28 JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR. CHAPTER III. Departure of Park from Pisania.-His Equipment and Party -His Arrival at Jindey.-Mandingo Story-teller.-Park's in voluntary Present to the King of Walli.-His Arrival at Medi na, the Capital of Woolli.-His Interviews with the King.-. Saphies, or Charms of the Negroes.-Description of Mumbe Jumbo.-Park's Departure from the Territory of Woolli. [1795.] ON the 2d of December, 1795, Park quitted Pi. sania on his journey into the interior. He had engaged as an interpreter a negro named Johnson, who, born in this part of Africa, had been conveyed in his youth as a slave to Jamaica, there made free, and then taken by his master to England, whence, after a residence of many years, he had at length found his way back to his native country. Dr. Laidley provided him also with a negro boy, named Demba; a sprightly youth, to whom was held out by the doctor, as an encouragement, the promise of freedom on his return, in the event of a fovourable report of his fidelity and services. his own conveyance Park had purchased a small but very hardy and spirited horse, which cost him "to the value of 77. 10s. ;" his attendants were each furnished with an ass, which is the usual beas' of burden in all the negro territories. His bag gage was light, consisting chiefly of two days' pro visions, some beads, amber, and tobacco, for the purchase of a fresh supply, as he proceeded; of few changes of linen and other necessary apparel For JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR. 29 an umbrella, a pocket sextant, a magnetic compass, two fowling-pieces, and two pairs of pistols. His party was increased by the addition of four individ. uals who were journeying into the interior, and who offered their services as far as they should respect. ively proceed; these were a man named Madiboo, who was travelling to the kingdom of Bambarra, two Slatees, or native merchants, who were going to Bondou, and a negro named Tami, who had been employed for some years by Dr. Laidley as a blacksmith, and who was returning to his native country, Kasson, with the savings of his labours. These four men travelled on foot, driving their asses before them; they were all Mohammedans, and they had all been taught to regard Park with great respect. The three white residents of Pisania— Dr. Laidley, and the Messrs. Ainsley—with a number of their domestics, determined to accompany the travellers for a short distance, "and I believe," says Park," they secretly thought they should never see me afterward."* The first day's journey ended at Jindey. In the evening Park and his friends walked out to see an adjoining village, belonging to a Slatee named Jemafoo Mamadoo, the richest of all the Gambia traders; who thought so highly of the honour of the visit as to present them with a fine bullock. The animal was immediately killed, and a part of it dressed for supper; and while this repast was being prepared, a Mandingo related some diverting ories, "in listening to which and smoking tobac *The reader will find a general map of Africa in Discovery nd Adventures in Africa No. 16, Harpers' Family and School District Libraries. co," says Park, "we spent three hours." He de. scribes these stories as bearing some resemblance to those in the Arabian Nights' Entertainments, but as being, in general, of a more ludicrous cast; an abridgment of one given by him is amusing. 66 66 Many years ago," said the relator, "the people of Doomasansa" (a town on the Gambia) were much annoyed by a lion, that came every night, and took away some of their cattle. By continuing his depredations, the people were at length so much enraged, that a party of them resolved to go and hunt the monster. They accordingly proceeded in search for the common enemy, whom they found concealed in a thicket, and immediately firing at him, were lucky enough to wound him in such a manner that, in springing from the thicket towards the people, he fell down among the grass, and was unable to rise. The animal, however, manifested such appearance of vigour, that nobody cared to approach him singly, and a consultation was held concerning the properest means of taking him alive; a circumstance, it was said, which, while it furnished undeniable proof f their prowess, would turn out to great advanage, it being resolved to convey him to the coast, and sell him to the Europeans. While some person proposed one plan, and some another, an old man offered a scheme; this was, to strip the roof of a house of its thatch, and to carry the bamboo frame" (the pieces of which are well secured together by thongs) "and throw it over the lion. If, in approaching him, he should attempt to spring upon them, they had nothing to do but to let down this roof upon themselves, and fire at the lion through the rafters. 32 SEPARATION FROM FRIENDS. "This proposition was approved and adopted. The thatch was taken from the roof of a hut, and the lion-hunters, supporting the fabric, marched courageously to the field of battle; each person carrying a gun in one hand, and bearing his share of the roof on the opposite shoulder; in this man. ner they approached the enemy; but the beast had by this time recovered his strength, and such was the fierceness of his countenance, that the hunters, instead of proceeding any farther, thought it prudent to provide for their own safety by covering themselves with the roof. Unfortunately, the lion was too nimble for them; for, making a spring while the house was letting down, both the beast and his pursuers were caught in the same cage, and the lion devoured them at his leisure, to the astonishment and mortification of the people of Doomasansa, at which place it is dangerous, even at this day, to tell the story, for it is become the subject of laughter and derision in the neighbouring countries, and nothing will enrage an inhabitant of that town so much as desiring him to catch a lion alive." On the following day, Park separated from the kind friends and countrymen whose society had cheered him for the last five months. About one o'clock in the afternoon he took his leave of Dr. Laidley and the Messrs. Ainsley, and rode slowly into the woods. "I had now," he says, "before me a boundless forest, and a country, the inhabitants of which were strangers to civilized life, and to most of whom a white man was the object of curi osity or plunder. I reflected that I had parted from the last European I might probably behold, and |