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No. 164.

REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

AFRICA.

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1820.

Travels to the Sources of the Senegal and Gambia. By M. Mollien. 4to. These African travels are on the eve of publication; and we take the opportunity afforded us, by having an early copy, to state their general outline. They bear internal evidence of being written by a Frenchman; that is to say, they differ considerably from what an Englishman would have said, had he gone over the same ground. M. Mollien was one of the persons on board the Medusa Frigate in 1816, the wreck

Louis by land. The travels thus com

mence.

PRICE 8d.

slaves: he must now be carefu. of his horses,
for as he has no ears himself, it will be
will next attack.
these animals whose ears the fugitive slaves

We are also informed that

Diai Boukari, a native of the Foota country, was engaged as my interpreter and travelling companion, at a salary of one hundred and eighty francs per month. This man In Foutatoro, and among the Moors, there had been recommended to me for his attach- exists a sort of free masonry, the secret of ment to Europeans, and for his integrity. He which has never been revealed; the adept spoke the Arabic, Poola, and Joloff langua- is shut up for eight days in a hut, he is alges; his age was thirty-six years; he was a lowed to eat but once a day; he sees no negro in colour only, for his features resem-person excepting the slave appointed to bled those of a white man, and his face, carry him his food; and at the end of that though indicating a mild disposition, was not period a number of men in masks present deficient in energy. He begged me to take themselves, and employ all possible means with me his son, aged fifteen, and a young to put his courage to the proof; if he acslave named Messember, of the same age. quits himself with honour he is admitted. back to St. Louis. I was afterwards obliged to send them both The initiated pretend that at this moment they are enabled to behold all the kingdoms of which was marked with such horriDiai Boukari having declared that the of the earth, that the future is unveiled to ble consequences; and reached the 28th of January was a lucky day, and that it them, and that thenceforward heaven grants shore in a boat, while the, miserable was necessary to quit the colony before sun- all their prayers. In the villages where deserted raft was left to the mercy of set, at about two o'clock in the afternoon persons of this fraternity reside, they persea and storm, and the more dread-I sent my horse, my ass, and my baggage to form the functions of conjurors, and are ful scourges of famine and savage nathe main land, and without my friends sus- called Almousseri. One day Boukari told ture. In 1817 the author returned to pecting the enterprise I had undertaken, Ime, after attesting the truth of what he was prepared to depart at five in the evening, about to say by the most solemn oaths, that France, in order to procure permission to Before he embarked, my Marabout traced being in a canoe with one of these men, there visit the interior of Africa: went back several Arabic characters on the sand, to fell such a heavy shower of rain that he to St. Louis, and in January 1818 ob-ascertain if he should ever again see his wife would not depart; yielding, however, to the ' tained the consent of the governor, Fleu- and mother: the answer of fate being favour- wishes of the Almousseri, he set sail; torriau, to undertake the enterprize. His able, he put a handful of sand into a little rents of rain fell on all sides," added Bouinstructions were to discover the sour-bag, persuaded that on the preservation of kari:"but our bark remained perfectly ces of the Senegal, Gambia, and Niger; this precious bag depended that of his life. dry, and a favourable wind swelled our sails. to ascertain if any communication exI asked this Almousseri to explain his secret, but he answered, that if he revealed it isted between the two former; to dehis brethren would infallibly destroy him." scend the Niger; to traverse BamAnother class of persons acts a very exbouck, and visit its gold mines; and, traordinary part in Foutatoro; these are pursuing a few minor objects, return I was accompanied by a man who had called Diavandos; they inhabit the villages by way of Galam. M. Mollien was lost his hearing in a very singular manner. of Senopalé and Canel, they are the griots however unable to execute the more A custom not less barbarous than extraor- of these parts; though doomed by their dinary prevails in Foutatoro; a slave who profession to contempt, they have neverthenovel parts of this mission. Accom-wishes to change his master seeks by sur-less contrived to render themselves formipanied by a Marabant, or School-prise or force to cut off the ear of the man dable by the influence which they have master, named Boukari, a character whom he fancies; if he succeeds he imme-gained over the public opinion, by means of much respected in Africa, he set off diately becomes the property of that person; from St. Louis on the 28th of January, and his old master cannot claim him again. and during an absence of nearly six months, crossed parts of the territories of the Joloffs, of the Bourb-Joloffs, of Foutatoro, of the Poulas (Foulahs) of Bondou, of Fouta-Jallon, crossing the mountains of Tangué (Tong), to its capital Timbo, a town of 9000 inhabitants; and thence, remeasuring his steps by a partially different route, including Tenda and Kabou, to the Portugueze settlement at Geba, from Bissao to Goree by water, and from Goree to St. * Pawley's General Atlas, published last year, and including new discoveries, is the best work VOL. IV.

their own opinion as not to be shaken by a fed out a tree called bori; it is small, its
perfidious insinuation against their neigh- bark black and rugged; by boiling its leaves,
bour. A Poula, however, will not give his the people of the country extract from them
daughter in marriage to a Diavando; neither a salt, which they use in their food.
is this the only class of persons consigned to
contempt; but the line of demarcation here

rank."
There is a great diversity of charac-
ter in the natives of the different king-

is not so strong as in Hindostan : to appear-doms, the population of which is mix-panied by a troop of ill-looking attendants,

ance there are no distinctions. The griots,
blacksmiths, weavers, shoemakers, live and
eat with the other Negroes, but never con-
nect themselves with them by marriage.
The following anecdote of the same
people is interesting.

men.

ed pagan and Mahomedan. Some are
hospitable and kind, others unfeeling
and ferocious. Of the latter class, a
chief of the village of Ponta-Jallon is
an example.

she

ropean is but a poor devil. I will return in the evening to know if he has reflected on his situation, and if he intends to continue to treat me in a manner so unworthy of my At four o'clock Ali sent his son, accomto receive the present which I intended for him. Boukari advised me to give him one, whilst on the other hand, one of his friends told me that Ali possessed no authority, and that I must refuse him every thing. I followed the counsel of the former, and gave ten grains of coral to the son of the Iman, to I cannot help reciting a fact, which has The wife of Ali, sister to Almamy, came whom he would not take them without deligiven the Poulas of Foutatoro great celebrity to see me. This princess was on the wane. berating whether he durst present them to in our establishments on the Senegal. Since A blue Guinea cloth composed her dress; him. Å messenger afterwards came to tell the beginning of the present century, M. strings of yellow amber loaded her hair, me that Ali was waiting for me behind the Ribet, at the head of twenty-five European was constantly chewing tobacco; effrontery mosque. I went to him directly. His peosoldiers, and four hundred Senegal negroes, was imprinted on her countenance; the ple formed a circle round him; the faces of had, by way of reprisal, plundered all the imperious air with which she entered mythese satellites were sufficient_to_excite Poula villages bordering upon the river. cabin, gave me a presentiment of the scene serious alarm. "I have been to St. Louis," On arriving at Gaet, one of their large which was to ensue. A sheep followed her; said Ali to me: I know that the white peotowns, not a negro appeared to oppose without hesitation she gave it that water ple are very rich, I expect a present worthy them; the inhabitants were all concealed to drink which I had taken so much trou- of thyself and me; we are here upon the behind their palisades, and thus intrenched, ble to fetch in the morning, and also frontiers of Fouta Jallon; I am all powerful fired upon the enemy. In the mean time made it eat the rice which was to have there." "What wouldst thou have?" antwo field pieces, by which M. Ribet was ac-furnished me with a dinner. Perceiving swered I, without evincing the least disconcompanied, made incredible havoc among that I patiently endured these vexations, she tent. One of his people, whose hideous the Ponlas, but at the moment when he asked for my pocket-handkerchief to cover features sufficiently displayed what part he thought victory certain, a bull leaped over her head, and my blanket for her to repose played at court, cried: "let the white man the palisades and furiously rushed upon his on. In no country can a princess endure a first give thirty grains of coral." "But if I A divinity descerding from heaven, refusal; I obeyed, esteeming myself very give them," I answered, "I shall have no could not have produced a more extraordi- happy if she limited herself to these petty other resource than to eat sand." Having nary effect. The negroes of the Senegal, per- depredations. I was alone, Boukari was said this, I offered him my present, which suaded that their lives depended upon that gone in search of my horse, which had taken consisted of ten grains of coral. When I of the bull, stopped our soldiers ready to the road to the village where we had slept spread thein on the ground before him, Ali's fire at him, exclaiming, if they killed the on the 28th of March. When he returned, eye was inflamed, and his features, which animal, all sorts of misfortunes would over- Maria (which was the name of the princess) denoted perfidy, assumed an expression of whelm them. The stratagem of the Poulas, addressed my Marabout in the following fury: "Know," said he to me; that if for it was they who had let loose the bull, terms: "In Fouta Jallon, wives direct the thou canst make me such a gift, I can offer was completely successful. The negroes affairs of their husbands' which was as thee one a hundred times more considerable. dispersed and fled in disorder towards the much as to say, it is she who has stopped The people of Kakandé offer me no prevessels. To run away from blacks, would me;" if they make war or peace, it is acsents but what are equal to my rank." have disgraced the twenty-five Europeans cording to their advice: tell thy white man "What dost thou demand then?" cried I who accompanied M. Ribet; unsupported that I can send him to Timbo in safety." they sustained the fire of six thousand Pou- This address eased my apprehensions, and none. "Powder." I have no more than las, and fell victims to their bravery. Such apprized me of the motive of my detention. one charge." "Cloths." "I have none of is the event which has rendered the Poula I clearly saw that by means of presents them besides," added I, "the presents I nation so famous, and which has exposed should remove all obstacles. I accordingly made to Almamy of Foutatoro, and Almathe inhabitants of the Senegal. to the most gave the princess Maria three grains of comy of Bondou, were very small; they acsanguinary outrages from them; while we, ral; she threw them on the ground with cepted them and thanked me.” "And what on our part, have not hitherto attempted to contempt, exclaiming that she was not is Almamy of Foutatoro to me?" cried Ali; put an end to those outrages, by employing come to receive such trifling presents, and for my part I insist upon having more. a force sufficiently formidable to repress that she would never disgrace herself so far Thou doubtless art not ignorant that the them. as to wear this coral." It was really diffi- white men pay tribute to Foutatoro and cult to purchase the protection of so power-Bondou; I likewise demand one from thee I therefore added to the three grains of coful a princess with so small a stock as mine. on account of thy colour." "But I am no ral, three grains of amber. "How trifling!" now thy king; give me twenty grains of merchant." "That is nothing to me; I am cried she," give me coral;" I was in a critical situation. I perceived that this shrew amber; ten grains of coral; a parcel of glass beads for my attendants, and eleven would by degrees rob me of all my mer-grains of amber for the chief of the village." chandize; I however gave her two more Resistance to suck peremptory orders would grains of coral. "This blanket," then said have cost me my life; for at Ali's command she, "pleases me; make me a present of it." "But I am in want of it for the night," at my heart. I therefore obeyed, and as I a hundred daggers would have been aimed replied I. "Thou wilt not go to Timbo produced my grains of amber, the people then," rejoined she in an angry tone. trembled at hearing this threat, gave my blanket to Boukari, and his to the prinIn a wood which extended westyard to cess; she found it so dirty that she threw it A village situated at Rio-Nunez, where the bare ferruginous mountains, my guide point-at my head with scorn, saying: "this Eu-Europeans carry on considerable traffic,

In Bondou there is a fact stated, which we fancy those acquainted with natural history will be very much in

clined to doubt.

The water of this place, which may be drunk by man, is poison to horses and cattle, from the vicinity of a tree called tali. It is one of the most beautiful trees I have met with in this part of Africa; it is very large and high, and its foliage very thick. The negroes inake no use of the wood.

The following is also a doubtful statement, of the same nature.

66

I

I

angrily. Money," replied he. "I have

"thou mayst depart; I will even give thee a guide."

In this country iron is wrought by a primitive process.

Most of the inhabitants are proprietors of furnaces for smelting iron; it is an employment to which the Serracolets most cheerfully apply themselves. To hammer this metal they use fragments of granite of a rounded form, encircled by a leather band; this band is fastened to leather thongs, which the workman holds in his hands. He raises the stone, and lets it fall on the iron, which is placed on a very low anvil fixed in the sand. By this rude and tedious process, they forge the iron, and form it into bars eight inches long.

by the public, has on a former occasion | I had no other than the sufferer's part, tried the flight of his muse in didactic And griefs lay close, and heavy at my heart. poetry, so that the present work is, A stifled heart my life's unceasing foc, Of social bearing little did I know; we presume, sanctioned by the success No timely respite from the book and pen of its predecessor. It is the story of a My youth had blended with the ways of men. natural child; an enthusiast from in- For on that day, which gave each fellow boy fancy upwards, and finally a maniac. To blithe abandonment, a home of joy, Educated by peasants, his father is only That happy day, long-seen, and hail'd afar, found in a rival whom he combats for 1, mid the general mirth and eager stir Kiss-worn, in every stripling's calendar, the sake of his love, Leola; his mother, Sadly remain'd, perpetual pensioner. in a wretched camp follower, who To childish ways and lonely thought inclined, comes to strip him among the dead I seem'd a schoolboy with a hermit's mind. and wounded in a field of battle; and the adored Leola herself turns out to be his sister. The narrative is naturally sombre and melancholy, as the tale is We know not what credit may be disastrous and romantic. We shall given to the two following stories, quote a few of the passages which please which Mr. Mollien repeats upon hear-us best, to show how far the comic say; for our own parts, though we dramatist has succeeded in pathetic might be credulous enough to believe composition. in monkey-battles, we are quite sceptical about whipped lions.

Be not thy glories cited to thy shame,
And tears and groans pronounce them but a
Strike the last standard thus from faction's hand,

name;

And honest scorn awaits her remnant band.
For all the heart-thorns thou hast grown for me
Be this, an exile's blessing, still with thee:
Waft every gale to thee good cheer and health,
Fill'd be thy havens with thy merchant wealth.
Thy husbandmen greet plenty in their paths,
Peace to thy throne, thine altars, and thy hearths:
Blest be the wave that garrisons thy strand,
Blest thy white frontier by the wild breeze fann'd,

God prosper thee, my own beloved land!—

ordo enhances the interest of a narra- also its share in these long and dangerous tive which is so full of adventure and journeys. But whatever led pilgrims to Paanecdote as not to be readily rendered lestine, both they and the remains of the tedious; and if the romance of Ivan-Latins, resident in that country, were cruhoe has delighted, so must this romance Like Jews or Christian dogs in our times, elly oppressed by the lords of the territory. of reality, in which nations as well as in Turkey, contumely, capricious tyranny, individuals occupy the fearful and blows, spoliation, and death, were their porblood-wasting scenes. The style is tions. This barbarous treatment experienneat, forcible, and well suited to the ced under the Fatimite Caliphs, gave rise to treated with candour and propriety; sacrilege or individual misery; and though matter; and in the matter, events are new feelings in the nations of the West. Every pilgrim brought home tales of public We must, before we take leave of Mr. circumstances hold relatively their pro- some gloomy minds might consider afflicKenney, notice, that his verse is occa-per places; and as we do not find affairs tions as the essence of pilgrimages, and were sionally too careless. The occurrence of consequence neglected, so neither do therefore slow in separating the superfluous of the verb "to come we discover trivial incidents dwelt from the necessary pains, yet upon general twice within upon, and extended beyond their con- considerations it was evidently a disgrace sistent limits. With this brief intro- that the followers of Christ should dwell duction and deserved praise, we shall only by sufferance in the country of their master, and that pagans should be possessors of proceed to our usual task of analysis; a land which He had consecrated by his preand, in this, and in the next Number of sence. At the close of the tenth century, the Literary Gazette, confine ourselves Pope Silvester II., the ornament of his age, what occupies about one third of the entreated the church universal to succour the work, namely, church of Jerusalem, and to redeem a sepulchre which the prophet Isaiah had said should be a glorious one, and which the sons of the destroyer Satan were making inglorious. Pisa was the only city which was roused to arms, and all her efforts were mere predatory incursions on the Syrian

three lines in the very first page, is an instance; the name of Leola (page 55) requiring in two adjoining lines to be pronounced Leola and Leola, is another; and the prosing couplet

Thine interest shall I ever estimate

Among the gracious moments of my fate-to a third. We must also object to cital for recital (page 45); and question the propriety of "mind's green expansion (31), and of such a description of himself as is put into Valdi's own mouth (page 29).

THE FIRST CRUSADE.

After the accomplishment of prophecy in ism became the religion of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the second temple, Paganthe insulting and intolerant Romans dedicated to Venus and Jove the spots which had been hallowed by the Passion of our Saviour. But in the fourth century, the banners of the cross triumphed over polytheism, and ruins of the Heathen temples. In these tendom against Islamism. Constantinople Christian emperors erected churches on the God was worshipped according to the true trembled for her safety, and the Emperor faith, till the star of Islamism arose, and, in Manuel VII. about the year 1073, suppliturn, subverted the holy city, which, for cated the aid of Pope Gregory VII.; exthree ages, became subject in reciprocal pressed deep respect for his Holiness, and succession to the caliphs of Bagdad, and to attachment to the Latin church. The spithose of Cairo. At length the commanders ritual sovereign immediately commanded the of the Egyptians prevailed, and, in 969, patriarch of Venice to proceed to Constantitheir dominion over Palestine was finally es-nople, and arrange the terms of friendship tablished. The irruption of the Turkmans, and reunion. An encyclical letter was sent (called the Seljuk Turks) from the borders from Rome to the states and princes of the of the Caspian, once more changed the or- west, acquainting them with the melancholy der of things, and from about 1038 to 1092, fact, that the pagans were overcoming the all Persia, Arabia, and most of Syria, own- slain like sheep, and their remorseless murChristians. The people of Christ had been ed their sway. Jerusalem had several maspendancy of Egypt. ters; and, at length, anno 1094, rested a de- derers had carried their devastations even to the walls of the Imperial city. The faithfrom the period immediately succeeding the the empire, and the miseries of their breLong previous to this epoch, and, indeed, ful ought to lament for the misfortunes of crucifixion, it had been the object of Chris-thren: they should not, however, lament tian pilgrimages, as Mecca and Medina are only: but, following the example of their now visited by Moslems. Of the nature of divine master, they should give up their many of these pilgrimages authors give us a lives for their friends. Accordingly, 50,000 very strange account, from which it appears Christians of the east, and to arrest the men prepared themselves to rescue the tered into their motives as penitence, and a that profligacy and dissoluteness as often enresolution to sin no more. * Commerce had

the corn. The discovery that the locusts were the forerunners of the Europeans was an ingenious interpretation of the sign; but the diviners, with more nationality than truth, compared the corn with the sobriety of the eastern christians, and the vines with the licentiousness of the Saracens. Man fully responded to the supposed calls of God. The moral fabric of Europe was convulsed; the relations and charities of life were broken society appeared to be dissolved. Persons of every age, rank, and degree, assumed the cross. The storm of public feeling was raised, and neither reason nor authority could guide its course. The prohibition of women from undertaking the journey was passed over in contemptuous silence. They sepa rated themselves from their husbands, where men wanted faith, or resolved to follow them with their helpless infants. Monks, not waiting for the permission of their superiors, threw aside their black mourning gowns, and issued from their cloisters full of the spirit of holy warriors. They who had devoted themselves to a solitary life mistook the impulses of passion for divine revelations, and thought elements of combustion, turned the people that Heaven had annulled their oaths of reof the west from intestine discord to foreign tirement. A stamp of virtue was fixed upon war, from dull superstition to furious every one who embraced the cause; and zeal. The military enthusiast heard the many were urged to the semblance of religion voice of Charlemagne calling the French to by shame, reproach, and fashion. The nuglory. The religious fanatic cagerly and merous cases of hypocrisy attested the comcredulously listened to tales of visions and manding influence of the general religious dreams. Every wonderful event in the na-principle. They who had been visited by tural world was regarded as an indication of criminal justice were permitted to expiate, in the divine will. Meteors and stars pointed at the service of God, their sins against the and fell on the road to Jerusalem. The world. The pretence of debtors was admitskies were involved in perpetual storms; ted, that the calls of heaven were of greater and the blaze and terror of anxious and dis-obligation than any claims of man. Murordered nature shewed the terrific harmony derers, adulterers, robbers, and pirates, of heaven with the sanguinary fury of earthi. quitted their iniquitous pursuits, and declared Prodigies were not confined to the west. In that they would wash away their sins in the the states of Greece a marvellous number blood of the Infidels *. In short, thousands of locusts destroyed the vineyards, but spared and millions of armed saints and sinners frequently placed on the top of the arm. Red ranged themselves to fight the battles of the was for a long while, even till the time of Richard Lord. All nations were enveloped in the 1. king of England, the general colour of this whirlwind of superstition. It was people, cross. The materials of the cross were silk, or and not merely armies, countries, and not gold, or cloth and the most frenzied of the only their military representatives, that The pilgrims on their return to Europe general-inand to unsheath the sword of the Almighty, crusaders cut the holy sign on the flesh itself. thought they had received the divine comly placed the cross on the back. and to redeem the sepulchre of Christ.

pilgrimage, during which he had witnessed Cardinal Gregory poured forth in their name
the miseries of the Christians in the East, a general confession of sins. Every one
and by his preaching kindled the zeal of Eu- smote his breast in sorrow, and the Pope,
rope, that those Holy Wars were begun, stretching forth his hands, absolved and
which for two centuries desolated the world. blessed them. Adhemar, bishop of Puy,
Pope Urban II. espoused the opinions of was the first person who solicited a cross
Peter, and both temporal and spiritual con- from the Pope. One of red cloth was af-
siderations combined at this era to render fixed to his right shoulder; and many others
crusading not merely popular, but irresistibly immediately copied this example. In accord-
contagious. A council was held at Clermont, ance with the general wish, his Holiness
in 1095, at which an unprecedented multi-deputed his spiritual authority to Adhemar,
tude of every class of laymen,and of every ec- whose manliness had already excited the
clesiastical order, assembled. To these Ur- admiration of the people. At this moment
ban addressed an enthusiastic exhortation the ambassadors of Raymond, count of
to drive the Turks and Saracens from the Tholouse, arrived. This powerful prince,
borders of Europe and from the Holy Land and a numerous band of cavaliers, had
"To those present, (said he in conclusion,) taken the cross; and he promised counsel
in God's name, I command this; to the ab- and money to all those who should wish to
sent I enjoin it. Let such as are going to enter on the sacred way. The multitude
fight for Christianity put the form of the cross were no longer in need of a commander, and
upon their garments, that they may out were not backward in comparing the bishop
wardly demonstrate the love arising from and the Count to Moses and Aaron.
their inward faith; enjoying, by the gift of The preaching of Peter, the entreaties of
of God, and the privilege of St. Peter, abso- Alexius,-the councils of Placentia and
lution from all their crimes: let this, in the Clermont, and the exertions of the Pope,
mean time, sooth the labours of their jour--all these concurrent causes enkindled the
ney; satisfied that they shall obtain, after
death, the advantages of a blessed martyr-
dom." Part of the ensuing arguments do
not appear to us to be so encouraging.
"Death sets free from its filthy prison the
human soul, which then takes flight for the
mansions fitted for its virtues. Death acce-
lerates their country to the good: death
cuts short the wickedness of the ungodly. By
means of death, then, the soul, made free, is
either soothed with joyful hope, or is punish-
ed without further apprehension of worse."
At the conclusion of the Pope's harangue,
shouts of Deus Vult, Deus lo Vult, Dieux
el Volt, rose unanimously from the mighty
assemblage, and these words, "Deus Vult,"
were adopted for the future war cry of the
crusaders. It was also resolved that every
one should mark on his breast or back the
sign of our Lord's cross, in order that the
saying might be fulfilled, "He who takes
up the cross and follows me is worthy of
me." The whole assembly knelt, and the
* This expression continued for some time
the war cry of the first crusaders. All nations
in all ages have used particular words for the
excitement of martial ardour. The war cries of
the French and Germans were excerpts from the
Bardic songs in praise of heroes, which were
recited before the battle: from, for instance, the
actions of the fabulous Roland and the peers of
France. Unlike most of the cries of arms, the
expression Deus vult, or Deus id vult, is affirma-
tive. During the siege of Jerusalem, the war
cry received the addition of the words, "adjuva
deus." This clause was added on the motion
of St. Andrew. Et sit signum clamoris vestri,
Deus adjuva. Prinees, barons, and knights
banneret, in short, every person in command,
had their war cries. In an army, therefore, other nations:
there were as many cries of war as there were
banners. There was a general cry also, which

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