3d.—Finding myself considerably better this morning, I ordered a pillow to be laid across my horse’s saddle, that I might travel for a short distance on his back. Entered a miserable village named Zunko, and slept there for the night.
4th.—Arose at sun-rise, and after a fatiguing journey reached Roma at two in the afternoon. This town is built on an eminence, and commands a delightful view of the country for miles round. Proceeded to the house of the chief, and slept there. He made me the accustomed presents of provisions, &c. and received in return a pair of scissors, a hundred needles, and a paper of cloves. Several Fellata girls came to me this evening, of a bright copper colour, and extremely beautiful, with delicate and graceful forms. With a curiosity so natural to their sex, they were all eager to catch a glance of the “little Christian,” having seen the “great Christian,” as they termed my master, before. In the course of the afternoon and evening they brought me a little milk and butter, for which I recompensed them with a few beads. Here, I am happy to say, the dysentery quite left me, and my health wonderfully improved.
5th.—Left Roma for Bogell early in the morning, and arrived there at half-past four in the afternoon. Found myself so well to-day that I was enabled to ride on horseback the whole of the journey. As usual, went to the residence of the chief, who gave me a little corn for the horses only. In the night slept profoundly, and next morning was completely recovered.
6th.—At six in the morning left for Zulamee, where we arrived at two in the afternoon. The chief was overjoyed to see me, and ordered four armed men to guard the beasts and property. A band of robbers having infested the town for some time, and committed numerous depredations, he was fearful some of my goods or cattle would be stolen, and desired me to fire a gun morning and evening, that the brigands might not think I was unprepared to meet them. They did not, however, molest me; but the king of Kashna was not quite so fortunate: he had a fine horse stolen from him yesterday, which he never afterwards recovered. Rested here two days, in order to recruit the spirits of my followers, and refresh the animals under their charge.
9th.—At six in the morning, having got every thing in readiness, left Zulamee. Both men and beasts seemed much invigorated with the rest they had enjoyed, and at two in the afternoon reached Gundumowah, a small but neat Fellata village. The chief sent me a little milk.
10th.—Early in the morning started for Sansanee. The country traversed was thickly wooded, and the path lay for three hours through a large bush, which, having recently been visited by a horde of elephants, the prints of whose feet were very perceptible, rendered travelling extremely unpleasant, and even dangerous. Reached Sansanee at one at noon. The site on which the town is built not being long cleared, none of the houses were quite finished. On our arrival, the chief had an open shed, occupied by fifteen calves, cleaned out for our reception. In the evening, putting the goods in the centre, I ordered the men to lie around them, whilst I placed myself near the most valuable articles. Not deeming them sufficiently secure, my sleep was rather disturbed; and awaking about ten o’clock, I found my camel had strayed from outside the hut, and being unwilling to arouse my drowsy companions, went myself in search of him. On my return, to my infinite surprise and alarm, discovered Pascoe had decamped, taking with him a valuable gun, two pistols, a cutlass, six sovereigns, nineteen dollars, ten large and ten small knives, and several other articles, which he had contrived to take from the boxes in which they had been placed. To deceive me, the artful old villain had put a pillow into a sack, which he had laid along on his own mat. On the discovery, I immediately made an alarm, and sent to the chief for twelve horsemen to go in pursuit of him.
11th.—About three o’clock in the afternoon, as I was standing in my shed, I perceived a party of horsemen coming towards me in full gallop. On coming within a few yards of me, they suddenly checked their horses, and flourishing their spears over their heads, exclaimed, “Nasarah, acqui de moogoo!” (Christian, we have the rogue!) They informed me that a little before day-break in the morning they heard the report of a gun, and going towards the place whence the sound seemed to proceed, saw Pascoe perched on the top of a high tree, and the stolen goods lying at the root of it. They threatened to shoot him with their poisoned arrows unless he immediately came down. This had the desired effect. He hastily descended, and delivered himself into their hands. One of the soldiers took the trembling scoundrel behind him on his horse, when the whole party immediately clapped spurs to their horses, and made all the haste they could to the village. I asked Pascoe what could have induced him to leave me in so disgraceful a manner. He replied that his countrymen (the Gooburites) were at war with the Fellatas, who would cut off his head on arriving at Soccatoo. The chief coming up at the instant, cried out, “A blessing, a blessing; you have taken the thief, let me take off his head!” This was Pascoe’s third offence; and I ordered him to be heavily ironed and pinioned in the town dungeon.
12th.—Pascoe having expressed a wish to see me, I sent for him. He begged most piteously to be forgiven, and holding up his naked arms, which were swollen to thrice their natural size, implored me at least not to have him pinioned again. This I freely consented to, but he was not freed from his irons till the morning we left the town.
13th.—This day 500 camels laden with salt, obtained from the borders of the Great Desert, arrived at the town. They were preceded by a party of twenty Tuarick salt-merchants, whose appearance was grand and imposing. They entered at full trot, riding on handsome camels, some of them red and white, and others black and white. All the party were dressed exactly alike. They wore black cotton tobes and trousers, and white caps with black turbans, which hid every part of the face but the nose and eyes. In their right hand they held a long and highly-polished spear, whilst the left was occupied in holding their shields, and retaining the reins of their camels. The shields were made of white leather, with a piece of silver in the centre. As they passed me, their spears glittering in the sun, and their whole bearing bold and warlike, they had a novel and singular effect, which delighted me. They stopped suddenly before the residence of the chief, and all of them exclaiming, “Choir!” each of the camels dropped on its knees, as if by instinct, whilst their riders dismounted to pay their respects. They came in a body to see me just after, and notwithstanding their apparent respectability, felt not the least repugnance to beg money in a most importunate manner. One of them, in the hope of obtaining some, described himself as “God’s own slave.” I refused to accede to his request, observing, that God always loved his servants, and made them prosperous and happy, and could not believe what he had told me. Becoming at length very troublesome, I was under the necessity of turning him out: as he went away, he muttered something I did not understand, and said, I was the first person that ever refused to give him money. Like thousands of others, these merchants were very inquisitive, and amongst other questions asked whether any of my countrymen had tails like monkeys? I assured them none of them had that elegant appendage, but they would not believe me. After remaining an hour, they went to look after their wives and children, who were on the camels on the road, and not yet arrived.
14th.—The goods being properly secured, I took my gun this morning and shot enough of pigeons for dinner. The Tuarick men, women, and children, surrounded me in great numbers on hearing the report of my gun, and were amazed to see the birds falling dead at my feet from the tops of the high trees. They examined them with great attention, declaring I was a beautiful man, too good for a Kafer, and ought to be a worshipper of the true faith.