The Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa, in the Year 1805 Part 23

Next day the amba.s.sadors of Giocha came together with the amba.s.sadors of Tiguing-coro. The day after the King went to Impebara. I next day went to meet him there. After staying there nine days, and hearing nothing, I was much displeased; some one went to the King and told him that I was angry, and was about to depart. He sent to tell me he was going to Banangcoro, and that I should go with him; he did depart from Banangcoro, but I staid; he sent me a courier to order me near him. I went to Banangcoro, and lodged with Inche, the King's slave and confident. The motive of the King's journey was to see one of his children. He has six now living: and three he had destroyed. The custom is when a male child of the King's wives is born on a Friday, that the throat should be cut; which is done immediately. The King sent for me. I went to him at ten A.M.; he ordered part of the presents to be brought before him; which was done, and among which were the hogs. [Footnote: The remaining hog died shortly after my arrival at Sego.] They were left loose before him and pleased him much.

On the next day (Friday) he gave me a canoe with three hands (fishermen), and I departed on my voyage after Mr. Park the following tide; we pa.s.sed ten villages, and arrived at supper time at Sansanding, [Footnote: This village is two days journey by land from Banangcoro.]

where we slept; departed by land at three P.M. and arrived at sunset at Madina, and lodged with Alihou. I found there Amadi fatouma, [Footnote: Amadou fatooma.] the very guide I had recommended to Mr. Park, and who went with him on his voyage from Sansanding. I sent for him; he came immediately. I demanded of him a faithful account of what had happened to Mr. Park. On seeing me, and hearing me mention Mr. Park, he began to weep; and his first words were, "They are all dead." I said, "I am come to see after you, and intended to look every way for you, to know the truth from your own mouth, how they died." He said that they were lost for ever, and it was useless to make any further enquiry after them; for to look after what was irrecoverably lost, was losing time to no purpose. I told him I was going back to Sansanding, and requested he would come the next day there to meet me, to which he agreed. I went to Sansanding and slept there; next day I sent back the canoe to Impebara.

Amadi fatouma came at the appointed time to meet me, being the 21st day of the moon. [Footnote: 4th October, 1810.] I desired he would let me know what pa.s.sed to his knowledge concerning Mr. Park.

AMADI FATOUMA'S JOURNAL.

We departed from Sansanding in a canoe the 27th [Footnote: This Journal mentions no moon nor year.] day of the moon, and went in two days to Sellee, [Footnote: Called Siila in Mr. Park's first voyage.] where Mr.

Park ended his first voyage. Mr. Park bought a slave to help him in the navigation of the canoe. There was Mr. Park, Martyn, three other white men, three slaves and myself as guide and interpreter; nine in number, to navigate the canoe: without landing we bought the slave. We went in two days to Ginne. We gave the Chief one piece of baft and went on. In pa.s.sing Sibby, [Footnote: Here no mention is made of times. Called Dibbie in the plan.] three canoes came after us, armed with pikes, lances, bows and arrows, &c. but no fire-arms. Being sure of their hostile intentions, we ordered them to go back; but to no effect; and were obliged to repulse them by force. Pa.s.sed on; we pa.s.sed Rakbara; [Footnote: Called Kabra in the plan.] three came up to stop our pa.s.sage, which we repelled by force. On pa.s.sing Tombuctoo we were again attacked by three canoes; which we beat off, always killing many of the natives.

On pa.s.sing Gouroumo seven canoes came after us; which we likewise beat off. We lost one white man by sickness; we were reduced to eight hands; having each of us fifteen muskets, always in order and ready for action.

Pa.s.sed by a village (of which I have forgotten the name), the residence of King Gotoijege; after pa.s.sing which we counted sixty canoes coming after us, which we repulsed, and killed a great number of men. Seeing so many men killed, and our superiority over them, I took hold of Martyn's hand, saying, "Martyn, let us cease firing; for we have killed too many already"; on which Martyn wanted to kill me, had not Mr. Park interfered. After pa.s.sing Gotoijege a long way, we met a very strong army on one side of the river; composed of the Poul nation; they had no beasts of any kind. We pa.s.sed on the other side and went on without hostilities.

On going along we struck on the rocks. An hippopotamus rose near us, and had nearly overset the canoe; we fired on the animal and drove it away.

After a great deal of trouble we got off the canoe without any material danger. We came to an anchor before Kaffo, and pa.s.sed the day there. We had in the canoe before we departed from Sansanding, a very large stock of provisions, salted and fresh of all kinds; which enabled us to go along without stopping at any place, for fear of accident. The canoe was large enough to contain with ease one hundred and twenty people. In the evening we started and came to before an island; we saw on sh.o.r.e a great quant.i.ty of hippopotami; on our approach they went into the water in such confusion, that they almost upset our canoe. We pa.s.sed the island and sailed. In the morning three canoes from Kaffo came after us, which we beat off. We came to near a small island, and saw some of the natives; I was sent on sh.o.r.e to buy some milk. When I got among them I saw two canoes go on board to sell fresh provisions, such as fowls, rice, &c. One of the natives wanted to kill me; at last he took hold of me, and said I was his prisoner. Mr. Park seeing what was pa.s.sing on sh.o.r.e, suspected the truth. He stopped the two canoes and people, telling the people belonging to them, that if they should kill me, or keep me prisoner on sh.o.r.e, he would kill them all and carry their canoes away with him. Those on sh.o.r.e suspecting Mr. Park's intentions, sent me off in another canoe on board; they were then released. After which we bought some provisions from them, and made them some presents.

A short time after our departure, twenty canoes came after us from the same place; on coming near, they hailed and said, "Amadi fatouma, how can you pa.s.s through our country without giving us any thing." I mentioned what they had said to Mr. Park; and he gave them a few grains of amber and some trinkets, and they went back peaceably. On coming to a shallow part of the river, we saw on the sh.o.r.e a great many men sitting down; coming nearer to them they stood up; we presented our muskets to them, which made them run off to the interior. A little farther on we came to a very difficult pa.s.sage. The rocks had barred the river; but three pa.s.sages were still open between them. On coming near one of them, we discovered the same people again, standing on the top of a large rock; which caused great uneasiness to us, especially to me, and I seriously promised never to pa.s.s there again without making considerable charitable donations to the poor. We returned and went to a pa.s.s of less danger, where we pa.s.sed unmolested.

We came to before Carma.s.se, and gave the Chief one piece of baft. We went on and anch.o.r.ed before Gourinon. Mr. Park sent me on sh.o.r.e with forty thousand cowries to buy provisions. I went and bought rice, onions, fowls, milk, &c. and departed late in the evening. The Chief of the village sent a canoe after us, to let us know of a large army encamped on the top of a very high mountain, waiting for us; and that we had better return, or be on our guard. We immediately came to an anchor, and spent there the rest of the day, and all the night. We started in the morning; on pa.s.sing the above-mentioned mountain, we saw the army, composed of Moors, with horses and camels; but without any fire-arms. As they said nothing to us, we pa.s.sed on quietly, and entered the country of Haoussa, and came to an anchor. Mr. Park said to me, "Now, Amadi, you are at the end of your journey; I engaged you to conduct me here; you are going to leave me, but before you go, you must give me the names of the necessaries of life, &c. in the language of the countries through which I am going to pa.s.s;" to which I agreed, and we spent two days together about it, without landing. During our voyage I was the only one who had landed. We departed and arrived at Yaour.

I was sent on sh.o.r.e the next morning with a musket and a sabre, to carry to the chief of the village, also with three pieces of white baft for distribution. I went and gave the Chief his present: I also gave one piece to Alhagi, one to Alhagi-biron, and the other to a person whose name I forget, all Marabous. The Chief gave us a bullock, a sheep, three jars of honey, and four men's loads of rice. Mr. Park gave me seven thousand cowries, and ordered me to buy provisions, which I did; he told me to go to the Chief and give him five silver rings, some powder and flints, and tell him that these presents were given to the King [Footnote: The King staid a few hundred yards from the river.] by the white men, who were taking leave of him before they went away. After the Chief had received these things, he enquired if the white men intended to come back. Mr. Park being informed of this enquiry, replied that he could not return any more. [Footnote: These words occasioned his death; for the certainty of Mr. Park's not returning induced the Chief to withhold the presents from the King.] Mr. Park had paid me for my voyage before we left Sansanding: I said to him, "I agreed to carry you into the kingdom of Haoussa; we are now in Haoussa. I have fulfilled my engagements with you; I am therefore going to leave you here and return."

Next day (Sat.u.r.day) Mr. Park departed, and I slept in the village (Yaour). Next morning, I went to the King to pay my respects to him; on entering the house I found two men who came on horseback; they were sent by the Chief of Yaour. They said to the King, "we are sent by the Chief of Yaour to let you know that the white men went away, without giving you or him (the Chief) any thing; they have a great many things with them, and we have received nothing from them; and this Amadou fatouma now before you is a bad man, and has likewise made a fool of you both."

The king immediately ordered me to be put in irons; which was accordingly done, and every thing I had taken from me; some were for killing me, and some for preserving my life. The next morning early the King sent an army to a village called Boussa near the river side. There is before this village a rock across the whole breadth of the river. One part of the rocks is very high; there is a large opening in that rock in the form of a door, which is the only pa.s.sage for the water to pa.s.s through; the tide current is here very strong. This army went and took possession of the top of this opening. Mr. Park came there after the army had posted itself; he nevertheless attempted to pa.s.s. The people began to attack him, throwing lances, pikes, arrows and stones. Mr. Park defended himself for a long time; two of his slaves at the stern of the canoe were killed; they threw every thing they had in the canoe into the river, and kept firing; but being overpowered by numbers and fatigue, and unable to keep up the canoe against the current, and no probability of escaping, Mr. Park took hold of one of the white men, and jumped into the water; Martyn did the same, and they were drowned in the stream in attempting to escape. The only slave remaining in the boat, seeing the natives persist in throwing weapons at the canoe without ceasing, stood up and said to them, "Stop throwing now, you see nothing in the canoe, and n.o.body but myself, therefore cease. Take me and the canoe, but don't kill me." They took possession of the canoe and the man, and carried them to the King.

I was kept in irons three months; the King released me and gave me a slave (woman). I immediately went to the slave taken in the canoe, who told me in what manner Mr. Park and all of them had died, and what I have related above. I asked him if he was sure nothing had been found in the canoe after its capture; he said that nothing remained in the canoe but himself and a sword-belt. I asked him where the sword-belt was; he said the King took it, and had made a girth for his horse with it.

ISAACO'S JOURNAL IN CONTINUATION.

I immediately sent a Poule to Yaour to get me the belt by any means and at any price, and any thing else he could discover belonging to Mr.

Park. I left Madina and went to Sansanding, and from thence to Sego. On my arrival I went to Dacha, the King, and related to him the above facts. He said he would have gone himself to destroy that country, if it had not been so far. He gathered an army and went with it to Banangcoro.

I followed him there. He ordered the army to go and destroy the kingdom of Haoussa. The army went away, pa.s.sed Tombuctoo a long way, and made a halt at Sacha; and dispatched a courier back to the King, to let him know where they were, and that Haoussa was at too great a distance for an army to go, without running many dangers of all kinds. The King ordered them to go to Ma.s.sina, a small country belonging to the Poule nation, to take away all the Poules' cattle, and return. They did so, and brought with them a great many cattle. The vanguard came with the cattle after a voyage of three months; and the army came one month after, which made four months they had been out. The King was much displeased with the Chiefs' conduct, and wanted to punish them for not going where he sent them; but they observed that they went as far as they possibly could; that the distance was too great and would have destroyed an army; and that prudence and the hards.h.i.+ps they had already sustained, had dictated the necessity of returning, though very contrary to their inclinations. We all returned to Sego.

I went back to Sansanding and staid there, waiting for the arrival of the Poule I had sent to Yaour. Four months after he came back, having been eight months on his voyage, and having suffered greatly. He brought me the belt; and said that he had bribed a young slave girl belonging to the King, who had stole it from him; and that he could not get any thing more, as nothing else was to be found which had belonged to Mr. Park or his companions.

I went to Sego and informed the King of what I had got belonging to Mr.

Park, and that I was going to Senegal immediately. The King was desirous that I should spend the rainy season with him. I said I could not stay; as the object of my mission was attained, I wished to go as soon as possible. Amadi fatouma being a good, honest, and upright man, I had placed him with Mr. Park; what he related to me being on his oath, having no interest, nor any hopes of reward whatever: nothing remaining of Mr. Park or his effects; the relations of several travellers who had pa.s.sed the same country, agreeing with Amadou's Journal; being certain of the truth of what he had said, and of the dangers I should have run to no purpose in such a distant part; all these reasons induced me to proceed no farther. After obtaining the belt, I thought it best to return to Senegal.

_Further Intelligence from Isaaco._

Isaaco says that Mr. Park gave him his papers to carry to Gambia to Robert Ainsley, with an order on Robert Ainsley for ten bars. That Mr.

Park went away from Sansanding with Amadi fatouma, in his presence; that he cannot tell precisely the date, but that Mr. Park died four months after his departure from Sansanding, which date may be nearly taken from the date of Mr. Park's papers brought by him (Isaaco) to Robert Ainsley.

That Mr. Park had lost all his companions but four men. He arrived at Foolah Dougou with thirty-three white men, and from Foolah Dougou to Sego (which was eight days march, but which is generally performed in three days by a Negro) they lost twenty-six men by rains, the damps, &c.

Mr. Park went away from Sansanding, with four men, and he himself making five.