I wished to put a stop to the malicious reports of the Moors and Mahomedans at Sego as soon as possible. I therefore resolved to send Isaaco forward to Sego with all the articles beforementioned, except those marked thus [Symbol: *], which I desired him to say to Modibinne would be given as soon as I heard accounts that Mansong would befriend us. This Modibinne is Mansong's prime minister; he is a Mahomedan, but not intolerant in his principles. Isaaco accordingly departed on the 28th with his wife and all his goods. Ever since my arrival at Marraboo I had been subject to attacks of the dysentery; and as I found that my strength was failing very fast, I resolved to charge myself with mercury. I accordingly took calomel till it affected my mouth to such a degree, that I could not speak or sleep for six days. The salivation put an immediate stop to the dysentery, which had proved fatal to so many of the soldiers. On the 2d of September, I observed the
° ' "
Mer. alt. of the Sun— 169 54 0
————-
84 57 0
0 16 0
————-
85 13 0
————-
4 47 0
8 1 0
————-
Marraboo Latitude— 12 48 0
As soon as I recovered, I set about exchanging some amber and coral for cowries, which are the current money of Bambarra.
Cowries.
Coral No. 4 each stone 60
Amber No. 5 60
Blue agates per string 100
With these three articles I bought about twenty thousand cowries. It is curious that in counting the cowries, they call eighty a hundred; whilst in all other things they calculate by the common hundred. Sixty is called a Manding hundred.
On the 6th Thomas Dyer (a private) died of the fever. I had to pay one thousand shells to Dooty Sokee, before he would allow me to bury him; alleging that if the ground was not bought where he was buried, it would never grow good corn after.
There is no wood proper for boat building in this neighbourhood; the best wood is near Kankaree, on a large navigable branch of the Niger; and almost all the Bambarra canoes come from thence; many of them are mahogany.
The travellers from Sego brought us every day some unfavourable news or other. At one time it was reported, and believed all over Marraboo, that Mansong had killed Isaaco with his own hand, and would do the same with all the whites who should come into Bambarra. Our fears were at length dispelled by the arrival of Bookari, Mansong's singing man, on the 8th, with six canoes. He told us he came by Mansong's orders to convey us and our baggage to Sego. That Mansong thought highly of the presents which Isaaco had brought, and wished us to be brought to Sego before he received them from Isaaco. We accordingly put our baggage in order; but it was not till the 12th that the singing man and his Somonies (canoe people) could be prevailed on to leave the Dooty Sokee's good beef, and beer. We embarked, and left Marraboo at ten minutes past three o'clock.
Time. Course. Objects. Bearing. Distance.
3.10 E. 1/2 N. The North extreme E.
of the South hills.
Little hump on E.S.E.
South hills.
Cubic hill on North E. by N. Distant 12
side. or 14 miles.