fine fish; which, having caused to be half broiled upon some embers, she gave me for supper. The rites of hospitality being thus performed towards a stranger in distress; my worthy benefactress (pointing to the mat, and telling me I might sleep there without apprehension) called to the female part o f her family, who had stood gazing on me all the while in fixed astonishment, to resume their task of spinning cotton ; in whjch they continued to employ themselves great part of the night. They lightened their labour by songs, one of which was composed extempore ; for I was myself the subject o f it. It was sung by one of the young women, the rest joining in a sort of chorus. The air was sweetand plaintive,and thewords, literally translated, were these.— “ The winds roared, and the rains fell. “ — The poor white man, faint and weary, came and sat under “ our tree.— He has no mother to bring him milk ; no wife to “ grind his corn. Chorus. Let us pity the white man ; no mother “ has he, &c. &c.” Trifling as this recital may appear to the reader, to a person in my situation, the circumstance was affecting in the highest degree. I was oppressed by such unexpected kindness; and sleep fled from my eyes. In the morning I presented my compassionate landlady with two of the four brass buttons which remained on my waistcoat; the only re- com pence I could make her. July 21st. I continued in the village all tljisday, in conversation with the natives, who came in crowds to see m e ; but was rather uneasy towards evening, to find that no message had arrived from the k in g ; the more so, as the people began to whisper, that Mansong had received some very unfavourable accounts of me, from the Moors and Slatees residing at Sego ; who it seems were exceedingly suspicious concerning the motives of my journey. I learnt that many consultations had been held with the king, concerning my reception and disposal ; and some of the villagers frankly told me, that I had many enemies, and must expect no favour. July sad. About eleven o'clock, a messenger arrived from the king ; but he gave me very little satisfaction. He inquired particularly if I had brought any present ; and seemed much disappointed when he was told that I had been robbed of every thing by the Moors. When I proposed to go along with him, he told me to stop until the afternoon, when thé king would send for me. July 23d. In the afternoon, another messenger arrived from Mansong, with a bag in his hands. He told me, it was the king's pleasure that I should depart forthwith from the vicinage of Sego ; but that Mansong, wishing to relieve a white man in distress, had sent me five thousand Kowries,* to enable me to purchase provisions in the course of my journey : the messenger added, that if my intentions were really to proceed to Jennè, he had orders to accompany me as a guide to Sansanding. I was at first puzzled to account for this behaviour of the king ; * Mention has already been made o f these little shells, (p. v f) which pass current as money, in many parts o f the East-Indies, as well as Africa. In Bambarra, and the adjacent countries, where the necessaries o f life are very cheap, one hundred o f them would commonly purchase a day’s provisions for myself, and corn for my horse. I reckoned about two hundred and fifty Kowries, equal to one shilling.
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