They Are Full Of Words, And Extremely Talkative, And Are
For The Most Part Liars And Cheats.
Yet they are exceedingly hospitable,
and charitably disposed, as they will most readily give a dinner, or a
supper, or a nights lodging, to any stranger who comes to their houses,
without expecting any remuneration or reward.
The chiefs of these negroes
are often at war against each other, or against the neighbouring tribes
or nations; but they have no cavalry, for want of horses. In war, their
only defensive armour is a large target, made of the skin of an animal
called _Danta_, which is very difficultly pierced; and their principal
weapons are _azagays_ or light darts, which they throw with great
dexterity. These darts are pointed with iron, the length of a span, and
barbed in different directions, so that they make dangerous wounds, and
tear the flesh extremely when pulled out. They have also a Moorish weapon,
much-bent like a Turkish sword or cimeter, and made of iron, without any
steel, which they procure from the negroes on the river Gambia, as they
either have no iron in their own country, or want knowledge or industry
in working it. Having but few weapons, or rather no missiles, their wars
are very bloody, as they soon come to close quarters, and their strokes
seldom fall in vain; and, being extremely fierce and courageous, they
will rather allow themselves to be slain as save themselves by flight;
neither are they disheartened by seeing their companions slain. They have
no ships, nor had they ever seen any before the Portuguese came upon
their coast; but those who dwell upon the river Senegal, and some who are
settled on the sea coast, have _zoppolies_ or canoes, called _almadias_
by the Portuguese, which are hollowed out of a single piece of wood, the
largest of which will carry three or four men. They use these almadias
for catching fish, and for transporting themselves up or down the river.
The negroes of this country are the most expert swimmers in the world, as
I can vouch from frequent experience of their dexterity.
[1] Cada Mosto is incorrect in the chronology of this discovery, and even
de Barros is not quite decided as to the first discovery of the
Senegal. He says that Denis Fernandez _passed_ it in 1446, and that
Lancerot _discovered_ it in 1447; the latter of which is eight years
before the visit of Cada Mosto. - Clarke.
[2] The northern mouth of the Senegal is in lat. 16 deg. 40'. The southern in
15 deg. 45', both N. so that the distance between them, or the length of
the island mentioned in the text, is about sixty-two miles. - E.
[3] This fancy of all the great rivers in Africa being branches from one
principal stream, is now known to be entirely erroneous. - Astl.
[4] Although the first kingdom, or kingdoms of the Negroes lies on the
Senegal, Senega, or Sanaghas, and others along the Gambia, yet there
were not properly any kingdoms of these names. On the north, indeed,
of the Sanagha, lay the country of the Sanhaga, Azanaghi, or Azanhaji,
from whence the river seems to have taken its name; but was divided
among various tribes of people, and not under any one sovereign.
Geographers, however, have since continued to propagate this first
error. - Astl.
The Jalofs and Foulahs inhabit the country between the Senegal and
Gambia, on which latter river the Feloops reside. What is meant by
_Tukhusor_ in the text does not appear, unless it may obscurely
indicate Karta. - E.
SECTION V.
_Continuation of the Voyage to the country of a King named Budomel, with
some account of his Territory, and the Manners of his People_.
Having passed the river Senegal, we sailed about 800 miles farther south
along the coast, which was all low land without mountains, till we came
to the territory or kingdom of Budomel[1]. As some Portuguese, who had
dealt with Budomel, represented him as a very just person, who paid for
any goods he might receive, and might therefore be confided in, I stopped
at his country, that I might endeavour to dispose of some Spanish horses
I had on board, which are in great request among the Negroes; besides
which, I had some cloth, Moorish wrought silks, and other commodities for
sale. We came, therefore to anchor, at a place on the coast, called Palma
di Budomel, which is only an open roadstead, and not a port. I immediately
dispatched my negro interpreter on shore to inform this lord of my arrival,
and of the goods I had on board for sale. Not long afterwards Budomel came
himself to the beach, attended by about fifteen horsemen and an hundred
and fifty foot, and sent a message desiring me to land, with professions
of a friendly disposition, and promising to render me every attention and
service in his power. I went accordingly on shore immediately, and was
received with great civility. After some discourse, I delivered to him
seven horses, with their furniture; and every other article for which he
expressed an inclination, all of which had cost me 300 ducats, trusting to
his honour for payment, which was to be in slaves, and which he promised
to deliver at his own residence, which was twenty-five miles distant from
the shore, whither he invited me to accompany him. To this invitation I
readily agreed, induced as much by a desire of seeing the country, as on
account of receiving payment. Before setting out however, Budomel made me
a present of a beautiful negress, about twelve years of age, who, he said,
was meant to serve me in the cabin; and I received the gift, and sent her
on board the caravel.
I was furnished by Budomel with horses and every thing necessary for the
journey; and when we arrived within four miles of his residence, he gave
me in charge to his nephew Bisboror, who was lord of a small town or
village at which we stopped.
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