BAMBOUK, a country in the interior of western Africa, situated between the Ba-Fing and the Faleme, the two great upper tributaries of the Senegal. The chief characteristic of this country is the quantity of gold with which its soil is almost universally impregnated. This precious metal exists in a perfectly pure state, mechanically united with earth or stony substances in the form of dust, grains, and sometimes little fragments. Almost every spot throughout the country which is within the reach of river inundation is covered with a portion of the ghingam or yellowish earth, which contains gold dust. A portion of this earth is poured into a wooden vessel called a calabash, which is then filled with water, and agitated till the coarse earthy matters are cleared off, and there remains at the bottom a black dust, which by careful washing leaves the gold dust in a pure state. Besides this golden sand or earth, however, Bambouk contains several conical hills entirely filled with that metal, mingled with earth and stony substances, and occurring sometimes in pieces of considerable size. The mine of Semayla is the richest; but the metal is there imbedded in hard substances, and can only be extracted by reducing them to powder, for effecting which the natives have only a pestle of hard wood, which is soon worn away by the attrition of these substances. The mine of Natakou, though less absolutely rich, has the gold only imbedded in softer matters, from which it can be easily extracted. In working the mine one person digs out the sand or stony fragments which contain the gold, and hands them to another, who extracts the metal by the process of pounding or agitation. The natives, finding often a rich vein suddenly terminate, and coming to earth that is wholly unproductive, fancy gold a capricious being, who delights in mocking their research. They often dig out deep pits with perpendicular sides, which fall in and bury the unfortunate workmen employed. The survivors, however, very coolly conclude that a certain potent subterranean deity, whom Europeans name the devil, has carried them off to assist in his own mining operations; but that he treats them well; and when in digging deeper they find the bodies, they merely conclude that this mysterious personage has found them unfit for his purpose, and disdainfully thrown them back. We have seen no estimate, nor do there appear any data from which to form one, of the quantity of gold drawn from the mines of Bambouk; but it is certainly considerable, and is exported partly by way of the coast, partly through Bambarra to Timbuctoo.
The Portuguese, it appears, penetrated early into Bambouk, and were even for some time masters of the country; but the inhabitants, inflamed by their oppressions, made a general rising, and completely drove them out. Since that time the people of Bambouk, with the most extreme jealousy, have excluded all foreigners from their territories. The French, when they formed their settlement on the Senegal, soon directed their eager search
towards a country abounding in so valuable a commodity; but their efforts to penetrate into it proved for a long time abortive. At length, in 1716, one Compagnon succeeded, by great address, and not without risk, in gaining the favour of some leading persons, and obtaining a view of the mineral treasures of this country. David and Levens, two successive French governors, afterwards contrived to effect an entrance. Sieur Brue, the most enterprising of the governors of Senegal, laid before the French administration a plan, by which, with 1200 men, he undertook to conquer and maintain Bambouk. Such an expedition might very probably have been in the first instance successful, and the French might probably, by skilful working, have greatly increased the produce of the mines; but when we consider the various casualties and difficulties attendant on the occupation of this interior region, it must appear very doubtful if this would have been in the end a profitable possession.
Bambouk is fertile and populous along the banks of the rivers, but many of the interior districts are arid and barren. There is a king, but the farims or chiefs compose nearly an independent feudal body. The population is Manding, yet the Mahomedan religion is professed; but the observance consists chiefly in some outward ceremonies, and the marabouts or priests of that faith are carefully excluded from the kingdom. (E.)