On the 15th of June, after paying our reckoning in a little tobacco and salt, as we had done all along the road from Cambaya, we crossed the river in canoes. It was near ten o’clock when we reached the right bank. We then proceeded four miles to the S.E., over a gravelly soil. I had not yet got rid of the fever, but I had enjoyed a little rest during the night.
The heat was excessive, and my guide insisted on my using my umbrella to shade me from the scorching rays of the sun: he himself took the precaution of letting it down, whenever we approached any inhabited place. It was near half-past eleven when we halted at Farancou-Manbata, a village containing between three and four hundred inhabitants. Our road, next day, lay through a tract of country, in which we should have to travel a considerable distance without coming to any villages. A storm arose soon after we entered Farancou-Manbata, and it rained heavily.
At seven, on the morning of the 15th of June, we resumed our journey, travelling twenty-two miles in the same direction, and crossing several little streams. The surface of the ground was covered with red stones and gravel. The country was generally level, but some hills were visible to the east and west.
About half-past four in the afternoon we stopped to rest in some huts, made of branches of trees, covered with straw. We had travelled at a great rate during the day: indeed, we might be said to have run rather than walked, for we were anxious to reach Kankan next day. On the road we met many Mandingo merchants going to the Fouta-Dhialon. They looked at me with great astonishment, but did not inquire whether I was a Moor, or a christian. The saracolets travelled even faster than we: they were going to the ourondé (slave village) of Kankan. On my expressing a wish to go thither also, my guide observed that it was too distant: it is true, we were greatly fatigued by our forced march. I had now the good fortune to be free from fever. In the evening it thundered and lightened, but without rain. We ate our supper with a good appetite, and, though our bed consisted only of a little straw scattered over the stones, we enjoyed a good night’s rest.
At half-past five in the morning of the 17th of June, we proceeded southward, and after travelling three miles and a half, we halted near the ourondé, and joined the saracolets, who were going to Kankan. I saw some well cultivated fields of yams, pistachios, and maize. The foigné was already in a pretty advanced state. We next entered a fine plain. I saw in the distance some little hillocks, and I remarked that the ground sloped gently to E.N.E. Many negroes ran after us to see the caravan. We had gone four miles and a half S.S.E. In some places the soil was red, mixed with gravel, and very fertile. The country is covered with cés and nédés. We crossed a little stream, and about ten o’clock arrived at the town, which is the capital of Kankan. My guide insisted upon my opening my umbrella, to make my entrance into his native place. On the road we had met some Mandingoes on horseback, very neatly dressed, and wearing large straw hats, made in the country, and of a round form, like those worn by the French peasantry. I was told that these Mandingoes were going to the fields to superintend their slaves. Lamfia lodged me in one of his huts, with a Foulah, who travelled with us, and had come to Kankan to exchange cloth for salt. On Lamfia’s arrival, all his family ran to greet him, for he had been absent a considerable time. He called for milk, some of which he gave to me. During the whole of the evening, people thronged to Lamfia’s yard to see the Arab sherif. I was visited by several Mandingoes of rank, and by a good old Moor, who had been settled in the place for some time. I did not go out of my hut for three days, as I wished to recover from my fatigue. I also took some doses of sulphate of quinine.
On the 10th, I went, accompanied by Lamfia and some old men, to wait upon the chief, whom the Mandingoes of this part of Africa call Dougou-tigui. He had already been informed of my arrival. He received me kindly, and made me sit down on a bullock’s hide. I solicited his permission to pass through his country on my way to Jenné, and he replied that he would order me to be conducted thither on the first occasion. I allowed Lamfia to speak for me, for I could only express myself very imperfectly in the language of the country, and he related very circumstantially the stories I had circulated respecting the way in which I had been taken by the christians. The old chief, whose name was Mamadi-Sanici, was the father of the Mandingo who had so kindly helped me out of my scrape with the Bondouké at Sancougnan. After taking leave of the chief we returned home. My guide had ordered a bull’s hide to be laid down in my hut. This served for my bed, and, besides a jar containing foigné, it was the only furniture in the place. When any suspicious persons in the village asserted that I was a christian, and that I was not at all like a Moor, Lamfia warmly took my part, and became very angry with those who sought to injure me. He was particularly kind to me. We ate our meals together, and twice a day we were served with a good mess of rice, with a sauce composed of pistachio-nuts, and a good quantity of onions, which thrive well here. Every evening Lamfia ordered a fire to be lighted in my hut, a custom which is very general throughout all the country. The negroes, indeed, burn fires at all seasons of the year, and keep them up the whole night. On the day of my arrival I made my guide a present, as a reward for his attention to me on my journey. This present consisted of a yard of blue Guinea cloth, which he had expressed a wish to have, three yards of printed calico, and six sheets of paper. He seemed much pleased, thanked me gratefully, and promised to conduct me to the Wassoulo, where I subsequently learned that he had to go on business of his own. He passed part of the day with me in my hut, because he said he did not wish to leave me alone with the strangers who came to see me. He employed himself in sewing together pieces of cloth of the country.
On the market day, the chief of Kankan sent for me. I obeyed the summons, accompanied by my guide. On entering the hut of Mamadi-Sanici, I found assembled a number of old men all well dressed. I must confess that I felt no small degree of uneasiness and anxiety to learn what decision they would pronounce on the fate of an Arab, whom several among them declared to be a christian. First of all a short prayer was said. My guide was questioned as to the way in which he had become acquainted with me. Lamfia spoke a great deal, and said that the chief of Cambaya had directed him to conduct me to Mamadi-Sanici, at Kankan; that I wished to go to Jenné, with the intention of proceeding to Mecca, my native country. He particularly dwelt on the circumstance that Mr. Macaulay, the king of the whites at Sierra Leone, for so the negroes style him, had wished to establish me in trade at that place; but that I had repelled the odious idea of remaining among infidels. I was then asked the names of my parents; whether they were still living; whether I had any other relations, and whether I should know them again on my arrival in my native country. I replied that having left Egypt very young, I was quite ignorant of the condition of my parents, if, indeed, they were still living. After this examination, the old men deliberated together for a short time and then dismissed me, telling me that I must remain with Lamfia, to whose care the chief, Mamadi-Sanici, had recommended me. On leaving the assembly, I asked my guide what decision had been formed relative to my journey. He told me it had been determined that it would be better for me to go by the way of Wassoulo instead of Bouré, as the latter place was then at war with Kankan, and that one of their men had already been killed on that road. He added, that I was to be conducted by the first opportunity to the Wassoulo, whence I might proceed to Jenné, either by way of Ségo, or Sambatikila, whichever I preferred. I was very well pleased with this decision, and returned to my hut to get a few glass ornaments, with which I went to the market to buy some milk.
On the 22nd of June, I went to the mosque accompanied by my guide. The mosque is a square building of earth, with doors on three of its sides looking west, north, and south. It contains several avenues formed by large posts, or pillars, which support the roof. It is not near so neatly built as the straw mosques of the Fouta-Dhialon. The prayers were very short; but the almamy, or spiritual chief, read some passages of the Koran. All the people present were very clean in their dress. The women have a mosque to themselves, for they are not permitted to enter the men’s place of worship. The women’s mosque was not much frequented. Our religious service being ended, I saw some well-dressed old men proceed to the women’s mosque, which is built of straw, and very airy. Thither I was summoned, together with my guide, and we were both desired to sit down in the middle of the assembly. Lamfia was again questioned respecting the circumstances which had induced me to travel through the country. The answers of my guide were repeated aloud by a crier, in order that they might be heard by those who were outside. When his examination was ended, one of the old men asked me whether I had any more to say, or whether all that Lamfia had said was true. I replied that it was. The saracolet, who spoke Arabic, and had travelled with us from Baléya, was then called in; I repeated in Arabic all that my guide had first stated. The saracolet was desired to put many questions to me; but he got rid of this task by saying that the Arabic spoken in my country, was not at all like that which he understood. Lamfia was then praised for the manner in which he had treated me, and the whole assembly unanimously agreed that I was a true Musulman. The meeting had only been held to make all the inhabitants acquainted with my journey through the country, and the circumstances which occasioned it. Thus, I had nothing to fear from those who might take me for a European. The assembly consisted of between a thousand and twelve hundred persons, all very well dressed, and there were many more outside than in the mosque, which is very large. We were informed that we might retire, and we did not wait to be told so a second time. After this examination, I regularly attended the mosque in order to lull suspicion, and when any one entered my hut, I took care to be holding in my hand a leaf of the Koran. I frequently saw the saracolet, to whom I gave the pair of scissors, which I had promised him on the road. He professed a regard for me, and wished to take me with him to Ségo. I thought he wished to extort further presents from me; but, perhaps, I was somewhat prejudiced against him. He and his comrade rested for some days at Kankan. I did not wish to go by the way of Ségo, being apprehensive of detection there, and, besides, had I gone thither, I must, on account of the continual war between the two countries, have renounced all intention of visiting Jenné, whither I wished to go. I must confess too, that I did not like the assiduous attention of the saracolet. His officious kindness appeared to me suspicious, and I determined not to put his honesty to the test, feeling pretty certain that if I did, I should have reason to repent it. I, therefore, allowed him to depart for Kankari, where he was to embark on a river which flows into the Dhioliba, and on landing, to take the road to Ségo. Following the advice I had received from the good old Moor Mohammed, who was perfectly acquainted with the country, I resolved to go by way of Sambatikila, whence I could proceed to Jenné in greater security. I was assured that those who performed the pilgrimage to Mecca always took that road, and that a Foulah of the Fouta-Toro had even crossed the Bondou, a part of the Fouta-Dhialon, Baléya, and Kankan, to reach Jenné, by the way of Sambatikila, rather than go by Kaarta and Ségo. I had, therefore, only to wait for a guide, and a favourable opportunity of availing myself of his services.
On the 23rd of June, my friend, the saracolet, came to inquire after my health. He asked me why I did not call to see him in his hut. He seated himself beside me on a sheep-skin, and after the usual compliments he gave me a small piece of paper, on which there was some writing in Arabic characters. This was a grigri, and he assured me that as long as I kept it about me, I might travel in safety and without fear of illness. I gratefully accepted this precious talisman in return for which I gave a few charges of gunpowder.
On the 24th of June, the saracolet again paid me a visit. He begged me to write him a charm which would make him as rich as the whites. I told him that, having left my country very young, I did not understand the art of writing charms; but if I did I should of course employ my skill for my own advantage. However, I told him that I could give him a piece of advice, and if he followed it he would certainly grow rich. I reminded him that he had often spoken to me of the gold mines of Kankari. “Now,” said I, “when you get there, make your slaves dig up the ore, and when you have got a certain quantity of gold, take it to the christians, and with that talisman you can obtain whatever you want.” He laughed and said he knew of that talisman before, but that it was a piece of advice which it would be very difficult to follow. I thus got rid of this troublesome fellow, and also took my revenge for the falsehood he had trumped up with the view of tempting me to go to Kankari with him; for I was assured that there was no such thing as a gold mine in that place.