We were on foot at four o’clock on the morning of the 5th, and marched to the ESE. over a rocky and broken path in a valley, along which we continued moving until nine o’clock, when the path changed to the SE. and in half an hour brought us to a small walled town, Gunning-gedy, inhabited by Serrawoollis. We had some rain in the morning, and the weather bore much the appearance of an early wet season.
The chief of the town accommodated us with huts, in return for which I made him a small present, and at six o’clock on the morning of the 6th of May resumed our route to the ESE., and passing the dry beds of several streams travelled over a well cultivated country until ten, when we reached, and halted during the heat of the day, at Asamangatary, a large walled town, beautifully situated in an extensive plain, thinly covered with baobabs, tamarinds, and fig-trees. The walls of the town were much higher, stronger, and better constructed than I had before seen in Africa. About half a mile from it to the south stands a large Foolah village, in the rear of which are seen the tops of some lofty hills from whence the plain takes its name. This plain is famous for its earthenware, which is manufactured by the women, and for the large quantities of rice and onions raised there yearly, for both of which, the soil, a dark brown mould, is well calculated. Here begins Kaarta, properly so called. All that part already mentioned as such formerly belonged to Kasso, and was conquered and taken possession of only a few years since by Modiba, who has subjugated not only that country but a great part of Gidumagh and Jaffnoo. We left Asamangatary at four P.M. and following the same course as in the morning, until half after six, reached Somantāré, another walled town, formerly the residence of Garran, and now belonging to his cousin. It was my intention to move on early the following morning, but Bokari requested me to wait until the afternoon, in order to give him an opportunity of sacrificing to the remains of his father who was burnt there. I would have positively refused to comply with the request had the fellow not made it with tears in his eyes. I found out, however, that he had only adopted this line of conduct to delay me until the arrival of Bojar and a part of the army, which took place about two o’clock on the afternoon of the 1st, on their return from Fooledoo, where they had been sent at the request of Kanjia, chief of Bangassi, to destroy the towns of his brother, with whom he was at enmity, and which they did so effectually, that eight out of nine were burnt, and their inhabitants either murdered or made slaves; four hundred of the unfortunate beings passed through with Bojar’s division, and I was informed that three times that number had been taken to the capital by the other divisions of the army. I now found, to my deep regret, that my fears were but too justly founded, for Bojar had no sooner arrived than he sent for me and told me I could not proceed any further, as they had destroyed all the towns between the frontier and Bangassi, and had rendered it impossible not only for me, but for any force, to reach that place.
I must here acknowledge my patience almost forsook me. I told Bojar that his father had deceived me, and had brought me into his country with fair promises, which it was now evident he never had any intention of performing, or he would have allowed me to proceed, on my first coming to Moonia. Bojar then said that words were of no avail; his father had directed him, on meeting me, to bring me back with him, in complying with which I should save myself much trouble. The guide and the Bangassi princes were both present, and had been with Bojar some time previous to my being sent for. The former, when I called upon him to fulfil the orders of the Maraboo, with respect to the escort from the frontier towns, said, that his master, pointing to Bojar, had just told me what remained for me to do, and which took out of his power the possibility of remaining with me any longer. The Bangassi prince, who was as anxious as myself to proceed, in vain applied to Bojar for an escort, and at length told me, he was sorry he was so situated, and that he could neither afford me any assistance, nor even command the possibility of his own return to that home which he had but a short time before left as the ambassador of its chief, who was his own brother.
Here, then, vanished all hopes of being able to pass Kaarta, and with them that of being able to accomplish my mission, which had for three years occupied every thought, and drawn forth every exertion, of which either myself, or those with me were capable.
Although this act of treachery on the part of Modiba was in itself more than sufficient to make us relinquish every attempt to proceed further, and the difficulties, dangers, and privations incident to such a service in the interior of that country of such a nature that I must allow them, as they appear on the face of those sheets, to speak for themselves, we would nevertheless have cheerfully gone on had not an obstacle so decidedly insurmountable presented itself in the orders of Modiba to his son, to bring us back by force. But before I decided on returning, I again waited on Bojar, and hinting my disbelief of his father having again broken his promise, said I would remain at Somantarê, and send one of my men to Dhyajê, to receive the king’s final orders, and requested Bojar to accommodate us with huts in the town until the return of my messenger, when, should Modiba only say he could not protect me farther than Kaarta, and not forcibly prevent my proceeding, I would go alone, at my own risk.
Bojar here got into a furious rage, asked me if I did not consider him as Modiba’s son, or if I supposed he had less authority in Kaarta than his father; and said, that although I appeared to doubt his having received orders to stop me, he would prove to me that neither fear of me, nor expectation from me, could induce him to lie; and therefore informed me, that he could not admit of my remaining at Somantarê after himself; nor allow me to send one of my men to Dhyaje, where, he added, some of them had been too often already. What he meant by the last phrase I could not imagine, nor would he condescend to explain. I was therefore, however reluctantly, obliged to submit, and turn my back on the East, and the objects of my mission in that quarter, in the anxious, though unsuccessful pursuit of which I had spent so much time, and to its interests so exclusively devoted my attention.
Were I to hazard an opinion, as to the causes of such deceitful conduct on the part of Modiba, I fear I should be liable to error, in as much as that I could not support any of my ideas on the subject by proof positive. Therefore I leave my readers to draw such conclusions as the circumstances related will enable them.
FOOTNOTES:
[29]Samba’s brother.
[30]Of the palm kind.