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 — John Shaqi
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
Their manufactures are the same as those of Bondoo, as will be
described hereafter. The vegetable productions are indigo, cotton,
rice, maize, yams, cassada, shalots, and pompions; and their fruits
are oranges, lemons, plantains, bananas, tamarinds, and nittas, or the
locust fruit; the latter is a kind of mimosa, very much resembling the
tamarind tree. The flowers or blossoms are produced at the extremities
of the branches, and are succeeded by pods similar to those of a
garden bean, with the exception of their being from nine to twelve
inches long, and one broad; each pod contains from nine to twelve
black stones, resembling those of the tamarind in size and shape,
but are enveloped in a fine farinaceous powder of the appearance of
sublimed sulphur. Its taste is not unlike liquorice-root powder, and,
when mixed with milk, affords a very palatable and nutritious diet;
and although some of the men, who swallowed the stones of this fruit,
were affected with sickness at stomach, bad as our situation was from
the scarcity of provisions, it would have been exceedingly aggravated,
had the nittas not been ripe before we left the Panjetta.
The men are of the middle stature, well-formed, very active and
intelligent, and are dressed nearly in the same manner as those of
Bondoo; the cap is of a different form, and most frequently made of
scarlet cloth; they wear sandals, and usually carry a long cane or
spear. Thus equipped they strut about, with all the air and affected
dignity of men of the first consequence. They are characterised by a
high degree of cunning, duplicity, self-interestedness, and avarice;
to gratify which they are neither deterred by shame nor fear. This
renders it extremely difficult for strangers to guard against
the crafty devices they have recourse to in all their dealings of
whatever kind, or to elude the rapacious advantages they are always
on the alert to take of them, either by imposition or theft.
The women are good figures, have a lively and graceful air, and
prominent features, much resembling the European. They are at great
pains to preserve their teeth of a pearly white, by constantly rubbing
them with a small twig of the tamarind tree, which is an admirable
substitute for the tooth-brush. They are, like all other African
females, extremely fond of amber, coral, and glass beads, which they
bestow in profusion on their heads, necks, arms, waists, and ancles.
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