[15] This cruel punishment is also common at Lagos.
CHAPTER VII.
Ongo—Weariness of my Attendants—Bivouac—Alarm of my Horse at the Neighbourhood of Wild Beasts—Terror of the Natives—Their Kindness—Establishment for Mahomedan Converts—Singular Custom—My Anxiety to find Terrasso-weea, who had been present at the Death of Mungo Park—Loss of my Sand-glass—Its Construction—Adofoodia—The Market-Place—Reception by the King—Interview with Terrasso-weea—Ceremony of welcoming me—His Stores—Discovery of an Old Acquaintance—Narrative of his Adventures—Terrasso-weea’s House—His Wives—Inquire of him Particulars of the Fate of Mungo Park—His Relation of the Death of that Intrepid Traveller—Terrasso-weea an Eye Witness of it—Park’s Property seized by the King—His Despotic Character—Flight of Terrasso-weea—My Palaver with the King—Hospitality of the Merchant—Information obtained respecting Timbuctoo—Market of Adofoodia.
After leaving the town of Ongo we were met by several women carrying fowls and water yams. Some of these we were fortunate enough to purchase, in exchange for some needles and thimbles. We had now an excellent stock of provision, and we kept the fowls alive till we should require them for consumption. My poor fellows began to complain much of sore feet and fatigue, telling me that “black master only want man go long way when he make war one day; but white man make poor black man walk plenty every day till him belly sore; then soon black man die.” No doubt my poor fellows were extremely tired, as I was myself, though I rode more than half the distance. I felt much for them, and sometimes showed them the wound on my leg, and asked them how they could complain when a white man, and in their hot country, could stand the march with such a wound; but their reply was invariably, “White man different to black man; black man lie down and die, suppose his leg bad like mine.”
At thirty-three miles I proposed to encamp for the night. This proposal was readily assented to by my tired companions. We accordingly selected a convenient spot at some little distance from the path, where we kindled a fire, having plenty of wood close at hand. We soon prepared a good mess, and having also cut some grass for my horse, and given him a few heads of corn, which we had saved from the previous night, we all began, like the natives, to eat at the same table, and in a short time fell fast asleep. Having left a good fire, we were not afraid of wild beasts approaching us while the fire continued to burn brightly, but serpents are very apt to come where there is fire. In fact, the natives often make large fires for the purpose of attracting a certain species of snake, which, when the fire is extinguished, feast greedily on the ashes.
Though snakes did not trouble us, we were, however, about midnight, suddenly alarmed by the snorting and pawing of my horse, who actually bit my foot, to which he was tied, purposely to awaken me. To our great surprise we found that the horse’s alarm had been caused by a large species of wolf, which had no doubt been attracted by the smell of the horse, which had observed it prowling in our immediate neighbourhood; there it still remained, making at intervals most tremendous howls. I fired off one of my pistols; after which we heard no more of him, but took our position nearer to the fire. I was soon compelled to change my position, however, for my horse having a propensity for scratching the fire abroad, scraped some of the fire amongst us, burning some of our clothes. Notwithstanding this we were again soon asleep, and had a tolerably good rest until day-break.
I now found one of my Sierra Leone men shivering violently from great fatigue, the heavy dew, and the considerable quantity of rain which had also fallen in the former part of the night. I felt rather chilly myself, and sick at the stomach, but dared not let my men know it, lest they should be disheartened. I gave the poor fellow some quinine, and also took some myself. In an hour afterwards I gave him some James’s powder, and twenty drops of Battley’s sedative of opium, which soon caused him to throw out a copious perspiration, and the shivering entirely ceased. Owing to this circumstance we did not commence our journey till we had breakfasted. Having a small calabash of native honey, which we had carried with us in case of illness, I put a portion of it in some hot water, but having no meal we were obliged to use water and honey alone. This materially aided the medicine in promoting perspiration, and we were soon all right again.
On the 1st of August we again resumed our journey, bearing N., and varying during this day’s journey to 10° towards W., in expectation of soon seeing our long-wished-for friend. This morning’s march seemed rather irksome, as we proceeded full ten miles without meeting any person of whom to inquire which was the right path; and several by-paths communicating with the direct one, we were not aware which to select. Fortunately we had taken the right path, by choosing the one apparently most beaten, as we found by inquiry of a party whom we overtook at the crossing of a path, resting under the shade of a large tree. They seemed much alarmed, and several of them fled, leaving behind them the loads they were carrying to market; but when they found that we were friends, they soon returned, and seemed pleased to find that we were not robbers, as they at first took us to be.
We sat down under the tree, and entered into conversation, when we ascertained that this party were going in the same direction as ourselves, to a town some few miles distant. The principal of their load were yams and manioc, kolla-nuts and ground beans, plantains and bananas, the latter of which one old woman ventured to ask my interpreter if I would partake of, which of course I readily accepted; and she also gave my men some each. In return I gave her a paper of needles. The rest of the party were then anxious to make me a dash, as they call it, upon the same conditions; but as we had now sufficient, we declined to accept of any more. We soon resumed our journey, marching in single file. The women, as they went along, began singing a song, to which they all kept good time. This seemed to give fresh animation to my men, and we went along for a short time as gaily as if we had been in the Dahoman kingdom.
At thirteen miles, we arrived at a small town, or kroom, where there is a large establishment, a sort of convent or residence, for Mahomedan converts, who have either voluntarily or compulsorily renounced the Pagan worship. These individuals are never suffered to come outside of the walls till they have strictly conformed in every particular with the Mahomedan religion for the space of thirteen moons, when they are set at liberty, so far as to enjoy the privileges of the other inhabitants; but should they attempt to leave the country for any other kingdom, and be captured any time afterwards, they are sure to be put to death. These individuals are all distinguished by a certain mark, which is cut on the face, in addition to the mark of the tribe to which they belong.