[3]Diudilicourie.
[4]A Mandingo word, signifying “a prosperous journey.”
CHAPTER II.
Halt at the Panjetta — Return of Messengers sent to the Capital — His Majesty’s Answer — Great Scarcity of Provisions — Another Messenger sent, with Presents to the King — Captain Campbell’s interview with Omerhoo Kano — Reports about the Intentions of the Expedition — Captain Campbell goes to see the King — Arrival of the Messenger from Sego — Captain Campbell’s Return — No satisfactory Answer — Illness of the Officers — Lieutenant Stokoe and Mr. Kummer sent to the Coast — Captain Campbell decides on retracing his steps — Departure from the Panjetta — Arrival at Kakundy — Death of Captain Campbell — Departure for, and Arrival at Sierra Leone — Description of Foota Jallon.
When Lieutenant Stokoe was about to move, on the morning of the 4th of March, Sergeant Tuft and Abou Baccary, the messengers sent to the king from the Tingalinta, made their appearance, and informed Captain Campbell that having delivered the presents, and made known to his majesty the purport of their message, he told them that he could not permit us to pass through Foota Jallon until he had consulted his chiefs, to whom he could not address himself on the subject before Captain Campbell thought fit to make them suitable presents: the messengers also said, it appeared that many unfavourable reports, respecting the objects of the expedition, had been made to the king, who nevertheless expressed himself well disposed towards us, and said he should be extremely sorry if any thing unfortunate happened to us in his territories.
The arrival of those messengers, and the result of Tuft’s interview with the king, rendered it necessary, in Captain Campbell’s opinion, that Tuft should return to Teembo in the place of Lieutenant Stokoe. A dispute now arose between Salihou, who was to have accompanied the latter, and Abou Bacary, as to which of them should be Tuft’s companion. The latter insisted that Almamy directed him to attend all messengers from Captain Campbell, and the former, knowing that whoever went must receive some present, urged his claim with much obstinacy. It was at length determined that both should go, in consequence of the prince not wishing to entrust Abou Bacary with his commands. Although from Salihou’s conduct we could not expect him to report very favourably of us, yet he had been so troublesome, and his wife, a sister of Almamy’s, so beggarly and importunate, that we were glad to get rid of them. We were now in the district of Laby, the chief of which (who, as before stated, has much influence in the country) sent one of his head men, named Mode-Duran, to remain with us, and prevent our being imposed on by the natives of the surrounding villages.
Sergeant Tuft, being furnished with large presents for the king, and a host of chiefs, ministers, and favourites, left us on the 5th, to meet his majesty at Pappadarra, a village near Laby, where he was assembling his army, for the purpose, as was reported, of invading the Gaba country, on the southern bank of the Gambia. We were reduced since our arrival at the Panjetta, to a very small daily allowance of provisions, and from which there appeared no prospect of relief, at least as far as we could foresee; a pint of rice between four men was our usual ration, and even that scanty pittance failed us on the evening of the 6th.
In this state we could not have remained long; and although we were daily enabled to purchase enough from the natives to keep body and soul together, yet our sufferings were great indeed. The health of the Europeans was rendered worse than it had been, in consequence of their eating unripe fruit, and even that they could not procure in sufficient quantities to satisfy their appetites.
On the 7th, a chief named Omerhou Kano arrived at our camp, and having seated himself with all pomp imaginable under a tree at a short distance from it, where he was surrounded by his followers to the number of three hundred armed men, sent to summon Captain Campbell to appear before him. This was complied with, when, after the usual compliments, he stated that he had been sent by Almamy to ascertain and make a faithful report on the state and numbers of the expedition, and the objects it had in view in entering the country, which he said the king suspected had all been misrepresented by the former messengers. This he repeated several times, and concluded by advising us to wait with patience until he returned to Almamy, when arrangements agreeable to our wishes would be effected. He left us on the 8th, after having examined with the most scrutinizing curiosity every thing in or about our camp.