[6]See figure 1, [plate 9.]
CHAPTER IV.
The Expedition leaves Kayaye — Difficulty in procuring Water at Jaroomy — Arrival and Halt at Coonting — Description of that Town and surrounding Country — Civility of the Chief — Departure from Coonting — Deaths among the Animals, and difficulty of procuring Carriers — Arrival at the Wallea Creek — Attempt of some People to stop us — Pass the Creek — Cane Bridge — Attempt at Murder by one of our native Civilians, and his Desertion — Enter the Kingdom of Woolli — Arrival at Madina, the Capital — Transactions and Difficulties there — Description of the Town, and the Mumbo Jumbo Ceremony — Departure from Madina, and theft by the Natives — Arrival at Kussaye.
The first division[7] left Kayaye on the morning of the 27th, at seven o’clock, and the second and third[8] followed immediately after. I did not myself leave Kayaye until evening, in expectation of the arrival of the camels. This not taking place, I moved forward, with the part of that division which was ready, and left Mr. Partarrieau, with two loads, to await the arrival of those left behind by Bon-ama, and to follow me as soon as possible. We travelled along nearly east at the rate of two miles an hour over a flat country thinly covered with baobabs, tamarinds, rhamnus lotus, and other fruit trees, within a short distance of the river; between us and which lay a low tract of land, annually inundated, where rice is cultivated by the natives when the water retires after the periodical rains.
About nine, P.M., we reached a small village, called Jaroomy, where I found that Mr. Dochard had halted the front divisions in order to await our coming up. During this short march, one of the horses died, and another was left behind, unable to move.
Here difficulties began to present themselves; the chief of the village refused to allow water to be drawn from the wells, without receiving payment for it, to which Mr. Dochard, very prudently, would not submit, sending the animals to the river, which was distant about two miles. This convinced the fellow that he was wrong; and he came in the evening to apologize, by saying, that he was afraid the wells would be run dry by us. He was told his excuse was a bad one, and his conduct was such as would prevent us from giving him any thing.
The country, for some distance round this village, has the marks of cultivation; there were some extensive cotton and indigo plantations; and, although no rain falls at that season, they looked green and well. The soil, though sandy, appeared good, and well fitted to produce all tropical grains, vegetables, &c. in perfection.
We left Jaroomy at six o’clock on the 26th, and travelled east over a gently ascending country, beautifully wooded, until half-past seven, when we came to a small town called Jonkaconda, inhabited by Bushreens, and very prettily situated on a little hill under the shade of some few large trees, somewhat resembling the horse chestnut, except that the trunk is covered with large sharp protuberances in the shape of thorns. It produces a quantity of silky cotton, in pods of an oval shape, about five inches long and four in circumference; these burst when ripe, and contain each about half an ounce of this cotton. The natives do not make any use of it; they prefer the common cotton, from which they manufacture all their clothes. There the path turned a little to the south of east, and led us over a country similar to that already mentioned, with this difference, that the wood was rather closer.
At half after eight, we reached another small village (Lemaine), the chief of which, a good-looking young man, was very civil, and made us a present of some palm wine, in return for which we gave him three bars in amber beads, &c. He paid us a visit at our bivouac under some shady trees. He was attended by about fifteen people, preceded by a Jallikea, singing man, vociferating the praises of his master, who, although very communicative and good-humoured, did not seem to have a mean idea of himself. The river is distant from this village a mile and a half, SSW.