On our way to this town, which is a walled one, of no very great extent or respectable appearance, we passed only two small villages, one of which is about a mile from Kayaye, and is solely inhabited by Mahomedan priests (bushreens).
From the very great want we were in of a sufficient number of animals, to transport our baggage, in consequence of the death of all our camels and some of our horses, since our arrival at Kayaye, and the difficulty, nay impossibility, of procuring a supply there, we had determined on leaving behind us a large proportion of it, and moving without delay; for which purpose it became necessary to open the greater number of the packages, to select the most valuable articles. This had scarcely been begun, when Mr. Partarrieau, whom I had sent from Bathurst to Senegal to purchase camels, arrived, bringing intelligence that he had despatched a moor, named Bon-ama, from that place before he had left it, with ten camels and five horses, whom I might expect to see in a few days, as he was coming by the shortest land route from Senegal, namely, through Kayor and Salum.
All preparations being made, we only waited the arrival of Bon-ama, who not making his appearance on the 15th, I began to apprehend that some accident had happened, either to himself, or the animals. The 17th, however, brought him to Kayaye, having had two of his horses killed by lions, and been obliged to leave two of the camels sick at a village about fifteen miles from us. His arrival at that moment was particularly fortunate, as it enabled us to take forward the whole of our baggage, and a good supply of rice, which we had just received from St. Mary’s.
On the 18th, the king, whose presence we had requested, in order to make him a present, arrived, accompanied by about fifty people, armed with guns and spears. He was himself mounted on a most wretched animal in the shape of a horse, and was attended by a troop of drums and singing people (Jallikeas), making a most hideous attempt at instrumental and vocal music, intended to inspire their royal master with a high idea of his own dignity.
In a few minutes we went to see him; he was seated in a small hut, surrounded by his followers, but the place was so crowded and intolerably hot (not to say any thing of the impurity of the air) from tobacco smoke, and other vapours, that we were obliged to request he would move to one of our huts. This being done, we mentioned to him our intention of leaving Kayaye in a few days, and requested that he would appoint a guide to conduct us to Medina, the capital of Woolli. He made some objections, of an irrelevant nature, but at length consented, in consideration of a present, amounting to about one hundred bars in baft, muslin, coral, amber, tobacco, scarlet cloth, and a pair of pistols. He was drunk and extremely vociferous. The interview, however, terminated amicably, and his majesty was present at a dance which the inhabitants of the village brought forward in honour of his arrival, and in order to amuse him.
We had seen several of the chiefs of Western Africa, both moors and negroes, but never saw any so wretchedly poor and unlike what he intended to represent as this man; he is intolerably fond of rum, and would be for ever drunk if he could obtain the means of being so; his last demand was for two bottles of it, which I gave him. He left us on the 19th, in a state of excessive inebriety, as were most of his followers.
Aware of the great respectability Bon-ama, in his character of Mahomedan priest, would enjoy in all the countries in the interior, and of his having before offered his services to Governor M‘Carthy, we endeavoured to prevail on him to accompany us to Sego, Tombuctoo, or further, but it was not without much difficulty and objection on his part, together with the promise of a very large reward, that he could be induced to do so. He, however, at length agreed, in consideration of a recompense of five hundred pounds British, to accompany us to Tombuctoo or Jinnê, but no sum, however large, or other advantage, he said, would induce him to go further. He made it a previous article in his agreement, to be allowed to return to Cayor, to arrange some private affairs, and promised to join us in Bondoo. We did every thing in our power to induce him to give up this point, but to no effect: it was his sine qua non. We bought a camel from him, and hired two moors, who came along with him, to conduct and have the care of those animals as far as we went.
Lamina, our Sego guide, told us, on the 20th, that it was now time he should inform us, that as he was sent by the king of Bambarra, to conduct the expedition to that country, he felt it his duty to say, that the road leading through Woolli, Bondoo, Kasson, and Fooledoo, was the only one in which he thought it safe to take us, as there were, in all those countries, people belonging to his master waiting to escort us; that he had himself received from those in Bondoo, a horse to ride, and six asses to carry his baggage. As there appeared nothing in this request but what was fair, and, as we conceived (in case of any unforeseen delay, we should be obliged to make a halt during the rains), that Bondoo, from its high situation and its vicinity to the river Senegal, would be most advantageous for that purpose, we acceded to his proposal, and were moreover induced to take this step in consequence of the very high and upright character we were taught, by Mr. Partarrieau, who had been before in that country, to entertain of Almamy Isata, the king: the result will prove how much our informant was himself deceived in his opinion of that man, and how little confidence can be placed in any information but that obtained by the most strict self observation, in all matters connected with this unfortunate country.
Our means of transport decreased daily; we had lost since the 2d, one camel, one mule, and four horses, and there was no possibility of procuring any at Kayaye; the camels left on the road by Bon-ama, had not yet come up, although we had despatched a man to bring them. Every thing, however, being ready, we fixed the 25th for our departure.
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