bows and arrows, who surrounded and took them all prisoners,
without the least resistance being attempted, and
carried them into the town; tying the hands of some, and
driving the whole party before them. During the night,
above one hundred Negroes kept watch over them. The
next day .they were taken before the Governor, or chief
person, named Mahamoud, a remarkably ugly Negro, who
ordered that they should all be imprisoned. The place of
confinement was a mere mud wall, about six feet high, from
whence they might readily have escaped (though strongly
guarded), if the Moors had been enterprising; but they
were a cowardly set. Here they were kept three or four
days, for the purpose, as it afterwards appeared, of being
sent forward to Tombuctoo, which Adams concluded to be
the residence of the king of the country.
The better order ,of natives at Soudenny wear blue
nankeen, in the manner of a frock; but are entirely without
shoes, hats, or turbans, except the Chief, who at times wears
a blue turban. The distinguishing ornament of the Chief is
some gold worked on the 'shoulder of his frock, in the
manner of an epaulette; some of the officers about him
were ornamented in a similar manner, but with smaller
epaulettes. Their arms were bows and arrows; the former
about four feet long, with strings made of the skin of some
animal; the arrows were about a foot and a half long,
not feathered. The Negroes frequently practised shooting
at small marks of clay, which they scarcely ever missed at
fifteen or twenty yards distance.
The houses have only a ground floor; and are without
furniture or utensils, except wooden bowls, and mats made
of grass. They never make fires in their houses.. The:
lower order of people wear blankets, which they buy
from the Moors. After' remaining about four days at
Soudenny, the prisoners were sent to Tombuctoo, under
an escort of about sixty armed men, having about eighteen
camels and dromedaries.
During the first ten days, they proceeded eastward at the
rate of about fifteen to twenty miles a day, the prisoners
and most of the Negroes walking, the officers riding, two
upon each camel or dromedary. As the prisoners were all
impressed with the belief that they were going to execution,
several of the Moors attempted to escape; and in consequence,
after a short consultation, fourteen were put to
death, by being beheaded at a small village at which they
then arrived; and as a terror to the rest, the head of one of
them was hung round the neck of a camel for three days,
until it became so putrid that they were obliged to remove
it. At this village the natives wore gold rings in their ears,
D