BAMBARRA, an extensive and important country of interior Africa, with which the journeys of Park, who was perhaps the first European that reached it, have made us tolerably acquainted. It is situated between the 1st and 5th degrees of east longitude, and the 12th and 15th of north latitude. It has on the west the countries of Manding, Kaarta, and Ludamar; on the north Beeroo; on the east Masina and Jinbala, which separate it from Timbuctoo; on the south Baedoo, Maniana, and the high region of Kong. It consists of a spacious and fertile plain watered by the Niger, having on the south the chain of mountains which here traverses the interior of the continent, and on the north the African desert.

In consequence of this situation the climate over the greater part of Bambarra is intensely hot. On the borders of the northern desert it is absolutely scorching. In the sandy tracts, during the middle of the day, the ground is often too hot for the foot to tread upon; and Mr Park, as he lay in his tent, felt sensible pain in applying his hand to the current of air as it entered through the crevices. In the southern districts, which are copiously watered, the air, especially in the mornings and evenings, is much more temperate. In the beginning of June a strong south-west wind begins to blow, accompanied with violent storms and tornadoes, which produce the most pernicious effects on the health, especially of Europeans. This forms the commencement of the rainy season, which continues with violence for three months, during which the country is deluged; all the streams, formerly shallow and almost dried up, now swell and overflow their banks; and the country situated along the Niger and its tributaries is generally inundated. In August the rain ceases, the waters disappear, and the soil is found to be highly improved and fertilized by this alluvion.

The rich plain, thus copiously watered, is fitted for producing in abundance all the richest tropical products. Cultivation also is by no means deficient, though not brought to the same perfection as in the improved districts of Europe; yet the vicinity of the great towns reminded Mr Park of the finest tracts of England. The imperfect diffusion of culture is proved by the circumstance, that there is no private property in land, nor is any price attached to it. It is judged to belong either to the king or the village; and any individual who wishes an additional quantity may obtain it on application, subject only to a penalty if he fails to bring it under cultivation. The grains chiefly reared are Indian corn, rice, and millet. The plough is unknown; the hoe being, as in other parts of native Africa, the only instrument used in turning up the ground. The pine-apple, orange, banana, and other fine fruits peculiar to tropical countries, though partially introduced on the coast, have not found their way into this interior kingdom. Several peculiar and valuable trees and shrubs, however, are produced on its plains. Among these is the shea-toulou, or tree producing vegetable butter. It very much resembles the American oak; and the valuable substance consists in the kernel of a nut, somewhat resembling a Spanish olive. The butter, in Mr Park’s opinion, is firmer, whiter, and of richer flavour than that made from cow’s milk, and has the advantage of being easily preserved during the whole year without salt. In the neighbourhood of Sego it grows in peculiar abundance, and forms a subject of export to the surrounding countries. The lotus, a celebrated and classical shrub, whose berries, on being pounded and dried, are formed into cakes resembling the best gingerbread, grows along the northern border of Bambarra; to which may be added the kolla or gooroo nut, the agreeable bitter taste of which is universally relished by the negroes. Cotton and indigo, as the materials, the one for weaving, the other for dyeing their cloths, are cultivated with diligence and success. Tobacco is cultivated; but neither the sugarcane, the coffee, nor the cocoa-tree, appears to be even known in this part of Africa.

The staple manufacture in Bambarra, and, indeed, generally in central Africa, is that of cotton stuffs dyed with their fine indigo. The process is exceedingly simple; the juice of the indigo leaves is extracted by pounding, mixed in a lye of wood ashes, and the cloth is then steeped in the vat. By this process a beautiful and durable colour is produced. The natives have also the art of tanning the leather of sheep and goats, and staining it with red and yellow colours. They possess, besides, the art of smelting iron, and forming it into spears, hoes, and other warlike and useful instruments; but they have in vain attempted the fabrication of fire-arms. They fashion the gold which abounds in the neighbouring districts into bracelets, necklaces, and other ornaments, with a variety of taste and an elegance of fancy which would excite admiration in the best European workmen.

The commerce of Bambarra is carried on partly along the Niger, partly by inland caravans proceeding in different directions. The Niger becomes navigable at Bammakoo, the very point where it enters Bambarra, and continues to be so during its whole course through that kingdom. The trade is considerable, and numerous boats are seen passing and repassing. These boats are of a singular construction, consisting of the trunks of two large trees hollowed out, and joined together lengthwise, without decks or masts. They are disproportionably long and narrow, though very capacious, since Mr Park saw in one of them four horses and a great many passengers crossing a ferry. The most extensive traffic, however, here, as in all the countries of interior Africa, is carried on by land-caravans. The chief object of import is salt, a necessary of life of which Bambarra, like all the tracts situated on the interior rivers, is entirely destitute; but it is procured from large pits in the interior of the desert. There are imported, also, considerable quantities of European goods, arms, cloths, toys, and ornaments. These are brought partly from the coast, partly from Barbary by way of Timbuctoo, partly by the direct route from Aroan to Sansanding. The exports consist of gold, not [7:4:336]produced within the kingdom itself, but in the high districts to the south, and found in the sands of the rivulets which fall into the Niger, whence, by mere agitation in water, it is separated in the form of dust. The other great staple consists in slaves, for which, till lately, the European settlements on the coast afforded so very extensive a market. The slaves from Bambarra, belonging to a more civilized and industrious race than the Inhabitants of the turbulent little states into which Africa is generally divided, are subjected to less restraint, and bear a higher value in the market. This unjust and calamitous traffic, which excited and prolonged African wars, has been greatly diminished since the prohibition by England of her own trade, and since she obtained permission from the other powers to put a stop generally to that carried on north of the line. Doubtless, however, there is still an extensive contraband.

Bambarra is the point where the two great races of interior Africa, the Moors and negroes, meet and mix with each other. The great inroad by which the former have occupied so large a proportion of this continent, is bounded generally, though not uniformly or completely, by the Niger. The nations to the north and east of Bambarra are mostly Moors, to the south and west negroes. Within the country itself the negro is still the ruling power; though in many of the large eastern towns the Moors are the most numerous, and have the almost entire municipal jurisdiction. They are generally superior to the natives in intelligence, and, as in the rest of Africa, are a stirring, trafficking, bigoted, turbulent race. Their fanatical enmity to Christians probably causes them present themselves to our travellers under a more unamiable aspect than they would otherwise exhibit. They are possessed of some knowledge of letters, of which the native tribes are altogether destitute; and by imparting these first elements of knowledge, they extend both their faith and their influence. They make a much less laudable use of the credit thus acquired, by composing saphies or charms, to which the credulous negroes attach the most extraordinary virtues, purchasing at a high price this delusive mode of protection. The negroes, on the other hand, are a race generally harmless, thoughtless, voluptuous, but kind and open-hearted. Their hospitality was in several instances signally displayed towards Mr Park, and “to suffer the king’s stranger to depart hungry, was considered an heinous offence.” They possess a good deal of agricultural industry, practise some fine manufactures, and have even a talent for extemporary poetry; but their intellectual culture on the whole ranks very low. Polygamy is generally established, though only the chiefs and very opulent individuals can or do carry if to a great extent. Domestic slavery is also general, but under a mild form; the master and slave living almost as equals, and sometimes eating at the same table.

Sego, or Sego-see-korro, the capital of Bambarra, is a large town, containing about 30,000 inhabitants. It is divided by the Niger into two nearly equal parts; and the opposite parts are each divided into two quarters, which being respectively surrounded by a mud-wall, have the appearance almost of separate towns. Although the houses be only of clay with flat roofs, yet those of the higher ranks have two stories, with their roofs whitewashed, while Moorish mosques, with their minarets, rise in different quarters. The city, on the whole, with its highly-cultivated vicinity, presented a scene such as Mr Park little expected to find in the heart of Africa. The communication between the two towns was by a ferry. The chief seat of Bambarran trade is San san ding, which presented also a scene of busy and orderly traffic, very different from what was expected in the interior of Africa.

The different commodities were well arranged, not indeed 1 in shops or warehouses, but in a spacious public market, shaded by mats from the heat of the sun. In one were the cloths of Houssa, of superior quality to those manufactured in this country: in others indigo, the universal dye; antimony, the great African cosmetic; and beads, the favourite ornament. A separate market, however, was appropriated for salt, the main staple of African trade. The great commercial town of Jennè, farther down the river, was at the time of Park’s visit under the jurisdiction of Bambarra; but according to Caillé the connection has since been dissolved.