Published Feb. 1825. by John Murray, London.
We were in motion at three o’clock on the morning of the 12th, but the Kakundy people, who had been hired as carriers, refused to cross the Tingalinta, assigning as a reason that they were afraid of being seized, and retained as slaves by the Footas, who had some years before obliged them to quit that country, which formerly belonged to themselves. This delayed us a considerable time, and it was not until eleven o’clock that we left the ground on which we passed the night. The path by which we travelled was so extremely rugged and broken, that we had much labour and difficulty in keeping the animals from lying down under their loads. This arose from their not being shod, and from never having travelled on so hard a soil before; that in the vicinity of Senegal and Goree being a light moveable sand. On reaching a place where the path separates, one branch leading direct to Teembo, and the other to Laby, a halt was made until Captain Campbell came up, when, after some conversation between him and Abdul Hamed, he ordered us to follow that leading to Laby, in opposition to the advice of the prince. The reason assigned by Captain Campbell for his choice, was the expectation of the assistance of the chief of Laby, who had considerable power and influence in that quarter. At one, P.M. we passed a small stream[3] running north, and which, from the steep, rocky, and narrow nature of the path leading to and from its banks, occupied much time. At six, the rear reached the halting-place, which was situate on the ridge of a rising ground, about two miles east of the stream, but so extremely barren that we could not find, for a considerable distance round us, a single blade of grass for the animals. Here again some bees, that were flying about in search of water, fastened on the animals’ backs as soon as the pack-saddles were removed; but on this occasion, we applied some dry sand, which absorbed the profuse perspiration that evidently attracted the thirsty bees, and by this means we got rid of our troublesome visitors. Abdul Hamed made himself very useful during this day’s march, and on finding that we expressed ourselves sensible of his attention, he presented Captain Campbell with his bow and arrows, modestly insinuating that a musket in return would be most acceptable; and this was given him.
It was eight o’clock on the morning of the 13th, before the rear moved forward. We marched over a gently descending plain for a mile and a half, when we came to a small brook named Calling Ko. The asses were as usual stubborn, and evinced a most determined dislike to wet their feet, which caused us much trouble and loss of time. The country here began to wear a more fertile, or, rather, a less barren appearance. It was thinly sprinkled with large trees and shrubs, and produced an abundance of better grass than we had met before. We halted for the night at another small brook, a short distance from the Calling Ko, having abandoned during the day’s march six asses and one bullock.
On the following morning, we started at eight o’clock, and, in about twenty minutes, passed a fine brook called Sappacourie, running SSE. the path more rocky and difficult than before. At eleven we perceived, distant about a quarter of a mile to the right, a broad lake, thickly skirted with wood; it is called Silla Dharra[4]. At noon, we passed another smaller lake, and at one, P.M. arrived at the Cogan, a beautiful stream, which we crossed, and halted for the night on its eastern bank. It is about fifty yards wide, two feet deep, and runs rapidly to the north, over a rough stony bottom.
Though we were at work at three o’clock on the morning of the 15th, it was eleven before the last division left the top of the hill. The path led us over the most barren country I ever saw, until three, P.M. when we entered a rich valley, in which, at some distance to our right, stood a small town, the first we passed since we left the Tingalinta. At half after four, we arrived at the Serriwoomba, where we were obliged to halt, in order to cut a passage through the thicket of cane, which covered its banks. We were all so much fatigued that we could scarcely keep our eyes open; indeed many of the men fell asleep on the path. A few shots were fired, to apprise the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages of our arrival; and in about two hours, they made their appearance from different directions, bringing corn, rice, and pistacios for sale.
Both men and animals were so much exhausted, that it was found necessary to halt until the 18th, when we moved forward at eight, A.M. and, travelling east for about two miles up hill, we passed a deserted town, from which we continued marching on a level barren plain for six miles, and then descending gently for about four miles more, we arrived at the Kuling, a fine stream running NNE. We crossed it, and halted on its eastern bank for the night. We had scarcely unloaded the animals when the long dry grass to windward of our position was set fire to, and nothing but the greatest exertion on the part of the men could have prevented it from destroying the whole of our baggage.
It behoves travellers in that country to be extremely guarded in their choice of a halting-place, for the path generally lies through grass six or seven feet long, and so dry at that season, that the smallest spark of fire is sufficient to set it in a blaze for miles. One of our animals that had not come up with the rear, lay down with his load, within range of the burning grass, which soon communicated with some gunpowder, and blew the whole to pieces. On the morning of the 19th, we moved forward at eight o’clock. The first hour’s march lay along the side of a steep hill, rendered doubly difficult for the animals by being covered with small rough stones. At ten we descended to a plain, and crossed three small brooks, the first running NNE. and the two latter S. and by W. Several of the European non-commissioned officers and soldiers were so ill during this march, that they lay down under some trees on the path-side. I prevailed on two of them to move slowly forward, but the others requested to be allowed to rest until the cool of the evening. My own horse, and every animal in the division, were so heavily laden, that we could not afford them any assistance. At one, P.M., we began to ascend some rocky hills, where we were obliged to abandon three animals. At the bottom of those hills, we passed the dry bed of a rocky watercourse, and, shortly after, had considerable difficulty in crossing another of the kind, near which we halted, in a small valley by the side of a brook called Bontong Ko.
On the 20th, a messenger was despatched with small presents to Almamy and the men in authority about him, and to advise him of our approach. He was accompanied by a young chief, one of the prince’s suit, likewise the bearer of a message to the king from his brother. Finding it impossible, with the assistance of all the carriers we could procure, to move the whole of our baggage with any degree of regularity or safety, we decided on abandoning our two small field guns, with their shot and grape, and, having buried them about three feet beneath the surface, we made a fire, to conceal where the ground had been broken. By this means we got rid of three very heavy loads. Captain Campbell thought it better to dispose of them in that way than to make a present of them to Almamy, for although it was not likely he could make any use of them, yet the very circumstance alone of possessing such destructive engines, and of having received them from us, might induce those nations with whom he occasionally wages war (and through which we were likely to travel), to entertain unfavourable opinions of us.
When about to move on the forenoon of the 20th, the prince commenced a long palaver with Captain Campbell on the subject of our proceeding without giving him previous notice. It had never been done; and why he should have expected it on this occasion, was no less matter of surprise than his haughty language and deportment. After much conversation, little of which was relevant to the question, he consented to our moving, which we did at four, P.M., and ascending a steep hill, so closely covered with cane that we had more difficulty in passing it than any former part of our path, the dry leaves of the cane with which it was covered, rendered the ground so slippery, that the men with difficulty kept their feet; and that nothing might be wanting to complete our confusion, the Foolahs set fire to the dry grass and roots, in which the place abounded. We fortunately escaped without any injury, save the loss of two asses that lay down unable to move further. It was dark when we began to descend the eastern side of the hill, which, from the animals frequently falling, occupied two hours. We reached the Poosa, a small stream, at eleven, P.M., and encamped on its banks. Our want of the means of conveyance was every day, nay every hour, becoming more distressing; carriers could not be procured for all the loads of the animals that died or were abandoned; we therefore destroyed two of our tents and a large quantity of flints and musket balls.
The prince, observing Captain Campbell seated on a mat outside his tent, approached the spot, accompanied by one of his attendants, named Salihou, and, without further ceremony, seating themselves near him, began to destroy a portion of the vermin with which even royalty in that country is covered. They opened a conversation on the dangerous part of the country we were then in, and the difficulty of preventing the natives from robbing and otherwise annoying us, adding that we should not have left the Bontong Ko without consulting them.