CHAP. XV.

ACCOUNT OF A JOURNEY BY LAND FROM ISLE ST. LOUIS, ALONG THE SENEGAL, TO GALAM, IN WHICH ARE GIVEN THE PARTICULARS OF THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, INHABITANTS, AND PRODUCTS ON THE ROUTE. — OF THE KINGDOMS OF CAYOR, JOLOF, BARRA OR MANDING, BAMBOUK, JOULY, MERINA, BONDOU, &c. &c.

ON setting off for Isle St. Louis, I promised that I would penetrate into the interior of Africa, and decide our doubts as to the state of that part of the world. The same project had excited the attention of the English; and I must declare that I was eager to imitate, or even to anticipate, them in such an undertaking. Nevertheless I did not wish to venture upon one of those journies which, transporting a single man, without any fixed object, amidst savage hordes, exposes him to all sorts of privations and risques, without affording him proper means of information: but, on the other hand, I was well aware that those dangers, which often occur, are provoked by imprudence, or exaggerated by misfortune and a wish to excite interest.

It was, however, my wish to visit an unknown soil, but which I thought less liable to difficulty and labour; and I resolved to execute what had, till then, appeared impracticable—a journey by land from Isle St. Louis to Galam. My intention was, should I succeed, to travel afterwards over land to Morocco and Tunis[2].

My choice of this journey for a trial likewise had another motive. I wished to know if the inconveniencies of the route which I was about to trace through the interior of the country, would not be much less than those of the voyage hitherto performed along the coast of the Senegal, to arrive at fort St. Joseph, the most distant of our factories.

This attempt met with the most complete success. I shall proceed to give an account of it, in which it will be seen that the Negroes, though avaricious and needy, received my traveller with affection of the most hospitable and generous kind; that they appeared with all their natural good qualities, and the simplicity of the early ages; and that they every where professed a desire to gain information with all the efforts of a rude people approaching towards civilization; while they eagerly expressed their wish, that we would establish ourselves amongst them.

I must first make known what means were in my power for executing my project, and what measures I thought would insure it success. I had no compass in my possession, and was therefore obliged to regulate the journey by the course of the stars, and the indications of the natives.

I could not hope for any great accuracy in the observations which might be made during the journey; but I imposed an obligation on the person, whom I employed to perform it, to mark the number of days’ march by the rising and setting of the sun, so as to point out, as nearly as possible, the hour of his arrival at, and departure from, each station. I also pressed him to note in his journal, the changes he might experience in the soil, the hills, mountains, forests, trees, lakes, rivulets, animals, and kinds of cultivation. He was likewise to observe the different tribes which he might meet with in his route, and to give an account of their manners, customs, religion, language, and the reception which he met with amongst them. My ulterior object was, that, after making all these remarks on the country, he should prepare the people for a general intercourse with the French, discover the exact situation of their gold mines, and continue his route as far as the isthmus of Suez, after which he might return to France from some of the ports in the Mediterranean.

I have to regret, that the noble enterprize which I had planned, though equal to my expectations, was far from affording the results which might have been expected; as, since my departure, it has never been followed up, and because the principal agent in it became the victim of an unpardonable negligence.

M. Rubault, the person employed under my orders in this expedition, left Isle St. Louis on the 11th January, 1786, in company with a Marabou Moor, named Sidy Carachi: this Moor, from his quality as priest and doctor of laws, enjoyed, like all his cast, the greatest veneration from all the hordes in Africa. I gave Rubault two domestic Negroes, three camels to carry the baggage and convey the travellers, and ordered him such a supply of provisions, merchandize, and arms, as I conceived adequate to the undertaking. The party set off from Gandiolle, whither I accompanied them, on the 13th, at break of day. After a march of seven hours, over a flat soil covered with palm-trees, they arrived at a village called Camessou, the master of whom received them with great kindness, and gave them a preparation of flour and milk.

Each village, in this part of Africa, has a chief known by the title of master. In some parts of the country the name does not correspond with that of master; but the prerogatives and attributes of the chief are the same. He receives a tribute from all the inhabitants for his expenses, and is charged with executing the orders of the king in whatever relates to the police or general justice, except that recourse is had to the sovereign in cases of condemnation to death or slavery. This establishment is nearly the same as the feudality which is said to have prevailed in the earliest times of the creation. The master is the lord of the village.

On setting out after his repast, at three in the afternoon, Rubault arrived by seven at another village, named Bety, where he passed the night; this he left at ten next morning, and at seven in the evening came to a third village, called Meriné-Giob.

The inhabitants of this village were celebrating the Gammon, which is an annual festival in honour of the birth of Mahomet; it lasts three days. Here Rubault was well treated, and proceeded onwards the next morning at six o’clock. The country over which he travelled this day was covered with little hamlets. Amongst the trees he observed a white tamarind, or ape’s bread-tree, of so extraordinary a size that he stopped to measure it, and found it to be eighty-four feet in circumference. He next reached Gure, a village governed by a prince of the royal family; and afterwards that of Hyam-Hyren, where he arrived at noon, and stopped for three hours till the intense heat had subsided. The chief here refreshed him, and had him taken to a couch, where he ordered one of his women to stand and fan him.

On the 16th, after passing through several small Negro villages, he arrived at that of Meriné, where the inhabitants received him with acclamations, which testified their great pleasure. The master and the principal inhabitants came in bodies to salute him, and kept off their people, who pressed on him through curiosity. At the same time a prince named Yousoufat, the governor of a neighbouring village, having heard of the arrival of a white man, came with a numerous suite of cavalry, and offered his services. This prince urged him to stop a few days in his village, which he declined, but was obliged to promise that he would accept the offer on his return. On the 17th, when he was about to leave the village of Meriné, the master came with great ceremony to wish him a good journey: he prostrated himself at his feet, kissed his hands, and refused to accept of any present whatever.

He next reached the village of Beteldiabi, where the people came out and danced before him to the sounds of the instruments of their country, which are the rude kind of drum already described, and one which resembles our mandolines. It is remarkable, that the Negroes of the Senegal can never accustom themselves to European drums, with which they have been acquainted for a length of time.

The village of Beteldiabi is the last in this direction which belongs to the kingdom of Cayor. Rubault left it at three in the afternoon, and travelled the rest of the day, and a great part of the night, through a forest which is near this place. He saw in it a great number of tigers, lions, wolves, and other ferocious animals, which came very near to his party at different times, and whose roarings were dreadful. This forest was composed of palm, tamarind, gum, and other large trees, of which Rubault did not know the species.

The kingdom is a dismemberment of the Yolofs. The extent of the latter was so great, that its king, Burba-Yolof, not being able to govern it himself, was obliged to divide it into several provinces, and entrust them to lieutenant-generals. The one who governed the country now called the kingdom of Cayor, soon revolted, and caused himself to be declared king of the country in which he was stationed. Some others followed his example; and thus were composed the states of Brack and Siratick, which formed parts of the above-mentioned empire, but which are now independent kingdoms. At length the legitimate sovereign had only the smallest part of his territories left him, and this was the worst and the most distant from commercial intercourse. Notwithstanding this almost general defection, Burba-Yolof always maintained his pretensions to the countries which he had lost. He found a favourable opportunity for attacking the kingdom of Cayor, and hastened to turn it to advantage.

The people, irritated at the tyranny of Damel, were disgusted with his government, and wished to shake off the yoke. Burba-Yolof fomented this dissension, and speedily raising an army, attacked Damel, who was killed in the first battle, and his forces were defeated and dispersed. On this occasion Burba-Yolof gave many proofs of valour, but he wanted prudence. He entered, it is true, on an usurped domain; but the people wished him to make his conquest legitimate by a new election, which could not fail to be in his favour. Far, however, from adopting this simple formality, he treated those proud people like revolted subjects; on which the great men withdrew to Tin, king of Baol, and intreated his protection against their sovereign, whom they now stigmatized as an usurper. Latir-Fat-Soucabé, king of Baol, entered immediately into the views of the refugees, and fearing that he would himself be driven from his territories, if he gave Burba-Yolof time to strengthen himself in Cayor, he raised a body of troops, whose number was rapidly augmented by the discontented hordes who quitted the kingdom of Cayor. He then conducted them with so much skill and courage, that he beat Burba-Yolof in several skirmishes, and killed him in a general engagement; on which such of his army as were not cut in pieces took flight, so that, in a short time, the kingdom of Cayor had neither enemies to fear, nor a sovereign to govern it.

Hitherto king Tin had only acted as an auxiliary: he had played the part of a man who, seeing his neighbour’s house on fire, runs and uses all his efforts to extinguish the flames in order that he may preserve his own. He had only taken part in this quarrel to maintain an equilibrium amongst his neighbours, and to prevent the most powerful from overrunning the others; but now finding himself at the head of a numerous army, he wished to possess himself of the kingdom of Cayor, and to keep it by covering his usurpation with the veil of a legitimate election. With this view he convoked all the notables of the kingdom, and, on the appointed day, the people repaired to a vast plain, on which the army of Tin was encamped. He addressed them on the necessity of having a king who would govern them with equity, and protect them from invasion; declared that he knew no person better qualified for such duties than himself; and without waiting for their opinions, he added, that whoever did not immediately approve of his proposition he should consider as his capital enemy. He even went farther, and pronounced the Desoulé Sabai, which is the most terrible oath in use amongst the Negroes: it is a violent imprecation; and he thundered it as a solemn defiance against whoever might oppose his election.

All the electors acutely felt this injury, which was the greatest that could be done to them. The Negroes never pardon it, and nothing can efface it but the poniard: they were, however, in the midst of a conquering army, which would have cut them in pieces if they had presumed to oppose the wishes of its chief; they therefore looked at one another for some time in melancholy silence, and seeing that they had no alternative, they acknowledged him as king, to the prejudice of the heirs of the sovereign whom he had killed, and whom they already began to regret.

As soon as he was proclaimed king he distributed honorary titles to some of the electors, promised rewards to others, and assumed the functions of royalty without waiting to be bathed in a spring consecrated to the coronation of the kings of Cayor. He took the name of Damel, and abandoned that of Tin; he then received the homage of the great people, who took the oath of fidelity, and appointed two lieutenant-generals to govern the kingdoms of Cayor and Baol.

At length his usurpation being evident, and his cruelties having rendered him odious to the whole state, he began to fear that the principal people might raise the rest against him; to prevent which he cut off the heads of those whom he suspected, and sought to gain the affection of his subjects by opposing the demands which the notables had upon their vassals, and which they had a right to receive. This measure ruined them, and obliged them to retire to the neighbouring states. But the people, though relieved from the tribute, were neither richer nor happier; as Damel soon appropriated to himself what the great men used to receive. He made himself rich at the expense of all, and by ruining them all without distinction, he deprived them of the means of rebellion.

By such conduct this prince maintained himself upon the throne of Damel until his death. The two states of Cayor and Baol, which he had united to his dominion, were afterwards divided, but they remained with his family: that of Burba-Yolof has never been able to recover its rights, and appears to have renounced them.

The descendants of Latir-Fat-Soucabé still reign at Cayor and Baol. This family, elevated by crime, has gradually acquired wisdom and moderation. It has had much influence on our commercial and political operations, which it still preserves, and nothing indicates that it will lose its present power and consideration.

I have already touched on the subject of this revolution; but I have now added some circumstances that were omitted, and which I think relate essentially to the history of the country.

On the 18th January, after travelling part of the night, Rubault arrived at four in the morning at Lequekié, the first village in the kingdom of Yolof, which he left on the 19th; and, after passing two or three others, he was met, on the 20th, by an envoy from the king of Yolof, who came to congratulate him, and escort him to the village in which the king resided: it is called Hicarkor, and our traveller was conducted to a large square in front of the king’s hut. Immediately the sovereign approached, followed by his whole court, and having on his left a great number of those buffoons whom the Negroes call griottes: there are both men and women who devote themselves to this profession, for which they are reckoned infamous, and deprived of burial. Their actions are highly gross and indecent: there is a party of them for each village; and as they have a right to insult and injure those against whom they have a complaint, they are very well treated during their life, and even enjoy a sort of respect; but at their death the people avenge themselves by offering the greatest insults to their remains, and generally suspend their bodies on a tree. At Senegal, however, where the people are more civilized and humane, they are interred like the rest.

Those who accompanied the king of Yolof sung songs in praise of his goodness, and celebrated the arrival of a white man. One of them carried a mat for the king to seat himself on the instant he might wish to rest. On coming up to Rubault, the king received him with open arms, and taking him affectionately by the hand, held it a long time; he then caused a mat to be spread, and placing himself upon it, made the stranger sit on his right-hand. Then, after a silence of some time, he asked him what had brought a white man into his states, where one had never arrived before? Rubault explained that he had been sent to Galam by M. Durand, and was ordered to salute his Yolof majesty, and to express the desire of the French government to form an establishment in his kingdom. This answer pleased the king, who immediately ordered a hut to be prepared for him, to which he was conducted to repose. About noon, a prince belonging to the royal family came with great ceremony, to invite him to dinner at the hut of the king; on reaching which he observed a young Negress washing the sovereign’s feet; she left off as soon as the stranger appeared, and the king then taking him into another apartment, they sat down together on the same mat. They parted with great ceremony, and the next day the king expressed the high satisfaction he felt at the proposition of M. Durand; and assured Rubault that he would do every thing in his power to favour the French. He then requested the envoy to accept an axe, and pressed him to remain some days longer in the village, in order that his subjects might see him, and consign the fact to their history, that, during his reign, they had had the happiness to know that a white man had arrived in their country.

On the 23d, the king had a long conversation with Rubault, with the aid of two interpreters, and informed him, that an escort would be ready on the 25th to accompany him to Galam. After the conference, the ladies of the court, with their attendants, came to visit him; they approached very near to him, seeming to examine him with great curiosity, and described their sensations to each other in a very low voice. They all seemed satisfied with the sight, and expressing their wishes for his health and happiness, retired; amongst the number were four of the king’s wives.

On the 25th, at two in the afternoon, M. Rubault was ready for his departure; when he received a most affectionate and pompous farewell from the royal family, the king declaring that he would himself write a letter to M. Durand. He then accompanied him to the spot where his camels were waiting, and taking him kindly by the hand, said, “I pray the Lord to preserve thee on thy journey.”

The king gave Rubault three men to accompany him to Galam; and on leaving the village of Hicarkor, they travelled over a large plain planted with gum-trees, of which the Negroes appeared to know neither the use nor value. On quitting this plain on the 27th, he was informed, that for the next four days’ journey, he would meet with no habitation, but would have to pass through a vast and difficult forest, all the trees of which were of a thorny nature, and very close together. Arrangements were in consequence made: they reached the wood at noon, and travelled in the midst for the remainder of the day and part of the night. They then waited for the return of the sun, and reposed, together with their camels, in a space surrounded by a large fire. They heard, and occasionally saw several lions; but these animals made off on hearing the slightest noise. M. Rubault travelled through this large forest from the 28th to the 31st; and he asserts, that half of it is filled with gum-trees.

At five in the evening he left the kingdom of Yolof, and entered that of Barra. I have observed that the king promised to write me a letter, and send it by three of his subjects: this expedition shortly afterwards took place. I received the three Negroes with much distinction, and kept them a fortnight at Isle St. Louis; after which I sent them home with a proper answer, and presents for the king and his family.

The letter of King Babakoury expressed the delight he experienced at the sight of a white man, and the superior happiness he should derive from my acquaintance. It concluded with inviting me to come and see him. In my answer I regretted that I could not have that pleasure, in consequence of being obliged to return to France, but that I expected soon to come back again, and should take the first opportunity of paying him a visit.

From the dismemberment of the kingdom of Yolof, have not only been formed several powerful kingdoms, particularly those of Cayor, Walos, and Foules, which reach along the Senegal, from Galam to its mouth, but they cut off all communication between the Yolofs and that river. Hence these people being confined in the interior, have lost much of their power and commercial influence; but even as it now is, the Yolof kingdom, on account of its great fertility, presents striking advantages.

Rubault, after five hours journey through a wood, arrived at ten at night at the first village in the kingdom of Barra or Manding. All the inhabitants were asleep; and the arrival of this little caravan amongst them threw them into such alarm that they took up arms; they were, however, soon appeased by the people of the King of Yolof; and the master of the village conducted Rubault to a hut, served him with supper, and presented him with a goat.

On the 1st of February he left this village, which was called Passe, at two in the afternoon. He travelled over a vast plain, which was well cultivated, and planted with fine trees. It is inhabited by laborious and more civilized Negroes than the generality of that race. The houses were well built, and cleanliness seemed as general amongst them as with the whites. These people are observers of the laws of Mahomet, have public schools, and almost all of them can read and write. The children go to school in the middle of the night, or a few hours before break of day. The men in this part drink neither wine nor brandy; they all keep the rhamadan with strictness, and have a great partiality for agriculture. They live under a sort of republic, which is wisely administered by a council of elders; they are faithful, good-natured, and humane; mutually assist each other, and take slaves from the other hordes, but never make them amongst themselves. When their fellow-citizens have been guilty of crimes, they are condemned to slavery and sold; but it is the law which pronounces the punishment.

With respect to their women, they are less rigorous than Mahomet; as they think, that if the prophet could place in paradise his camel, cat, and many other animals, they may also expect their women to enter it. To give them hopes of this event, they cause them to undergo circumcision; and in order that their natural modesty may not be hurt, the operation is performed by women. They teach the females to expect beatitude, but only on condition that they are chaste, faithful, and obedient to their husbands.

In this plain, which is covered with trees, Rubault observed several of the wild fig kind, which had grown to the vast girth of upwards of thirty feet. The trunk, after reaching the height of thirty-five or forty feet, divides itself into several large branches, which produce an infinity of smaller ones, that are loaded with fruit and leaves: the latter resemble those of the walnut-tree are of a light green, and grow so thick that they form an impenetrable obstacle to the sun. The fruit of this tree is of the shape and size of pigeons’ eggs; it has a faint taste, and is filled with maggots. Animals feed on it; but the Negroes do not use it. The timber is not fit to burn, is difficult to saw in planks, and is used by the Negroes for bowls, platters, &c. The Negroes repose and receive visits under its shade.

There are found in this part of the country all the animals peculiar to Africa, as well as an abundance of elephants, lions, tigers, wild hogs, gazelles, civets, tiger-cats, and ounces. The gazelles partake of the camel, the goat, the deer, and the hare; their hair is like that of the camel; and, as well as that animal, they have a black circle above the eyes; their body is like that of the hind; their bleat imitates that of the goats; and their legs, like those of the hare, are shorter before than behind. They ascend with rapidity, but they lose much in coming down a hill, and when the declivity is steep they often roll down instead of running. In a flat country they are at their ease, and go well, extending themselves to such a degree that their bellies almost touch the ground; they prick their ears at the least noise. Their horns grow straight till within an inch of the extremity, when they curve inwards, as if nature wished to prevent them from doing any harm. They are extremely gentle, and easy to tame. They pass over Africa alternately, from the northern to the southern part.

The Negroes salt or pickle the flesh of the gazelles; but when thus prepared, it is not very good; though it is extremely delicate when eaten fresh. They have a singular manner of hunting these animals. When the grass is dry, they set it on fire, and place themselves at the passage which the gazelles must take to escape, where they watch for them, and when they appear attack them with arrows, sagayes, and clubs, making prodigious slaughter.

The civet is an animal as large and thick as a tolerably great dog; it has a pointed muzzle; the eyes and ears are small; the whiskers like those of a cat; the skip spotted with white, black, and yellow; while its tail is as thick and long as that of a fox. It is a wild, cruel, and carnivorous animal, whose bite is dangerous. The Negroes take them by snares; and those who buy them keep them in iron cages, and feed them on raw flesh.

This animal is merely an object of curiosity with the Africans, as they do not eat it. The Europeans derive from it an unctuous liquid, similar to an ointment, which collects in the males in a bag placed between the testicles and the penis; and in the females between the pubes and the anus. This bag is about three inches deep, by two and a half wide: it contains a number of little glands filled with odorous matter, which is obtained by compression. The operation is thus performed:—They seize the tail of the animal while confined in the cage, and draw it between the bars; they then bring the hind legs in the same manner, and hold them tight; they then pass a plank before the animal to prevent him from going forwards; and in this position they introduce into the sac a small iron spoon, with which they lightly scrape the internal emissaries. This motion compresses the glands, and obliges them to evacuate the matter they contain, which is then removed with a spoon.

This process cannot, however, be performed daily; as the animal does not produce a sufficient supply of matter; it therefore takes place every third day, and in certain seasons, once in two days. Each time affords about a drachm and half, or at the utmost two drachms. When the substance is first taken it is white, rather bordering upon grey, but changes imperceptibly to a brown. Its smell at a distance is sweet and agreeable; but when near, is too strong, and affects the head. The perfumers prepare it by mixing with it other drugs, which interrupt the violent volatility of its particles, and thus render the smell not merely supportable, but to many people delightful.

The Dutch breed a number of civets, and send to Paris all the musk which they obtain. They feed the animals on nothing but milk and the yolks of eggs; and it is asserted that this food renders the Dutch musk whiter than which comes from Africa, or the East and West Indies, where they feed them promiscuously and abundantly on different kinds of raw flesh: in other respects, the colour excepted, all musk has the same qualities. It is, however, almost impossible to procure pure musk, as the Jews of Holland and Cairo, and indeed all those who trade in this article, almost always adulterate it. They gain much by this practice, and we lose nothing: in the way we receive it, it is equal to our wants, and even to our luxuries.

A great number of civets might be raised in the European factories in Africa; but it is evident that the rage for musk is past, as our nerves are become so delicate that we can scarcely think of it; it is therefore only used in medicine, in which it is administered for the cholic in children, by applying it to the navel, as well as in certain female complaints; and, however small may be the quantity that we receive, we find it sufficient for our consumption.

The ounces are a species of the leopard, and their skin is extremely beautiful. This animal is very active, runs in a leaping or cantering manner, and darts like lightning upon its prey. It is said, that the Persians used them for hunting gazelles, and the following is the manner in which their chase has been described: they carried the ounces on horseback, either before or behind them; and when they perceived a gazelle, they shewed it to one, and let him loose. The ounce made after it, seized it by the neck, and strangled it; but if he missed his leap, and the gazelle escaped, he remained in the greatest apparent confusion. The huntsman then caressed him, took him again on horseback, and continued the sport, when the ounce became so eager to retrieve his credit, that the next animal that appeared was sure to be taken.

The Africans do nothing towards taming ounces, but leave them in a pure state of nature, so that they are less docile, amusing, and useful.

This animal is about the size of a greyhound: it has a round head, a wide mouth, and very sharp teeth. There is nothing ferocious in its appearance, but it is naturally savage. It never approaches villages or farms, except at night, and does not attack either men, women, or children; but every thing else suits its purpose. There is nothing good about it but its skin.

The tiger-cat in Africa is merely a degenerate species of the tiger, with which we are acquainted; and though it be smaller and less strong, it possesses all the untameable ferocity peculiar to its prototype.

There is also very common in this country, a curious species of lizard or cameleon; this animal is generally two feet long, from the muzzle to the root of the tail; and the tail itself is not less than three feet in length. It lives on fruit and roots; its skin is covered with little yellow, green, black, and white scales, which appear as if varnished, so bright are the colours. Its large red eyes, which are even with the top of the head, seem to sparkle when you come too near it, or irritate it. When in a state of anger, its bag, which is under its throat, suddenly swells, and the animal becomes agitated and furious. Its bite, without being venomous, is severe; and it never lets go the part which it has seized. If it be not quickly killed, it carries away the part which it has caught, and it is not easy to deprive it of life. Blows do it no harm; but the only part at which it can be mortally wounded is the nostrils, on which it sheds a few drops of blood, opens its mouth, and expires. Its feet have five toes, armed with long, strong, and sharp claws, which serve to climb trees, as well as to attack and defend itself. Its tail is also a weapon of defence with which it does much injury. The Negroes eat these animals, and find the flesh excellent; they hunt them with their ordinary arms, and often take them with a slip-knot when they find them on the branch of a tree.

The vast plain which Rubault now quitted, is partly under the dominion of the King of Bambouk. He arrived at seven o’clock in the evening in the village of Maleme, the ordinary residence of the king. This kingdom, however, which Rubault calls Bambouk, is not that which contains the gold mines, which I shall afterwards speak of.

The prince received him with marked attention, and waited on him at his hut, accompanied by all his court; he told him he was the protector of travellers, and desired him to inform his countrymen, that he wished them often to visit him. The next day, the 2d, he proceeded on his journey, when the king gave him an ox, and Rubault returned the compliment by a piece of Guinea. On that day and the third, he passed through the villages of Caffime, Cambalot, and Caldenne, at which he stopped to procure a supply of provisions. He observed that the inhabitants of this village were all dyers, and that they made a quantity of indigo; their lands were highly cultivated, and were covered in many parts with gum-trees, as well as with the species which produces incense, aloes, and mastic. The Negroes are but little acquainted with the value of these productions; but Rubault considers them if properly collected, as an inexhaustible source of riches.

The incense is a kind of gum. These two substances, though of a different nature, are obtained at the same period, by different processes, from the trees which produce them: the latter also are very much alike. That which gives the incense is very full of branches, which are slender, flexible, and covered with prickles; they have a thin adherent bark, of a grey colour; their leaves are long and narrow, always green, and coupled, though each shoot is terminated by a single leaf. The pedicle is red and tolerably strong. On rubbing them between the hands, they give out an unctuous liquid of a strong and aromatic smell, and rather an acrid taste. A great quantity of these shrubs are found near the gum-trees in the desert, as well as on most spots in this part of Africa. The greatest consumption of incense takes place in our churches; it is also used in medicine. The substance called aloes is also sought for in the isles of the Red Sea, though it may be more readily obtained on the coasts, and in the interior of Western Africa. The Indians make much use of this resin as a powerful cathartic. Mastic is also obtained in great quantities, and the apothecaries employ the pulverised wood of the trees which produce it, in their compositions.

The people of the state of Bambouk are rigid Mahometans, and their government is hereditary and absolute.

On the 5th of February, at four in the morning, after a journey of two hours, Rubault entered the kingdom of Youly, and arrived at noon at the village of Cambia, the whole of which was surrounded with a palisade ten feet in height. Here the master gave him a good dinner, and in two hours afterwards, he reached the village of Lamcemo, where he passed the night. The next day at dawn, as he was about to proceed on his journey, an envoy arrived from the king of Youly, requesting he would visit his majesty at Medine, the place of his residence. Rubault answered that, although he had the greatest desire to see his majesty, circumstances would not permit him, as he was in haste to get to Galam; besides which, he had no merchandize left worthy of the acceptance of so great a personage.

The envoy, who seemed to attach more importance to the present than the visit, answered shortly, that this was an unsatisfactory excuse, as the camels which he saw were loaded with property. It was in vain that our traveller assured him of his mistake, and he insisted on inspecting our baggage. Being then convinced, he said, that his master had been imposed upon by false reports, and he would set him right. He then suffered the party to proceed, and accepted the blade of a sabre.

The kingdom of Youly is very mountainous, and the hills are covered with fine trees. The villages are situated in the vallies, and the soil is very fertile. The inhabitants cultivate great quantities of grain, indigo, tobacco, and cotton.

The town of Medine, which is the capital of the kingdom, is of a considerable size, and contains about a thousand houses. Its fortifications are the same as those of the other towns in Africa. These people, like all the rest, are superstitious; and though most of them are pagans, they place implicit confidence in the grisgris or amulets of the Mahometans: the reason is, that they consider the art of writing as magic; and therefore place more faith in the talent of a magician, than in the sentences of the prophet.

Mungo Park observed at Kolor, an institution which is worthy of being known, particularly because Rubault speaks of it in more succinct terms. They both saw suspended to a tree a kind of masked habit, which they were told belonged to Monbo-Jombo, a name which they give to a magistrate peculiar to themselves, and whose office is very singular. It is formed for the purpose of frightening the women, and is established in almost all the Mandingo towns. When a husband thinks he has reason to complain of the conduct of his wife, he disguises himself, or dresses one of his friends, in this masked dress; then, armed with a rod, as the sign of his authority, Monbo Jombo announces his arrival by making terrible cries in the wood near the towns: these cries are always heard in the evening or night; and the figure on entering the town repairs to the bentang, or spot, at which all the inhabitants make a point of assembling.

This apparition terrifies all the women; because as the person who acts the part of Monbo Jombo, is totally unknown to them, each of them fears that the visit is made to herself. The ceremony commences by songs and dancing, which continue till midnight, and then the guilty female is singled out by the mask. Instantly she is seized by the company, stripped naked, tied to a post, and cruelly scourged by the rod of the magistrate, amidst the cries and shouts of all the spectators. It is remarkable, that on these occasions the women most loudly ridicule the unfortunate person who is punished. At break of day the mask makes himself known; and the poor woman, who has almost sunk beneath the stripes, retires confused and dishonoured. Thus terminates this indecent and barbarous farce.

On the 8th of February, after a journey of two hours, Rubault entered the kingdom of Merine. He had set off at five in the morning, and at noon reached the village of Gambia, which belongs to this sovereignty. He was here informed by the master that he would have to travel for two days through the desert of Sinbani, where he would find no habitation; he received refreshments in the village, but was obliged to pass the night in the wood.

The inhabitants of Gambia informed Rubault of a very singular custom which prevails amongst them, as well as the whole kingdom of Merine. These Negroes are travellers; and when one of them is on a journey, his neighbour takes possession of his wife: the woman is obliged to receive him, feed him, comply with his wishes, and take the greatest care of his person. This custom is reciprocally observed, and the Negroes never fail to conform to it: hence, as it is general, it does no harm to any one.

Rubault set off from this village in the morning, continued his journey till ten in the evening, and, as was predicted to him, passed the night in the forest. This forest appeared astonishing to Rubault; he spoke with surprise of the numbers, height, and beauty of the trees, amongst which were all those of the gum kind. He did not feel the want of water; but all his provisions being exhausted, he suffered much from hunger, and was obliged to eat the fruit of a tree called yonne: he compared it to potatoes, with this difference, that it was less compact; he observed that it was the ordinary and favourite food of wild hogs, of which animals he met with great numbers, as well as with wolves, apes, tigers, and lions, but received no harm from them, though they approached tolerably near to him. He even saw a lioness and her cubs walking at a very short way from him, while the lion remained at the distance of musket-shot. Besides these animals, which are very common in Africa, the country of Merine contains several others which are found no where except in that state and its environs.

The most remarkable of these is guiamala, which is nearly as high as the elephant, but much less stout: it is a kind of camel; it has a long neck; the same sort of head; and two protuberances, which form a kind of natural saddle on its back; it has also extraordinarily long legs. The horny substance of its foot is black and cleft like that of an ox; it walks fast, and runs well during a great distance. It eats little, and is not delicate, but feeds on thistles, reeds, leaves, and shoots of trees. It is always in a half-starved state; but the Negroes eat its flesh, which they find very good.

The natives have never attempted to tame this animal, or to make use of it for carrying burdens; they do not therefore know whether it is docile, or capable of bearing a load. They do not approach it without difficulty, and never without alarm. Nature has furnished it with seven horns, which are straight, black, strong, and pointed; and in those which are of full age, they are above two feet in length, but when the animal is young, they are not more than six inches: they are then enveloped in a rough kind of hair to within two or three inches of their extremity; but this hair drops off when the horn has attained a certain length. It resides in the woods and on the highest mountains.

There is also in this part of the country a species of white apes, whose colour is as beautiful as that of our finest white rabbits. They have fine red eyes, are of a small stature, and are very gentle and docile when young; but as they grow up, their natural cunning and malignity are developed. They are so delicate, and so much attached to their native country, that they refuse food, and starve themselves to death when taken out of it. The French residents at Galam had several of them; but they were never able to bring any alive to Isle St. Louis. It cannot surely be said that it is the loss of liberty which causes them to pine to death: for they care little about being chained in their own country; and while in this state, they eat and thrive abundantly; but they will not leave the territory. This is a great pity, as they are the most beautiful animals in the world; and setting aside their malice, nothing is more agreeable or diverting.

The weazle of this country is not larger than that of Europe; but it is totally white, and so brilliant is the colour, that it seems to be covered with silver. It is fierce, and naturally untameable: it bites in a strange manner; and when it gets any thing between its teeth, it is easier to kill it, than make it let go its hold. It is long, strong, and slender; and its continual motion gives it such an extraordinary appetite, that it is obliged to be continually in search of food. It preys upon birds, fowls, rats, and serpents; indeed, nothing comes amiss to it; and when it meets with an animal for which it has a liking, consulting less its strength than its courage, it springs upon the victim, forces in its sharp and long claws, and in the end always overcomes it.

The Negroes continually hunt this animal, though with great precaution, for they have a singular dread of its bite; and to secure themselves against it, they catch the weazle by snares, and kill it before they take it from the trap; they then eat the flesh, and sell the skin to the French at the factory of Galam, or to the English, by the means of caravans which convey the slaves.

The pigeons of this country are large, and in shape like our own; but they have this peculiarity, that their plumage is quite green, there not being a feather of any other colour. At a distance they look like parroquets. They breed fast, and are very good to eat.

The kingdom of Mériné is not very large: Rubault passed through its narrowest part. The people are Mandingos, and possess an active and mercantile spirit. They consist of Mahometans and idolaters, but the latter are most numerous; they, however, live in harmony together, and never suffer religious differences to disturb their peace.

On the 10th of February, Rubault set off early in the morning, and arrived at noon at the village of Talliko, a frontier of the kingdom of Bondou: this is probably the same village which Mungo Park calls Tallika, and by which he also entered the kingdom. The major part of the inhabitants of this village are Foulahs, who profess the Mahometan religion: they are merchants, who enrich themselves either by supplying the caravans which pass through their country with provisions, or by the sale of ivory, which they procure by hunting elephants, to which they are accustomed from their infancy.

By the 14th Rubault had reached the village of Coursan, the ordinary residence of the king of the country, whose name is Almami. It is worthy of remark, that Mr. Park no longer followed the track of my traveller: for he indicates the residence of the king of Bondou to be at the village of Fatteconda, on the right bank of the river Félémé, and at a great distance from Coursan. Both gentlemen saw the king, and have given a description of the palace which he inhabited, which exactly correspond; hence we can only reconcile the difference in the places to arise from the king having palaces at each of them.

His majesty being at a country seat, the stranger was received by his prime minister, who supplied him with provisions, and told him that the king would arrive the next day. On the 14th the queen saw him, and intreated him to stop a little longer, as she had sent an express to her husband, who shortly returned with intelligence that he was coming. An ox was therefore killed; and the king, on arriving, sent for our traveller.

After asking him the usual questions, as to what had brought him into his country, he wished to know, if I had not sent him some present? Rubault answered that I intended to do so, but that he had distributed all the merchandise which I had given him. He, however, promised to send the king whatever he might wish for, as soon as he arrived at Galam. His majesty appeared surprised, and replied, that his father used to receive great presents from the factory at Galam; but he had had nothing from them. He concluded by adding that, as Rubault had brought him no present, he would not suffer him to depart. The next day, however, he became more tractable, told him that no harm should happen to him; but insisted on receiving a present, it being an ancient privilege which he would not forego. It was at length agreed, that Rubault should send him a compliment from Galam, which was fixed at two pieces of guinea, a fine musket, four pounds of powder, one hundred flints, one hundred bullets, and a pair of double-barrelled pistols. This demand from so powerful a king was considered as very moderate; nevertheless, by way of making sure of the articles, he ordered three men to go with Rubault as far as Galam, under pretence of escorting him, where they faithfully received the promised allowance, as well as several magnificent presents for the king’s women.

The queen having reported her opinion to the other women, they all wished to see the traveller, and he was in consequence conducted to the square where they resided. Immediately on his entrance, they all rushed out, surrounded him, and expressed their astonishment by laughing and shouting. Several of them would touch his eyes, and others, his hands, nose, &c. at which they expressed surprise and curiosity: they then asked him a number of questions, as to the origin of the colour of his skin, as well as about the white women, their amorous propensities, and the conduct of their husbands towards them. Rubault satisfied them as well as he could, and did not fail to flatter them. Indeed, he asserts, that there were many of them that were handsome and well shaped. Most of them were young: he endeavoured to count them, but could not, as they were continually running about him; he, however, supposes, that there were at least fifty.

The village of Coursan is surrounded with palisades, and contains about 1200 inhabitants. Rubault then continued his journey; and on the 17th quitted the kingdom of Bondou. The duties or customs are very rigorous in this state; and in many of its towns, the value of a bar in European merchandise is paid for the passage of a loaded ass. In the part where the king resides, they demand a musket and a barrel of powder. I lately spoke of the preparations for war, which this sovereign was making against the king of Bambouk: the expedition was successful, and the conquered party was obliged to cede all the countries and villages on the eastern bank of the Félémé.

If it were not for the uncharitable maxims of the Koran, the Foulahs of Bondou, who are naturally good, would be kinder to strangers, and less reserved in their conduct towards the Mandingos: my traveller, however, had nothing to complain of, as he was very well treated.

The government is under the influence of the Mahometan laws, with the exception of the king and his family; but though the great people of the state be Mussulmans, they are wise enough not to sanction religious persecution; and Pagans and Mussulmans consequently live in peace together.

The Foulahs have a particular language; but almost all of them speak Arabic: they are graziers, farmers, and merchants, and every where live in abundance; but at Bondou they enjoy in profusion all the necessaries of life.