Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river NigerGray, William, Major
History
Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river Niger
Gray, William, Major
Sudan (Region) -- Description and travel
We reached Jouar at six in the evening, and would have proceeded that
night to Baquelle, had I not been so fatigued from having walked the
whole way, near fifty miles, that when I was once seated, I found
it impossible to move farther. On the following morning the master
of Jouar, at whose house we passed the first comfortable night since
we left Boolibany, and whose mild and hospitable behaviour formed a
pleasant contrast with the insolent and unfriendly treatment we had so
lately and so generally experienced at the hands of Bayla and Almamy,
having accommodated me with a horse for myself, and procured another
for Charles Jowe, who had voluntarily remained with me ever since
the unfortunate affair of the 13th, we proceeded along the banks of
the river to Baquelle, where I arrived at half after nine, and was
cordially welcomed by the French officers, and Mr. Partarrieau, who
(not expecting that Bayla would let me go so easily) were concerting
measures for my release and that of the men with me, but these were
now rendered unnecessary.
On the following morning I gave to the men who accompanied me as
guides, half a piece of baft each, and in fulfilment of my promise,
delivered to them for Bayla, a present, amounting to fifty bars or
thereabouts. They were thankful for the former, and seemed surprised
on receiving the latter, for they decidedly thought I should decline
giving any thing, at least, so considerable as what I had done,
when once removed from the power of their master.
The men since their arrival at Baquelle had been encamped on the
north bank of the river, and had commenced forming huts on that side;
but I found the situation so low, and liable to inundation during
the rains which had then so completely set in that the river had
risen some feet, that I took up another and better position on the
south bank, on a rock, elevated about sixty feet above the river,
and surrounded partly by the then unfinished walls of the French
fort, and partly by the half demolished ones of a part of the town
of Baquelle, which formerly stood there. In taking up this position
I was also influenced by a report which was in circulation that
Almamy Bondoo had privately assembled a large force at Conghel,
for the purpose of attacking our post on the opposite side of the
river. In settling ourselves in our new quarters we received the
most ready and cordial assistance from Messrs. Dupont and Dusault,
and the gentlemen of the Senegal Company’s vessels then trading
there, and which was most acceptable at that moment, as a great
many of our native soldiers were affected with Guinea Worm, and the
Europeans were so fatigued from the effects of the late retreat,
that they were unable to do much.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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