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Updated: June 11, 2025
August 8. The difficulties I had experienced the day before made me anxious to engage a fellow-traveller, particularly as I was assured that, in the course of a few days, the country would be so completely overflowed as to render the road utterly impassable; but though I offered two hundred kowries for a guide, nobody would accompany me.
The following was the nature of the dance; six or seven men joining hands, surrounded one in the centre of the ring, who was dressed in a ludicrous manner, wearing a large black wig stuck full of kowries. This man at intervals repeated verses, which, from the astonishment and admiration expressed at them by those in the ring, appeared to be extempore.
Aug. 8th. The difficulties I had experienced the day before, made me anxious to engage a fellow-traveller; particularly as I was assured, that, in the course of a few days, the country would be so completely overflowed, as to render the road utterly impassable; but though I offered two hundred kowries for a guide, nobody would accompany me.
They had fortunately realized a sufficient number of kowries from the sale of needles at Rabba, and while Richard Lander was shifting the things from their own canoe into another, John Lander walked back with the old chief to his residence, where he found all the people of the house gathered round the trunk of a large tree, which was burning in the hut.
About noon I came to the village of Kaimoo, situated upon the bank of the river, and as the corn I had purchased at Sibili was exhausted, I endeavoured to purchase a fresh supply, but was informed that corn was become very scarce all over the country, and though I offered fifty kowries for a small quantity, no person would sell me any.
He told me it was the king's pleasure that I should depart forthwith from the vicinage of Sego; but that Mansong, wishing to relieve a white man in distress, had sent me five thousand Kowries, to enable me to purchase provisions in the course of my journey; the messenger added, that if my intentions were really to proceed to Jenne, he had orders to accompany me as a guide to Sansanding.
Here he paid the chief ten thousand kowries for the canoe, which having done, he rejoined his brother at the water side. The canoes made here are of a particular description, very much resembling what are called punts in England, but are perfectly straight and flat bottomed.
No sooner, however, was the curiosity of the travellers gratified, than a demand of two hundred kowries was insisted on by her companion, that, it was alleged, being the price paid in the interior by the male sex to scrutinize a lady's hair. They were obliged to conform to the usual custom, at which the women expressed themselves highly delighted.
It was the afternoon of the next day, however, before another messenger arrived from Mansong, who told Mr. Mr. Park concludes his account of this adventure in the following words: Mr. Park estimates about 250 kowries equal to one shilling.
All their buttons, kowries, and needles, which were necessary for them to purchase provisions with, all were missing, and said to have been sunk in the river.
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