There is over this creek, which is about two hundred and sixty feet wide, four feet deep, with clay and mud bottom, a cane bridge, supported by two rows of forked stakes, on which are laid cross pieces; these are covered with small pieces of Bamboo, which, further strengthened by being interwoven with the smaller branches of the cane, affords a safe, though shaking passage for two or three people on foot. The banks of the creek are covered with a kind of mangrove, some acacias, and a great number of the mimosas. Having unloaded the animals, and led them through the water to the opposite side, the men waded across, carrying the baggage on their heads, which was completed without any accident in about an hour. From the eastern bank, where we halted to cook dinner and give the men an opportunity to wash their clothes, I had a very good view of the bridge, the village, and the surrounding country; the latter, though much parched from the total want of rain for many months, and the almost continued influence of the dry east wind, accompanied by a scorching sun, has not altogether lost its verdure. Great numbers of evergreen trees and shrubs, afford a pleasing and refreshing relief to the eye, wearied from beholding a light coloured sand reflecting the rays of a vertical sun unobstructed by clouds. The thermometer stood at 97° in the shade, open air, and at 80° in the water, which is very muddy, though sweet and good. There were fish in the creek, for I saw them rise. We do not know what species, but from the skeleton of one which had been devoured by a hawk, we concluded some of them to be catfish.
CANE BRIDGE OVER THE WALLIA CREEK.
Published by John Murray, London. April 1825.
This creek joins the Gambia about five miles from where we crossed it, and is navigable for boats to twice that distance above the bridge, where, on both sides of it, are situate towns with which an advantageous trade in all the productions of the country might be carried on.
At half after four, the object of our halt being effected, we marched for Pakeba, distant three miles and a half, where we arrived at six, and halted for the night. The whole distance from the creek to this town is well cultivated; some enclosures of cotton and indigo had a flourishing appearance. The town is a small one, containing about one hundred and fifty huts, and defended by a strong mud wall, seven feet high, and a stake fence outside. The inhabitants are Sonikeas or Pagans, and are subject to Katoba, at least nominally so; for in Africa, the further a town is removed from the capital, the less control the king has over it, and, in almost all cases, those towns are exclusively governed by their own chiefs.
Our animals were daily diminishing in number, and there had not as yet appeared any opportunity of replacing them; four horses died, or were abandoned as useless, since our departure from Tandicunda, and many more would, I feared, soon follow. We had, however, but not without much difficulty, procured a few carriers from among the natives; and some of our own native soldiers and civilians took forward that part of the baggage for which we had no other means of conveyance.
One of the men from the Wallia chief came to our bivouac in the evening, and told us that his master was extremely sorry for what had taken place in the morning, and particularly so, as his people had no orders to that effect; he had only sent them to request that we might remain at Jindey until ten o’clock in the forenoon, at which hour he intended coming to pay us his respects.
We were enabled here to purchase two bullocks, together with a small quantity of rice and corn. The former cost fourteen bars each; value about one pound sterling.
We left Pakeba on the 1st of May, at six in the morning, and travelled NE. by E. until nine, when we reached Sandoo Madina. The path good, over a sandy soil, mixed with small iron-stone gravel, thinly covered with thorny underwood and dry grass. Two more horses were abandoned at Pakeba, as useless, and one left behind on the path. Our moor continued very unwell. In addition to fever, he had a very severe pulmonic attack, and on the whole so weak, that I almost despaired of his recovery.