Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river Niger

by Major William Gray; Staff Surgeon Dochard

In their progress they were much impeded by the falls, which had then very little water on them; and having passed several towns on each bank, reached Kooli-Korro on the 20th, and arrived at Manaboogoo, at noon on the 21st.

The population of Kooli-Korro, which is a considerable town, is entirely composed of murderers, thieves, and runaway slaves, who live there exempt from the punishment their crimes merit in consequence of their wearing about their persons, a stone (taken from a hill in the vicinity of the town), and which, from a superstitious belief amongst the Bambarras, would immediately kill any one who should touch them; and such is the dread entertained of this place, that the very name must not be mentioned in presence of the king.

As the river was not at that season navigable any higher up, they disembarked, and marched to Bamakoo, where they were accommodated with huts.

Lamina, who with one of Dha’s men accompanied Mr. Dochard to Bamakoo, being directed to acquaint his majesty with our views in entering and our wish to pass through his country, and to request that he would, as soon as possible, give his answer, returned to Sego on the 26th, promising to use his influence with the king in our favour.

It was not until the 25th of April, 1819, that the man (Dhangina) I sent with Alley Low, from Samba Contaye, in Sept. 1818, reached Bamakoo, with my letters to Mr. Dochard, who up to that period had not received any decisive answer from Sego, although he had repeatedly sent messengers requesting to be made acquainted with the cause of the delay, which he was led to understand arose from the unsettled state of the war with the Massina Foolahs.

That was saying nothing to our purpose: but as patience and perseverance offered us the only chance of success, both Mr. Dochard and myself were determined to make every sacrifice to the attainment of the object the British government had in view.

In this state of anxious suspense did things remain with me at Baquelle, whence I despatched Dhangina a second time with letters and supplies to Mr. Dochard. The effects of our late retreat began to make themselves evident in the health of the party; many of the Europeans (one of whom was killed by lightning on the 20th of June) were dangerously ill with fever and dysentery, and more than half the native soldiers, as I have already observed, were partially crippled by the Guinea-worm, which had visited Mr. Partarrieau so severely, that he was confined to his bed for some weeks.

The chiefs of Foota having been made acquainted with the manner in which we had been treated by Bayla (who had neither consulted with them on that occasion, nor divided with them what he had received and plundered from us), and supposing that such was the cause of our not pursuing the road through their country to the coast, and consequently of their not receiving large presents, &c., were actuated by a feeling of jealousy, which led them to request we would give to their messengers (who arrived at Baquelle on the 8th of July) a detailed account of his conduct towards us, and the losses we had sustained in consequence, all which, they promised, should be laid before the tribunals of the country, and judged impartially.

Although I felt convinced that these chiefs were only acting from an impulse of self-interest, which they knew would, in some degree, be gratified by the presents, which their apparent efforts to render me satisfaction for the injuries received at the hands of one of them, would draw from me, I nevertheless thought it a fit opportunity of putting their justice to the test, and (if decided in our favour) of proving to the people of that part of the country, that although we had been treated ill by Almamy Bondoo and this chief, their conduct had been contrary to their own laws, and as such disgraceful only to themselves. I was in hopes also that a favourable decision in this case would lead to an investigation of Almamy Bondoo’s treatment of us, and induce him, if he had any honor left, to evince it in making restitution for the losses we sustained in his country.

I therefore delivered to the messengers a letter to those chiefs, in which I gave the information they required, and requested their immediate decision, and having made them a small present each, and appointed Charles Joe to accompany them, they left us on the 19th of July.