We tasted some drink made from honey and millet, somewhat like mead; but from its acidity, acquired by fermentation, and the non use of bitters in its composition, it had a very unpleasant effect on the stomach.
Having purchased here six asses, we started at six o’clock in the forenoon of the 13th, and entered the wilderness, through which we travelled at a smart pace to the east until near mid-day, when we came to a watering place in an open space in the woods, which bore evident marks of inundation during the rains, and was said to be the resort of large herds of elephants, which come thither in search of water. This was evidently the case, as their foot-tracks were visible in all directions; indeed, one of our men, who had gone some distance from the path, said he had seen two of them.
A town belonging to Woolli formerly stood here; but little or no proof of its having ever existed now remained. We however took advantage of the only one, namely, the shade of the large trees which are in or near all the towns we have seen in Africa. It is called Sabee Looroo.
As the distance from this last place to the frontier of Bondoo was destitute of water, and too great to attempt marching it in the heat of the day, without a plentiful supply of that necessary article, we moved forward at six in the evening, having filled all our soofroos[10], and marched very expeditiously in an east and by north direction, through wood, until half after ten, when we were obliged to halt, in consequence of its being very dark, and many of the animals being much fatigued and considerably in the rear. Four horses were left in a dying state, and Mr. Pilkington and four men remained with their loads, until asses could be sent to bring them up: they did not arrive at our bivouac until day-light the following morning. We lost six horses during that march, and were likely to lose more every day: our provisions, too, were becoming scarce; but the prospect of being able to replenish all our wants in Bondoo, did not allow things to appear as bad as they really were.
We reached Sabee at seven on the morning of the 14th, and took up our position on an elevated spot to the NE. and distant about half a quarter of a mile from the town, which is a very large one, walled, and situated in an extensive plain, gently rising to the ESE., in which direction it is bounded by mountains: through it runs a small watercourse, now nearly dry, and which the natives call the Neerico.
The inhabitants of this town are all Mahomedans, who are Surrawoollies, and came originally from Kajaga or Galam: they appeared a mild inoffensive race, and were not only better clothed, but cleaner in their persons than the people of Woolli. Their provisions, also, were in greater plenty. We purchased from them three asses, three small bullocks, and a goat, together with some fowls, milk, butter, and eggs. Latitude of Sabee, by meridian altitude, sun’s lower limb, 14° 10′ 58″. Thermometer in shade 100°.
They cultivate, on the banks of the Neerico, in moist places, a sort of tobacco, which is of a small growth and a pale green colour, bearing a yellow blossom: it is manufactured into snuff, in which state alone that sort is used. They also cultivate a larger kind, more resembling the American tobacco in size and colour: this bears a white blossom, and when dried is used in smoking. These, with millet, maize, two other varieties of corn, rice, cotton, indigo, and a few small onions and pompions, are the productions I noticed here, and for which the ground appeared well adapted.
When we were about moving on the morning of the 15th, Masiri Cabba, a man who had come from Bondoo to Lamina, and joined us at Kayaye, came to say that a messenger had just arrived from Almamy, to direct that we should not advance further into his country, until we had sent a person to him. As we conceived this to be all a plan between Masiri Cabba and Lamina, for we saw them talking together a few minutes before, we paid no attention to it, and moved on, at half after six, to the south of east, over a fine open country, much cultivated, and more diversified by hill and dale than we had before met with: we reached a large straggling village, Jumjoury, situate on a rising ground, without any defence whatever. There appeared to be large quantities of cotton grown here, and the plantations looked in fine order. The chief here made us a present of a goat and some cous cous, in return for which he received double their value: indeed, taking those presents is a bad plan, but it would be wrong to insult those people, and they would certainly regard a refusal of any thing offered by them, only in such a point of view. We purchased here two fine sheep, five goats, and some corn.
Having left Jumjoury at six, on the morning of the 16th, and travelled east over a fine, open, and, for the most part, well cultivated country, to Deedey, a small village, which we passed, and arrived at Loonchea, lying ESE. from the former. The camels travelled badly this day; one died shortly after our arrival, and the remainder looked very sickly. We halted under some large trees on the side of a considerable gully or ravine, having a mud bottom, at that time dried up, but which, during the rains, was the bed and course of a torrent running to the SSW.
The supply of rice we brought from Kayaye was here exhausted, with the exception of a few pints, and we had not as yet been able to procure a sufficiency of either cous cous or meal to make a full allowance, for two days. The only provisions we could find here was a little milk and some fowls.