Dwarf cotton. — Coloni. — The Iolas, a Foulah tribe. — Bancousso. — Carabara. — Marshes. — Ropes made of the hibiscus. — Brick-making. — Construction of houses. — Kerina. — Foudouca. — Medina. — Lotus bread. — Touma-dioman. — Manianan. — Arrival at Galia on the banks of the Dhioliba, opposite to Jenné.
On the 17th of February, at six o’clock in the morning, we proceeded northward. The caravan, intimidated by the reports of the war with Ségo, and being in the neighbourhood of that town, put itself on the defensive. At a little distance from the village we halted, to put ourselves in order. The men carrying loads, who were all armed with bows and arrows, were divided into two bodies, and between them the women were placed; while the old merchants, and the chiefs of the caravan, driving their asses, brought up the rear. I seated myself to see them pass, which occupied at least a quarter of an hour. The order of our march was well observed, and had an imposing effect. When we wished to rest, the advanced guard halted with the women. The rear went forward to a certain distance, and then rested in its turn, till those who had stopped first should come up. The old men with the asses being now in the van halted till the whole caravan had passed, and resumed their usual place in the rear. We proceeded four miles N.N.E. on a soil similar to that which we passed over on the previous day. About eleven o’clock we stopped at Saraclé, a little walled village, having a very well supplied market. At the entrance of the village I observed a well: the soil in which it was dug, consisted of greyish earth, mixed with sand and gravel. The well was from fifteen to eighteen feet in depth, and the water it contained clear and pleasant to the taste. It had no enclosure, and near it was a great hole, forming a pond, into which the negresses throw the water in which they wash their clothes. Although this water was very dirty, both men and women washed their faces in it every morning; and many persons belonging to our company followed their example. In the neighbourhood of Saraclé there are some mimosas, and a great quantity of cés and nédés. Many traders from Ségo, and other adjacent places, attended the market. From some of these people I learned that the capital of Bambara was four days’ journey N.N.W. of Saraclé. I sold in the market some glass wares, and some pieces of coloured calico, between eighteen and twenty inches long and four broad, for three hundred cowries each, (equal to one franc and fifty centimes). The women rolled these pieces of cloth round their heads, drawing them rather forward upon the brow. They wear no other kind of head-dress.
On the 18th of February, as we were preparing to depart, one of old Kai-mou’s men laid hold of my baggage with a disdainful air, and threw it on one side, telling me in a very uncivil tone that henceforth I must carry it myself. I paid no attention to this impertinence, and turned my head another way, having nothing to do with the man, though I could plainly perceive that his intention was to insult me. During all the time I was among the Mandingoes I never saw a man so insolent as this: he was full of self-sufficiency, and often insulted the Bambaras whilst selling his merchandise to them. He despised them, and considered himself their superior. He met with one, however, who, instead of giving way to him, shook his fist in his face, and threatened to punish him for his insolence. Our braggadocio who, like all cowards, was brave only when he believed himself the stronger, was silent immediately, and even appeared somewhat frightened. The dispute drew together a numerous crowd of Bambaras, and might perhaps have led to serious consequences. At the moment of our departure Kai-mou gave orders for arranging the loads, and the man who used to carry my bag placed it amongst his baggage. I knew very well that all this was occasioned by a little misunderstanding which had occurred at Wattouro between me and my old guide, and which arose out of the following circumstance. Being in the market I bought some rice for twenty cowries; I asked my guide, who had likewise purchased a similar quantity, to put our shares together. He declined this, assigning some reason which I could not comprehend. I perceived that he spoke in an authoritative tone, and I answered him in the same manner. He was several days without speaking to me, and even cherished a sort of animosity against me.
At six o’clock in the morning, we proceeded N.E. over a very level sandy soil. The country was very open, but I saw here and there some cés, nédés, mimosas, and rhamnus lotus. The caravan advanced in the same order as on the preceding day. The heat, which was greater than usual, became overpowering. After proceeding four miles we halted at the village of Bamba, which is shaded by baobabs. At the market I observed that the women wore glass rings in the nose; and some had these ornaments made of gold or copper. This village contains from three to four hundred inhabitants. I was assured that, after travelling N.W. three days longer, we should see the Dhioliba, and that the fourth day would bring us to Ségo.
In the evening we were harassed by parties of female singers, who, by dint of importunity, extort money from travellers. Old Kai-mou gave them two colats to get rid of them. Afterwards, perceiving me in a corner, they came to me; but, as I had nothing to give them, I left the room, at which they did not seem well pleased. These itinerant singers are followed by a number of well dressed girls, each of whom carries a little calabash to receive what may be given, whilst the concert is going on. Shortly afterwards we were attacked by another set of beggars, who sing prayers from the Koran in a loud voice. These singers stood at the doors, and the people gave them some colat nuts.
At six o’clock in the morning of the 19th of February, we proceeded in a N.E. direction. We travelled three miles through a very open country, the soil being similar to that which I had observed for several preceding days. I saw many fields of cotton of a very small species. On the road, a poor woman carrying a heavy load was taken in labour and delivered in a cotton field. We went forward, leaving the poor creature in the care of two females. Next morning I was much surprised to see her following the caravan, with an empty calabash on her head. Her countenance had undergone a change.
We halted at Sanso, where we passed the remainder of the day. In the environs of this village were many plantations of cotton, of a kind which I had not before seen, either on the banks of the Senegal or in the neighbourhood of Sierra-Leone. It does not grow higher than five or six inches above the ground. It has very few branches, and the plant has the same appearance as the large cotton. The wool which it produces is of inferior quality, very short, and not of a good white. I likewise saw here a cotton plant which grows to the height of four or five feet. Dwarf cotton is cultivated at some distance from the village. It is very abundant, and is sown at random among the millet as in Wassoulo. This cotton is annual. A great deal of it is sold to the women belonging to the caravans which are continually passing through the country. The inhabitants also make with it a narrow cloth, which is manufactured throughout all the interior; for, in proportion as I advanced towards the banks of the Dhioliba, I perceived a great change in the industry of the natives. Here they are much better clothed; they apply themselves to trade, their markets are better supplied and their agricultural operations are more carefully performed. All sorts of provisions are dear here: indeed it is frequently difficult to procure them at all, owing to the great number of strangers passing this way. In this part of Bambara the only kind of grain is large and small millet. Rice grows in very small quantities. Yams which are so useful in the south, are here small and so inferior in quality that they are very little cultivated, In the market I sometimes saw a dozen at most. They were extremely dear. Travellers buy them and roast them in the ashes to eat at their departure in the morning on the road, when they rest. The environs of Sanso are wooded with cés and nédés. The butter extracted from the cé, is sold at Jenné to the caravans which pass through the village. The greater part of the inhabitants have nothing to burn but millet stubble, for wood is so scarce that those who have it prefer selling it in the market.
At six o’clock in the morning of the 20th of February we set out proceeding in a N.E. direction for six miles, through a level, open country, the soil consisting of hard grey sand. I saw a few naucleas and nédés. The heat, already very powerful, was increased by a burning wind from the east. About eleven we halted at Saga, a very pretty village, shaded by bombaces. I now found myself less an object of curiosity than hitherto. Every one took me for a Moor. My beautiful coloured cloth and my glass wares wholly occupied the attention of my companions. Throughout all this country the costume is nearly the same as in the south, except that it is neater. The women likewise wear their hair platted; they may be compared with the Mandingo women of Timé and Tangrera, but not with the Bambara females who wear scarcely any clothing. They have also rings at the nose such as I have before described.
On the 21st of February, at six o’clock in the morning, we took a N.E. direction, and proceeded five miles and a half, the caravan still observing the same order as before. The soil was similar to that we had passed over for several preceding days, except that it was a little more gravelly. The surrounding country is well cropped with millet, and I observed some rhamnus lotus. At ten in the morning we arrived at Coloni, a little village situated in a beautiful, fertile and well cultivated plain, surrounded by a great number of large bombaces. On my arrival, I seated myself on the ground in the shade of a tree under which there were some female traders, from whom I bought some boiled pistachios for my breakfast, to which I added some cakes. While I was taking my frugal repast, I was accosted by a Foulah of Massina, whom I had seen at Sanasso. He seated himself beside me on the ground, and several of his comrades soon followed his example. This negro already knew all about me, and he related my history to the rest. He told them that I was a sherif, and that I had come from amongst christians, for whom they testified the greatest aversion. After annoying me by their teazing questions, they advised me, when I arrived at Jenné, to visit Ségo Ahmadou, who would certainly give me some handsome presents and a guide to conduct me to my native country. All these Foulahs were settled at Coloni, and were natives of Massina, a country situated a little to the north of Jenné. The village of Coloni is the first of those of which Ségo Ahmadou is chief, and it forms part of the little kingdom of Jenné. This country was conquered from the Bambaras by the Foulahs. Ségo Ahmadou has erected mosques here. The Bambaras, who do not profess the Mahometan religion, pay a small tribute to the chief: there are many Mandingoes settled in this country, where they are usually called Iaulas, Diaulas, or Iolas; they are the principal traders. The Foulahs who inhabit this country follow no occupation but the duties of religion; they have numerous slaves, who cultivate the land, and provide for the wants of their masters. These Foulahs wear the same dress as those of the Fouta-Dhialon; they are also as clean as the latter, and resemble them in hair, complexion, and features; they are tall and well made men, and have rather a dignified deportment; they speak both the language of Fouta and that of the Mandingoes: they are all armed with three or four lances, which they hold in one hand; these lances are fixed on slender shafts about five feet long. The village of Coloni, which is surrounded by two mud walls, contains a population of about four hundred, consisting of Foulahs, Bambaras, and Mandingoes: it is shaded by large mimosas and some bombaces. We were lodged in a hut belonging to my acquaintance, the Foulah, who came to see me very often; he was almost always accompanied by some of his friends, who gave me colat-nuts, of which these people appear to be exceedingly fond. As to my host, during his frequent visits, he overwhelmed me with questions, but made me no present: he asked me whether I had any gold to sell; for he supposed that as I had come from Bouré, where it was very abundant, I must have some. Though I assured him that I was poor and had no money, yet he constantly repeated the same inquiry. In the evening, a man of our caravan bought a kid, by way of speculation. He divided it into small portions, which he sold among his comrades for eighty cowries each. I bought one of the pieces, having fared very badly for several days past. I had it cooked for supper, sharing it with my guide and some of his people. The room in which we were to pass the night was so dreadfully smoky that I determined to sleep in the court. I had caught such a cold that I could not sleep; my continued cough affected my lungs and brought on a spitting of blood.
On the 22nd of February, as we were preparing to depart, I had to encounter a repetition of the scene which had taken place at Saraclé. The same negro had the insolence to throw my leather bag down at the door, telling me that I must take it on my own head, for the man who had hitherto carried it was ill. I took no notice of him and went away, though, owing to his insolence on several former occasions, I had been obliged to exercise great self-command to refrain from replying to him. I stopped for a moment to buy some maumies for my breakfast, for I understood that we should have a long journey before we made a halt. I saw all the people of the caravan ranging themselves in order, with their loads on their heads, and my luggage still continued lying on the ground. As my guide had not reproved the insolence of the negro, I thought he did not wish to take charge of my things, and, taking a mat and some trifles which I had given to a negress to carry, I determined to stay in the village, and change my guide. The old man, with the ass, who had not yet set out, told me that I was wrong to take the things from the woman, who was already somewhat in advance, and, that I should have taken no notice of what the negro said. He observed that he was the only master there, and that as the man who had hitherto carried my luggage, had really some ailment in his neck, he would put my bag on the back of his own ass. He added, that if he had intended me to carry it, he would have told me so himself. However, I am fully persuaded that had he seen me inclined to carry it he would willingly have allowed me to do so, for his ass was already sufficiently loaded. I declared that if I again experienced such treatment, I would change my guide; for, paying as I did, I might find one any where. I had made him a present of a piece of coloured calico and some paper, and I was to pay him for his services on arriving at Jenné. I complained that he had not repressed the insolence of his slave. He appeared much out of humour, and having with a very ill grace put my luggage on the back of the ass, we continued our journey. I followed him, carrying the mat on which I slept, an earthen vessel, and my umbrella; when we rejoined our party, some of the women relieved me from this little burden. Several Foulahs of Coloni escorted me to a little distance from the village, and, at parting, they begged me to give them my blessing. One of them put his hand in mine, and the others in succession did the same. I muttered a few verses of the Koran, and to make an end of the ceremony, I blew upon their hands, which they rubbed over their faces, devoutly exclaiming, Alam-doul-illahi, and went away satisfied.