Travels in the Interior of Africa — Volume 01Park, Mungo
History
Travels in the Interior of Africa — Volume 01
Park, Mungo
Africa -- Discovery and exploration; Niger River
_February_ 1.—The messengers arrived from Kaarta, and brought
intelligence that the war had not yet commenced between Bambarra and
Kaarta, and that I might probably pass through Kaarta before the Bambarra
army invaded that country.
_February_ 3.—Early in the morning two guides on horseback came from
Kooniakary to conduct me to the frontiers of Kaarta. I accordingly took
leave of Salim Daucari, and parted for the last time from my
fellow-traveller the blacksmith, whose kind solicitude for my welfare had
been so conspicuous, and about ten o’clock departed from Soolo. We
travelled this day through a rocky and hilly country, along the banks of
the river Krieko, and at sunset came to the village of Soomo, where we
slept.
_February_ 4.—We departed from Soomo, and continued our route along the
banks of the Krieko, which are everywhere well cultivated, and swarm with
inhabitants. At this time they were increased by the number of people
that had flown thither from Kaarta on account of the Bambarra war. In
the afternoon we reached Kimo, a large village, the residence of Madi
Konko, governor of the hilly country of Kasson, which is called Sorroma.
From hence the guides appointed by the king of Kasson returned, to join
in the expedition against Kajaaga; and I waited until the 6th before I
could prevail on Madi Konko to appoint me a guide to Kaarta.
_February_ 7.—Departing from Kimo, with Madi Konko’s son as a guide, we
continued our course along the banks of the Krieko until the afternoon,
when we arrived at Kangee, a considerable town. The Krieko is here but a
small rivulet. This beautiful stream takes its rise a little to the
eastward of this town, and descends with a rapid and noisy current until
it reaches the bottom of the high hill called Tappa, where it becomes
more placid, and winds gently through the lovely plains of Kooniakary;
after which, having received an additional branch from the north, it is
lost in the Senegal, somewhere near the falls of Felow.
_February_ 8.—This day we travelled over a rough stony country, and
having passed Seimpo and a number of other villages, arrived in the
afternoon at Lackarago, a small village which stands upon the ridge of
hills that separates the kingdoms of Kasson and Kaarta. In the course of
the day we passed many hundreds of people flying from Kaarta with their
families and effects.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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