We travelled SE. and by E. thirteen miles, to the village of Bambako. The path this day was over a hard yellow clay soil, mixed with small quartz pebbles, and much broken into deep ruts by the rains; the whole distance, to within a quarter of a mile, covered with loose brushwood and a few large trees of the acacia species.
Corporal Pickard, a European, was so ill as to be unable to walk, and private Richmond, a native soldier, was nearly as bad; they were carried forward on two of the officers’ horses. Bambako is a very miserable village indeed, not containing more than twenty huts of the poorest description: the situation of it, however, in some measure made up for its wretched appearance; it was on the summit of an elevated plain, beautifully covered with some of those large trees which bear the cotton, already mentioned, and a great number of baobabs, tamarinds, and palm trees; and it is plentifully supplied with good water, from wells twelve fathoms deep. We were able to purchase there one horse, two asses, three goats, and some corn for the animals. The horses and asses were a very welcome and necessary supply at that moment, as we had lost by death, during the day’s march, three horses.
We passed the night there, and moved forward to the SSE. at seven on the morning of the 7th. The soil and appearance of the country the same as that of the preceding day’s march. The path was not so much broken, and the animals travelled better. We reached Canopê at eleven, A.M., where we halted in order to refresh the men and animals, and to purchase, if possible, a few asses, which we were told by our guides were here in great numbers. Large prices, in amber, coral, and blue baft, induced the natives to sell us seven very good ones. We had much difficulty in procuring water here, not in consequence of any want of it at the place, but because the people would not allow us to approach the wells, alleging that it was their property, and we must pay for it as well as for the other commodities of life. Remonstrance, and an inclination to force on our part, together with the interference of our guides, at length obtained it; not, however, before it was much wanted.
We left that inhospitable village at three, P.M., the same day, and travelled in the same direction over a very finely diversified country, for two hours, when we arrived at a small village called Kussaye, or Metofodia Cunda, having passed, about two miles before it, the ruins of a very large walled town, called Maja Cunda. This was formerly the residence of Modiba, the man who assisted us at Woolli, but was destroyed and abandoned by him, in consequence of the surrounding soil not producing good crops; it is very light and sandy, and mixed with lumps of a stiff white clay, having much the appearance of pipe-clay.
The occurrences at Madina, the hurry at leaving it, and the very great want of means of conveyance which we experienced, together with the confused state of the baggage in consequence of such want, and the indisposition of some of the men, induced us to determine on halting here for a day, in order to set all things right: we therefore took up our bivouac under the shade of some large trees outside the town, the chief of which was extremely kind and attentive to all our wants, inasmuch as his circumstances would admit.
FOOTNOTES:
[7]Having twenty-two animals’ loads.
[8]With nineteen each.
[9]Title of the kings of Woolli.