Travels in the Interior of Africa — Volume 02Park, Mungo
History
Travels in the Interior of Africa — Volume 02
Park, Mungo
Africa -- Discovery and exploration; Niger River
On my arrival at Kamalia I was conducted to the house of a bushreen named
Karfa Taura, the brother of him to whose hospitality I was indebted at
Kinyeto. He was collecting a coffle of slaves, with a view to sell them
to the Europeans on the Gambia as soon as the rains should be over. I
found him sitting in his baloon, surrounded by several slatees who
proposed to join the coffle. He was reading to them from an Arabic book,
and inquired with a smile if I understood it. Being answered in the
negative, he desired one of the slatees to fetch the little curious book
which had been brought from the west country. On opening this small
volume I was surprised and delighted to find it our Book of Common
Prayer, and Karfa expressed great joy to hear that I could read it; for
some of the slatees, who had seen the Europeans upon the coast, observing
the colour of my skin (which was now become very yellow from sickness),
my long beard, ragged clothes, and extreme poverty, were unwilling to
admit that I was a white man, and told Karfa that they suspected I was
some Arab in disguise. Karfa, however, perceiving that I could read this
book, had no doubt concerning me, and kindly promised me every assistance
in his power. At the same time he informed me that it was impossible to
cross the Jallonka wilderness for many months yet to come, as no less
than eight rapid rivers, he said, lay in the way. He added that he
intended to set out himself for Gambia as soon as the rivers were
fordable and the grass burnt, and advised me to stay and accompany him.
He remarked that when a caravan of the natives could not travel through
the country it was idle for a single white man to attempt it. I readily
admitted that such an attempt was an act of rashness, but I assured him
that I had no alternative, for, having no money to support myself, I must
either beg my subsistence by travelling from place to place, or perish
for want. Karfa now looked at me with great earnestness, and inquired if
I could eat the common victuals of the country, assuring me he had never
before seen a white man. He added that if I would remain with him until
the rains were over, he would give me plenty of victuals in the meantime,
and a hut to sleep in; and that after he had conducted me in safety to
the Gambia, I might then make him what return I thought proper. I asked
him if the value of one prime slave would satisfy him. He answered in
the affirmative, and immediately ordered one of the huts to be swept for
my accommodation. Thus was I delivered, by the friendly care of this
benevolent negro, from a situation truly deplorable. Distress and famine
pressed hard upon me. I had before me the gloomy wilds of Jallonkadoo,
where the traveller sees no habitation for five successive days. I had
observed at a distance the rapid course of the river Kokoro. I had
almost marked out the place where I was doomed, I thought, to perish,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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