| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| Page | |
| Pedestrian journey from St. Louis toNeyreh. — Passage to N’ghiez. — Manners of the inhabitants. —Miraculous stone. — Departure. — Robbers. — Mode of fishing withnets. — The steam-vessel. — The author’s arrival among the Braknas.— Conversation with Mohammed Sidy Moctar, chief Marabout to theking. — Reception by the king. | 21 |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| The author is forced to turn physician. —Distrust of the Moors. — Description of the camp of King Lam Khaté.— Schools. — Amusement of the women. | 49 |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| Method of cultivating and using millet. —Character of the Hassanes or warriors. — The Balanites Ægyptiaca,its fruit, method of extracting oil from it. — Quarrel excited by awoman. — Manner of protecting oneself from cold in the tents. —Method of collecting gum. — Marriages of the Marabouts, and of theHassanes. — Inheritance of property. — Method of tanning leather. —Dress of the Moors. | 79 |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| Difficulty in going to market. — Oxenstolen by a neighbouring tribe. — The Ramadan. — Circumcision. —The feast of Tabasky. — Gum trade with the Europeans. — Author’sreturn to St. Louis. | 111 |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| Disappointments experienced at St. Louis.— The author takes up various occupations. — He departs once more.— Particulars respecting the environs of Kakondy. — The Nalous,Landamas, or Lantimas and Bagos. | 140 |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| Departure of the author on his greatexpedition. — Manners and customs of his travelling companions, andaccount of the caravans in this part of Africa. — The Caura. —Mountains of Lantégué. — River of Doulinca. — Smelting of iron. —Rio-Pongo. — Mountain of Touma. — Description of Irnanké and itsinhabitants. — Telewel. — Cataract of Cocouo. — Orange trees. | 168 |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| Popoco. — Granite mountains. — TheAuthor’s party crosses the Bâ-fing (the principal tributary of theSenegal) near its source. — Great cataract. — Fouta-Dhialon. —Langoué. — Couroufi. — Schools. — Albinos. — Industry of theinhabitants. — The traveller obliged to turn physician. | 191 |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| Bridge over the Tankisso. — Departure forthe Kankan. — Description of Fouta-Dhialon. — Character, mannersand customs of the Foulahs. — Country of Kankan-Fodéa. —Butter-tree. — Course of the Dhioliba. — Countries of Couranco,Sangaran, and Kissi-kissi. — Mandingo marriages. — River ofBandiégué. — Bagaraya. — Saraya. — Bacocouda. — Warlikedances. | 218 |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| Description of Baléya. — Arrival on thebanks of the Dhioliba. — Courouassa. — Sambarala. — Bouré, amountainous country, rich in gold. — Crossing the Dhioliba. — Theriver Yendan. — Kankan. — Description of the town. — The market. —Gold of Bouré. — A religious festival. — Ordeal of fire. — Criticalsituation of the traveller. — Diseases of the country. | 245 |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| Further account of Kankan and itsenvirons. — Council of elders. — State of trade, and civilization.— Kissi. — Bouré. — Trade between Bouré and Bamako, Yamina, Ségo,Sansanding, and Jenné. — Working of gold mines. — Establishment ofBamako. — Passage of the Milo, and several other tributary riversof the Dhioliba. | 280 |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
| Wassoulo. — Manners and customs of theinhabitants. — Flourishing state of agricultural industry. —Hospitality. — Kankary. — Sambatikila. — Reflections on the sale ofslaves. — Scarcity. — Description of the residence of the Almamy. —Commerce. — Smith’s work. — Bambara villages. — Arrival at Timé. —Ranges of mountains. | 301 |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
| Abode at Timé. — Weekly market. — Thetraveller falls seriously ill of the scurvy. — Is nursed by anegress. — Rainy season. — The author prevented from joining thecaravan departing for Jenné. — Fertility of the neighbourhood ofTimé. — Desperate condition of the traveller. — His recovery afterfour months’ illness. — Description of a funeral. | 321 |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
| Description of Timé and its environs. —Character, manners, and customs of the inhabitants. — Period ofcircumcision for males, and excision for females. — Manufactures,trade, and agriculture. — Indigenous plants. — Diseases. | 345 |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
| Departure from Timé, January 9th, 1829. —The name of Kong, applied by Mungo Park to a chain of mountains, isa generic term. — Use of bells in caravans. — Loubakho. — Cacoron.— Dancing and music of the Bambaras. — Sananso. — Dhio. — The oilpalm-tree. — Talé. — Customs of the inhabitants. — Borandou. —Grotesque mask. — Tangrera. | 361 |
| [CHAPTER XV.] | |
| Cultivation of tobacco. — Tangrera. —Fara. — Bangaro. — Itinerant musicians. — Débéna. — Tiara. — Partof the caravan proceeds to Sansanding. — Beehives. — Siracana. —The Bagoé, a navigable river. — The Lous. — Bandiarana. — Bridgeover the Koua. | 385 |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] | |
| Oulasso. — Facibrisso. — Toumané. —Implements of husbandry. — Couara. — Koraba. — Douasso. — Kong. —Baunan. — Garo. — Forges. — Nibakhasso. | 408 |
| [CHAPTER XVII.] | |
| Dwarf cotton. — Coloni. — The Iolas, aFoulah tribe. — Bancousso. — Carabara. — Marshes. — Ropes made ofthe hibiscus. — Brick-making. — Construction of houses. — Kerina. —Foudouca. — Medina. — Lotus bread. — Touma-dioman. — Manianan. —Arrival at Galia on the banks of the Dhioliba, opposite toJenné. | 423 |
| [CHAPTER XVIII.] | |
| Crossing the Dhioliba. — Abode at Jenné.— Description of the town. — Manners and customs of theinhabitants. — Trade. — English and French goods. — Buildings. —Population. — Schools. — Religion. — Food and clothing. —Geographical details. — Course of the river. — The Massina. —Residence of the sherif of Jenné. — A dinner. — Use of tea, sugarand porcelain. — Preparations for the Author’s departure forTimbuctoo. | 443 |
INTRODUCTION.
Having cherished from my earliest infancy a strong desire to become a traveller, I have always seized with avidity any occasion that could facilitate the means of acquiring knowledge; but, notwithstanding all my efforts to supply the want of a good education, I have not been able to procure more than a scanty store of information. My thorough conviction of the inadequacy of my means frequently grieved me, when thinking of all that I needed for the performance of the task which I had imposed on myself; but still, while reflecting on the dangers and difficulties of such an enterprise, I hoped that the notes and observations which I should bring back from my travels would be received with interest by the public. I did not, therefore, relinquish for a moment the hope of exploring some unknown portion of Africa; and in the sequel the city of Timbuctoo became the continual object of all my thoughts, the aim of all my efforts, and I formed a resolution to reach it or perish. Now that I have had the happiness to accomplish this design, the public will perhaps grant some indulgence to the narrative of an unpresuming traveller, who relates simply what he has seen, the events which have befallen him, and the facts which he has witnessed.
I was born in 1800, at Mauzé, in the department of the Deux-Sèvres; my parents who were poor, I had the misfortune to lose in my childhood. I received no other education than what the charity-school of my village afforded; and as soon as I could read and write, I was put to learn a trade, to which I soon took a dislike, owing to the reading of voyages and travels, which occupied all my leisure moments. The History of Robinson Crusoe, in particular, inflamed my young imagination: I was impatient to encounter adventures like him; nay, I already felt an ambition to signalize myself by some important discovery springing up in my heart.
Geographical books and maps were lent to me: the map of Africa, in which I saw scarcely any but countries marked as desert or unknown, excited my attention more than any other. In short, this predilection grew into a passion for which I renounced every thing: I ceased to join in the sports and amusements of my comrades; I shut myself up on sundays to read all the books of travels that I was able to procure. I talked to my uncle, who was my guardian, of my desire to travel: he disapproved it, forcibly representing the dangers which I should incur at sea, and the regret which I should feel far away from my country and my family—in short, he neglected nothing to divert me from my project. My resolution, however, was irrevocable; I still insisted on setting out, and he made no further opposition.
All that I possessed was sixty francs, and with this trifle I proceeded to Rochefort in 1816, and embarked in the brig La Loire, bound to Senegal.
This vessel, as it is well known, sailed in company with La Méduse, on board which was M. Mollien, with whom I was not then acquainted, and who has since made such interesting discoveries in the interior of Africa. Our brig, having luckily parted company with La Méduse, arrived without accident in the road of St. Louis. From that place I proceed to Dakar, a village in the peninsula of Cape Verd, whither the unfortunate persons saved from the wreck of La Méduse were conveyed by La Loire. After a stay of some months at this dreary spot, when the English had restored the colony to the French, I set out for St. Louis.