Here he remained, in consequence of the continuance of rain and the still swollen state of the river, until the 25th, during which time he, together with some of his men, had a severe attack of fever, but on that day were sufficiently recovered to attempt crossing the stream, then reduced to nine feet water, and in which they succeeded, by felling a large tree which stood on the bank, and when down reached across, forming a passage sufficiently solid to admit of the baggage being carried over on the men’s heads: the animals swam across with much difficulty, owing to the rapidity of the stream. The remainder of that day’s journey was rendered extremely difficult and tedious, by the marshy nature of the ground over which their path lay. They halted for the night at a walled town called Dhiamu, having passed several small villages during the day. On leaving this place they had another considerable stream to cross; it was much wider than the former but not so deep, having only from three to five feet water, with a rough stony bottom. The path on the other side was good and solid: in the vicinity of it were several extraordinary high rocks, bearing in their form more the appearance of art than nature. They halted for that night at Tenakie, a large walled town belonging to a prince named Sego Amadi, who calls himself king, and in which light he is treated by the people of his own town, and by them only. The town is situate in a fertile valley, surrounded by high rocky mountains. Here again a very great fall of rain, and the importunities of the chief for customs and presents, with the usual threat of not being allowed to pass without paying, obliged him to halt until the 29th, when he reached and crossed the Bangayko, a considerable stream running north; having been obliged for nearly a mile previous to reaching it to travel through a marsh, in which the animals and men sunk up to their knees, and over which the latter carried the loads with difficulty. Mr. Dochard’s own horse was obliged to be carried through on poles. The march of the 30th was not less fatiguing than that of the 29th; low swampy valleys, and high rocky hills, were in their turn to be waded through or scrambled over. They passed the night at a small village, situate in a valley between too high hills, on the highest of which, accessible by only one narrow and rugged path, the chief of the town had his residence, from whence he had an uninterrupted view of the surrounding country to a considerable distance, and where he dwelt in perfect security from his enemies: this place is called Moosa Caré.
The huts in which Mr. Dochard and his men were accommodated, being badly thatched, let in the rain, which fell in torrents during the night, and put out their fires, the smoke of which, although exceedingly unpleasant in itself, had the good effect of keeping off the sand-flies and musquitoes, which at that time of the year are in swarms in all low situations, and render it impossible for any person not defended by smoke or close curtains to sleep. Indeed the former, although the most unpleasant, is by no means the least effectual remedy, particularly against the sand-flies, which are so small that it is next to an impossibility to keep them out with the closest curtains.
On the morning of the 31st of August, he moved forward at seven o’clock, and travelled without halting over ground similar to that of the two last days, until three in the afternoon, when they reached a river called the Goolookucko, which it was impossible to pass without the assistance of canoes, and that could not be procured nearer than a village six miles from the opposite bank; but all were so much fatigued that none would venture to swim the river that night in search of one: they were therefore obliged to halt, and secure themselves as well as one small tent enabled them. They found it necessary to keep up large fires during the night to deter the wild beasts, which infest that country in vast numbers, from approaching too near. They were not a little disappointed, on the morning of the 1st of September, to find that the person who had gone to the village returned, accompanied by a number of men carrying large calabashes, intended to serve the purpose of canoes—even one of which useful articles those people were not provided with. With much difficulty, and not without considerable danger, particularly to those who could not swim, of whom Mr. Dochard was one, they effected the passage of this river, which was 150 yards wide, and very deep and rapid.
The manner in which this navigation is carried on is not at all calculated to inspire confidence. One of these large calabashes is placed in the water, and filled with whatever articles are to be transported, two men then go into the water and taking hold of it, one on each side, swim on, pushing it or rather dragging it between them. When a person who cannot swim is to be taken over, he lays hold of the calabash with both hands, one on each side; this supports him from sinking, while a man swims with him, and pushes the calabash forward. In this manner Mr. Dochard and two of his men, who could not swim, were ferried over the rivers, much to the amusement of the inhabitants of the country, who, in common with all the natives of the interior parts of Africa, think that we live in the water, and are therefore much astonished when they see any white man who cannot swim.
They reached a small scattered village, Diaperey, on the bank of the Bafing, at a late hour, and having passed that night and the following day there, in order to rest the animals, crossed the river, which being at that place 500 yards wide, and extremely rapid, they found much difficulty in doing, and at so late an hour, in consequence of heavy rain all the forenoon, that they could only reach a small town of the same name as the latter, distant about half a mile from the river, where they passed the night.
On the 4th they reached Sambula, a town of Kasson, having passed several small villages during the day, and travelled over a country more open and elevated than that of the three former days.
In crossing the last river, nearly all the baggage was wet, the canoe having been upset. This rendered it necessary to have the trunks opened, and the things in them dried; from which, on repacking, it was found that a parcel containing dollars was missing, and as they belonged to Lamina, the guide, who had given them to Mr. Dochard to keep for him, and who would no doubt demand them at Sego, it became absolutely necessary that they should be replaced. To effect this, Mr. Dochard despatched one of his men, accompanied by one of Lamina’s, back to me, giving, as I before said, this account of all that had taken place since his leaving Samba Contaye up to the 7th of September.
In that short march he experienced all the difficulties which the state of the country at that time of the year, and the disposition of the natives, could possibly throw in his way to impede his progress. He appeared, however, thus far to have surmounted them all, and to have been going on as well as might be expected.
The men who came from him had taken more time to perform this journey than would have been necessary had they both been swimmers. This was not the case, his own man did not swim at all, and the other could do so but badly. To obviate, therefore, a similar delay in his receiving the articles he required, I selected a man to replace the former, and having made a small parcel of the dollars, together with some amber and beads, secured well with tarpaulin, and provided the men with means of subsistence till they could overtake Mr. Dochard, I despatched them on the 21st of September.
Affairs were going on very amicably between Almamy and myself, since the moment of Mr. Dochard’s departure, until the early part of October, previous to which I had purchased some horses and asses; a step, I told Almamy some time before, I should be obliged to take, in order to replace those I had lost by death, &c., to which he then made no objection.