Until this time I had only seen some single Wadats; I had not seen them in numbers. On the 10th a great number arrived, and came in front of the tent of my marabout. This band was entirely composed of women: they asked to see me; and were refused, but unfortunately I was not apprised of it and went out of my tent. They then surrounded me and tormented me worse than ever.
I would have withdrawn to my tent, to avoid the insults of every kind which they offered; but this they opposed, and it was with difficulty that I escaped and hid myself in a neighbouring tent. They had treated me so ill, that the inhabitants were indignant at their conduct, and would not allow them to stay; they gave them some millet and dismissed them. On the 19th, the men and baggage of the king’s camp passed us on their way to the banks of the Senegal, and on the 21st we removed again, provided with water for two days, as we should be that time without finding any on our route.
We traversed a sandy country, where I saw some beautiful balanites and some mimosas. Our allowance of water was not abundant, and the greater part of our stock was reserved for the calves, so that we suffered dreadfully from thirst during these two days. On the first we travelled fifteen miles W.S.W. The cattle remained behind us, and we all went without supper. On the 22d we advanced twelve miles in the same direction, and arrived at three in the afternoon at the place where we were to halt; we were then three miles S.E. of the el-Awanil, a lake to which we sent for water. On the 29th to amuse myself, I went to visit this lake, following the slaves, who were dispatched thither for water; the soil which surrounds it is slightly argillaceous, and produces a great quantity of the ziziphus lotus, mimosa, and nauclea. In this excursion, I was pleased to see the slaves, for the first time, enjoying themselves a little. These poor creatures, so sad and gloomy in the presence of their cruel masters, profiting by the first moment of freedom from constraint, give themselves up to their natural cheerfulness, and passed the time in dancing, singing, and amusing themselves. I was as pleased with their mirth as they could be themselves, for I was weary of seeing them tormented. When their gambols were over, they filled their skins again, and took the road towards the camp, which we reached in an hour.
I hoped that the camp would continue to approach nearer to the river; but I was informed that we were not going further westward. I was in a state of complete destitution; my clothes were in rags, and it was extremely unpleasant to me to live upon alms, as I had done since I came amongst the Moors. I wished to inform the governor of the Senegal of my condition, and to request assistance from him; but this I could not do without going to the mart. I communicated to my marabout the desire I felt to make this journey, assigning as a reason, that I wanted to get new clothes, and to send for my goods. He consented at first, but after a moment’s reflection, he proposed to conduct me to the king’s camp, where I might write, and whence I might send my letter by one of the sons of Moctar-Boubou, chief of Podor, who would bring back the goods. This plan did not suit me: I told him therefore that they would not deliver my goods to a messenger, that I must write to the settlement, and that I must moreover go myself to procure some clothing. He raised some additional obstacles, which were the result of suspicion. Perceiving the cause, I assured him that if he objected to my journey I would give it up, and I would rather renounce my goods entirely than do any thing to displease him. This inspired him with confidence, and he promised to provide me with the means of undertaking the journey, but it was only after much hesitation and tardiness on his part that I was enabled to set off on the 9th of March. The preparations for this journey did not occupy much time, but they were embarrassing, for I had no means of hiding my notes, the seeds which I had collected, and some mineral specimens which I wished to take with me. I bethought myself of borrowing from my marabout’s wife two leathern bags, which I told her were to hold the merchandise that I should bring back from the settlement; when I proposed to take my own, Fatme objected, and told me I should not want it; I took out some of my notes, and told her that all these papers were the inventory and receipts for my goods, so that they were indispensible for me to establish my claims; upon which she allowed me to take them. I put over them the bags she had lent me and a pagne, and when any body was inquisitive as to my baggage, I shewed them the bags and pagne, without letting them see the rest.
On the 9th of March, at nine in the morning, I set off, accompanied by one of the sons of my marabout. Six miles to the west, we came to the marigot of Koundy, which I had passed eight months before with Boubou-Fanfale; we forded it and continued our journey through a thick wood, followed by a valley, magnificent from the vegetation of the plants by which it was bordered.
All the inundated lands situated between the marigot and the river are sown with millet among the trees, without any previous preparation of the ground, and even without the dead branches being removed. All the low grounds are argillaceous, and in many places I have seen ferruginous rocks.
We had travelled three miles from the marigot when we perceived smoke rising out of the wood; some travellers who had joined us went to see whence it arose, and told us, on their return, that some zenagues had made a fire to cook their victuals. They regretted extremely that they had not arrived in time to levy a contribution upon these poor wretches, traces of whom only had been found, and who had, no doubt, hidden themselves at our approach. We quitted the valley and proceeded to a camp half a mile to the south, in a place so woody that there was scarcely room to pitch the tents; this spot is called Teneque. We passed the night there, and were supplied for supper with some ewes’ milk of a detestable flavour; but we were forced to drink it, for we had no choice and were dying of hunger, not having tasted a morsel that day. We had still nine miles further to go to the bank of the river; and the next day, at dawn, we continued our journey. We met many travellers who were coming from Podor and from the settlement. At two o’clock we reached the bank of the river, which we crossed in a canoe, and proceeded to Moctar-Boubou’s, where I had lodged when I first came amongst the Moors. We remained there three days, during all which time my guide endeavoured to dissuade me from going to the mart; being apprehensive that, on my arrival there, I should leave him and return to the christians.
The Braknas do not eat fish but hold it in the greatest abhorrence; it is not, however, forbidden by the laws of Mahomet, but they dislike it on account of its strong smell. The marabout who accompanied me abstained for three days from couscous, rather than eat what had been boiled with fish. This dislike is not universal amongst the Moors; I have seen the Trarzas eat fish, and have been told that those who live on the coast are fishermen. I mentioned this to my companion; he replied, that the Trarzas, being nearer neighbours to the christians, easily learn to eat any thing, and even to drink wine, and that they are infidels.
On the 14th, my guide at last resolved to take me to the mart; we arrived early in the day. I went on board la Désirée, belonging to a merchant of St. Louis, and borrowed of his agent a piece of Guinea cloth, some sugar, tobacco, and a little paper; I then wrote to the governor to acquaint him with my situation, and to beg him to give orders for the delivery of some goods, of which I had urgent need. As it would have been too long to wait at the port for an answer, and the anxiety of the Moor, my guide, increased daily, I resolved not to stay, but to return to the camp; I told him so, to his great surprise, but he begged me to wait till the next day; we passed the night on board. On the 15th of March, we returned to Podor for our beasts; and at two o’clock crossed the river again. An hassane, of the tribe of Oulad-Sihi, joined us; on the road we met a laratine, whom he asked for tobacco, and the hassane wanted to take his coussabe from him, but the other resisting, the hassane drew his poniard to stab him. This behaviour disgusted and incensed me the more, because we had just finished our prayers, and I did not comprehend how a man, who pretended to be a Musulman, could pass immediately from an act of devotion to robbery. At my intreaty, my companions went to the assistance of the poor laratine, and I could not restrain myself from reprimanding the offender, and threatening to report his conduct to Hamet-Dou; he replied, in an insolent tone, that I might tell him if I pleased, for he was not afraid of him. This fact shows how completely persons of his class despise authority; they acknowledge no law but that of the stronger. My reprimand irritated him, and I verily believe that, had it not been for my character of marabout, I should have suffered for my imprudent zeal. This event gave rise to many painful reflections: I said to myself, if they behave thus to their own countrymen, what would they not do to a stranger, a christian, without protection, in a country where no laws shield the indigent, and where the very circumstance of their being poor seems to expose them to greater persecution? What would become of me if my secret were discovered? A speedy death would be the greatest favour that I could expect, from their hatred to christians.
On my return, however, I was welcomed with many and hearty salutations. The Moors were persuaded when I went away that I should never come back, and that I should escape from the port; many of them had advised Mohammed-Sidy-Moctar not to let me go. When they saw me again they all testified their great joy, and no longer doubted my conversion; they vied with each other in doing me honour.