed the seasonable weather to
their agency alone, and in consequence, their arrival at many places
was hailed with transport, as the most fortunate thing that could
have happened.
Extraordinary preparations were made by the governor of Jaguta, to
ensure the safety of the travellers on the dreaded pathway; and a
horseman armed with sword and spear, in company with four foot
soldiers, who were equipped with bows, and several huge quivers full
of arrows, were in readiness to offer them their protection. The
horseman preceded the party, and played off a variety of antics to
the great amusement of the Landers. He seemed not a little satisfied
with himself; he flourished his naked sword over his head; brandished
his spear; made his horse curvet and bound, and gallop alternately;
and his dress being extremely grotesque, besides being old and torn,
gave him an appearance not unlike that of a bundle of rags flying
through the air.
