along with the messenger to meet him at this village. The interview between the two brothers, who had not seen each other for nine years, was very natural and affecting. They fell upon each other's neck, and it was some time before either of them could speak. At length, when the schoolmaster had a little recovered himself, he took his brother by the hand, and turning round, "This is the man," said he pointing to Karfa, "who has been my father in Manding; "I would have pointed him out sooner to you, but my heart " was full."

We reached Malcotta in the evening, where we were well received. This is an unwalled town; the huts for the most part are made of split cane, twisted into a sort of wickerwork, and plastered over with mud. Here we remained three days, and were each day presented with a bullock from the schoolmaster; we were likewise well entertained by the towns-people, who appear to be very active and industrious. They make very good soap by boiling ground nuts in water, and then adding a lye of wood ashes. They likewise manufacture excellent iron, which they carry to Bondou to barter for salt. A party of the towns-people had lately returned from a trading expedition of this kind, and brought information concerning a war between Almami Abdulkader king of Foota Torra, and Damel king of the Jaloffs. The events of this war soon became a favourite subject with the singing men, and the common topic of conversation in all the kingdoms bordering upon the Senegal and Gambia; and as the account is somewhat singular, I shall here abridge it for the reader's information. The king of Foota Torra, inflamed with a zeal for propogating his religion, had sent an embassy to Damel, similar to that which he had sent to Kasson, as related in a former part of this work. The ambassador, on the present occasion, was accompanied by two of the principal Bushreens, who carried each a large knife fixed on the top of a long pole. As soon as he had procured admission into the presence of Damel,* and announced the pleasure of his sovereign, he ordered the Bushreens to present the emblems of his mission. The two knives were accordingly laid before Damel, and the ambassador explained himself as follows: "With this knife,” said he," Abdulkader, will condescend to shave the head of "Damel, if Damel will embrace the Mahomedan faith; and with this other knife, Abdulkader will cut the throat

"of Damel, if Damel refuses to embrace it ;-take your "choice." Damel coolly told the ambassador that he had no choice to make; he neither chose to have his head shaved, nor his throat cut; and with this answer the ambas sador was civilly dismissed. Abdulkader took his meas. ures accordingly, and with a powerful army invaded Damel's country. The inhabitants of the towns and villages filled up their wells, destroyed their provisions, carried off their effects, and abandoned their dwellings, as he approached.

By this means he was led on from place to place, until he had advanced three day's journey into the country of the Jaloffs. He had indeed met with no opposition, but his army had suffered so much from the scarcity of water, that several of his men had died by the way. This induced him to direct his march towards a watering place in the woods, where his men having quenched their thirst, and being overcome with fatigue, lay down carelessly to sleep among the bushes. In this situation they were attacked by Damel before day-break, and completely routed. Many of them were trampled to death, as they lay asleep, by the Jaloff horses; others were killed in attempting to make their escape; and a still greater number were taken prisoners.Among the latter was Abdulkader himself. This ambitious or rather frantic prince, who but a month before had sent the threatning message to Damel, was now himself led into his presence as a miserable captive. The behaviour of Damel on this occasion, is never mentioned by the singing men but in terms of the highest approbation, and it was indeed, so extraordinary, in an African prince, that the reader may find it difficult to give credit to the recital. When his royal prisoner was brought before him in irons, and thrown upon the ground, the magnanimous Damel, instead of setting his foot upon his neck and stabbing him with his spear, according to custom in such cases, addressed him as follows: "Abdulkader, answer me this question: If the chance of "war had placed me in your situation, and you in mine, how "would you have treated me ?" "I would have thrust my " spear into your heart," returned Abdulkader, with great firmness," and I know that a similar fate awaits me.". "Not so, said Damel, my spear is indeed red with the blood ❝ of your subjecte killed in battle, and I could now give it as "deeper stain by dipping it in your own; but this would “not build up my towns, nor bring to life the thousands

"who fell in the woods. I will not, therefore, kill you in "cold blood, but I will retain you as my slave, until I per❝ceive, that your presence in your own kingdom will be no "longer dangerous to your neighbours, and then I will con"sider of the proper way of disposing of you." Abdulkader was accordingly retained, and worked as a slave for three months; at the end of which period, Damel listened to the solicitations of the inhabitants of Foota Torra, and restored to them their king. Strange as this story may appear, I have no doubt of the truth of it; It was told me at Malacotta by the Negroes; it was afterwards related to me by the Europeans on the Gambia; by some of the French at Goree, and confirmed by nine slaves, who were taken prisoners along with Abdulkader by the watering place in the woods, and carried in the same ship with me to the West In dies.

CHAPTER XXVI.

The Caravan proceeds to Konkodoo and crosses the Faleme river. Arrival at several places. Incidents on the way. A matrimonial case. The Caravan proceeds through many towns and villages and arrives on the banks of the Gambia; passes through Medina, the capital of Woolli, and finally stops at Jidney. The Author proceeds to Pisania. Various occurrences previous to his departure from Africa. His passage in an American ship. Short account of his voyage to Great Britain by the way of the West Indies, J.C.

ON the 7th of May we departed from Malacotta, and having crossed the Ba lee," Honey river," a branch of the Senegal, we arrived in the evening at a walled town called Bintingala, where we rested two days. From thence, in one day more, we proceeded to Dindikoo, a small town situated at the bottom of a high ridge of hills, from which this district is named Konkodoo," the hilly country." These hills are very productive of gold. I was shewn a small quantity

of this metal, which had been lately collected; the grains were about the usual size, but much flatter than those of Manding, and were found in white quartz, which had been broken to pieces by hammers. At this town I met with a Negro whose hair and skin were of a dull white colour.He was of that sort which are called in the Spanish West Indies, Albinos, or white Negroes. The skin is cadaverous and unsightly, and the natives considered this complexion, I believe truly, as the effect of disease.

May 11th. At daybreak we departed from Dindikoo, and after a toilsome day's travel, arrived in the evening at Satadoo, the capital of a district of the same name. This town was formerly of considerable extent, but many families had left it in consequence of the predatory incursions of the Foulahs of Foota Jalla, who made it a practice to come secretly through the woods, and carry off the people from the cornfields, and even from the wells near the town. In the afternoon of the 12th we crossed the Faleme river, the same which I had formerly crossed at Bondou, in my journey eastward. This river at this season of the year is easily forded at this place, the stream being only about two feet deep. The water is very pure and flows rapidly over a bed of sand and gravel. We lodged for the night at a small village called Medina, the sole proverty of a Mandingo merchant, who by a long intercourse with Europeans, has been induced to adopt some of their customs. His victuals were served up in pewter dishes, and even his houses were built after the fashion of the English houses on the Gambia.

May 13th. In the morning, as we were preparing to depart, a coffie of slaves belonging to some Serawoolli traders, crossed the river, and agreed to proceed with us to Baniserile, the capital of Dentila; a very long days' journey from this place. We accordingly set out together, and travelled with great expedition through the woods until noon, when one of the Serawoolli slaves dropt the load from his head, for which he was smartly whipped. The load was replaced; but he had not proceeded above a mile before he let it fall a second time, for which he received the same punishment. After this he travelled in great pain until about two o'clock, when we stopt to breathe a little by a pool of water, the day being remarkably hot. The poor slave was now so completely exhausted, that his master was obliged to release him from the rope, for he lay motionless on the ground. A

Serawoolli therefore undertook to remain with him, and endeavour to bring him to the town during the cool of the night; in the meanwhile we continued our route, and after a very hard days' travel, arrived at Baniserile late in the evening

One of our Slatees was a native of this place, from which he had been absent three years. This man invited me to go with him to his house, at the gate of which his friends met him, with many expressions of joy, shaking hands with him, embracing him, and singing and dancing before him. As soon as he had seated himself upon a mat by the threshold of his door, a young woman, his intended bride, brought a little water in a calabash, and kneeling down before him, desired him to wash his hands; when he had done this, the girl, with a tear of joy sparkling in her eyes, drank the water, this being considered as the greatest proof she could possibly give him of her fidelity and attachment.About eight o'clock the same evening, the Serawoolli, who had been left in the woods to take care of the fatigued slave, returned and told us that he was dead; the general opinion however, was, that he himself had killed him, or left him to perish on the road; for the Serawoollies are said to be infinitely more cruel in their treatment of slaves than the Mandingoes. We remained at Baniserile two days, in order to purchase native iron, shea-butter, and some other articles for sale on the Gambia; and here, the Slatee who had invited me to his house, and who possessed three slaves, part of the coffle, having obtained information that the price on the coast was very low, determined to separate from us and remain with his slaves where he was, until an opportunity should offer of disposing of them to advantage; giving us to understand, that he should complete his nuptials with the young woman before mentioned, in the meantime.

May 16th. We departed from Baniserile and travelled through thick woods until noon, when we saw at a distance the town of Julifunda, but did not approach it, as we proposed to rest for the night at a large town called Kirwani, which we reached about four o'clock in the afternoon. This town stands in a valley, and the country for more than a mile round it, is cleared of wood, and well cultivated. The inhabitants appear to be very active and industrious, and seem to have carried the system of agriculture to some de