clothes: another asked me if my horse was sick ; a third wished to purchase it, &c . ; so that I believe the very slaves were ashamed to be seen in my company. Just before it was dark, we took up our lodging for the night at a small village, where I procured some victuals for myself, and some corn for my horse, at the moderate price of a button ; and was told that I should see: the Niger (which the Negroes call Joliba, or 't ie great water), early the next day. The lions are here very numerous: the gates are shut a little after sunset, and nobody allowed to go out. The thoughts of seeing the Niger in the morning, and the troublesome buzzing of musketoes, prevented me from shutting my eyes during the n ig h t a n d I had saddled my horse, and was in readiness before daylight; but, on account o f the wild beasts, we were obliged to wait until the people were stirring, and the gates opened. This happened to be a market-day at Sego, and the roads were every where filled with people carrying different articles to sell. We passed four large villages, and at eight o’clock saw the smoke over Sego. As we approached the town, I was fortunate enough to overtake the fugitive Kaartans, to whose kindness I had been so much indebted in my journey through Bambarra. They readily agreed to introduce me to the k in g ; and we rode together through some marshy ground, where, as I was anxiously looking around for the river, one o f them called out, geo affilli, (see the water) ; and looking forwards, I saw with infinite pleasure the great object of my mission; the long sought for, majestic Niger, glittering to the morning sun, as broad as the Thames at Westminster, and flowing slowly to the eastward, I hastened to the brink, and, having drank of the water, lifted up my- fervent thanks in prayer, to the Great Ruler of all things, for having thus far crowned my endeavours with success. The circumstance of the Niger’s flowing towards the east, and its collateral points, did not, however, excite my surprise ; for although I had left Europe in great hesitation on this subject, and rather believed that it ran in the contrary direction, I had made such frequent inquiries during my progress, concerning this river; and received from Negroes of different nations, such clear and decisive assurances that its general course was towards the rising sun, as scarce left any doubt on my mind ; and more especially as I knew that Major Houghton, had collected similar information, in the same manner. Sego, the capital of Bambarra, at which I had now arrived, consists, properly speaking, of four distinct towns ; two on the northern bank of the Niger, called Sego Korro, and Sego Boo ; and two on the southern bank, called Sego Soo Korro, and Sego See Korro. They are all surrounded with high mud walls ; the houses are built of clay, of a square form, with flat roofs ; some of them have two stories, and many of them are whitewashed. Besides these buildings, Moorish mosques are seen in every quarter ; and the streets, though narrow, are broad enough for every useful purpose, in a country where wheel carriages are entirely unknown. From the best inquiries I could make, I have reason to believe that Sego contains altogether about thirty thousand inhabitants. The King of Bambarra constantly resides at Sego See Korro ; he employs C c 2
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