affer.this I gained the summit of a hill, .from yfhence I had an extensive yiqw of the country. Towards the south-east, appeared some very distant mountains, which ! had. formerly seen from an eminence near Marraboo, where the people informed me, that these mountains were situated in a large and powerful kingdom called Kong ; the sovereign of which could raise a mucfi greater army than the King of Bambarra. Upon this height! the soil is shallow ; the rocks are iron-stone and ^cfiistus, with detached pieces of white quartz. b A little before supset, I descended on the north-west side of this ridge of hills, and as I was looking about for a convenient tree, under which-to pass the night (lor I had no hopes of reaching any town), I descended into a delightful valley, and soon afterwards arrived at a romaptic village called Kooma. This village is surrounded by a high wall, and is the sole property of a Mandingo merchant, who fled hither with his family, during a former war. The adjacent fields yield him: plenty of corn, his cattle roam at large in the valley, and the rocky hills secure him from the depredations of war. In this obscure retreat he is seldom visited by strangers, but whenever' this happens he makes the weary traveller' welcome. I soon found myself surrounded by a circle of the harmless villagers. 'Ijliey asked a thousand questions about my country ; and, in return for my information, brought corn and milk for myself, and grass for my horse.; kindled a fire in the hut where, I was to sleep, and appeared very anxious to serve me. Aug. 25th. I departed from Kooma, accompanied by two shepherds, who were going towards Sibidooloo, ,.The road was very steep and rocky, and as my horse had hurt his feet much in coming from Bammakoo, he travelled slowly and with great difficulty ; for in many places the ascent was so sharp, and the declivities so great, that if he had made one false step, he must inevitably have been dashed to pieces. The shepherds being anxious to proceed, gave themselves little trouble about me or my horse, and kept walking on at a considerable distance. It was about eleven o'clock, as I stopped to drink a little water at a rivulet (my companions being near a quarter of a mile before me), that I heard some people calling to each other, and presently a loud screaming, as from a person in great distress. I immediately conjectured that a lion had taken one of the shepherds, and mounted my horse to have a better view of what had happened. The noise, however, ceased ; and I rode slowly towards the place from whence I thought it had proceeded, calling ou t; but without receiving any answer. In a little time, however, I perceived one of the shepherds lying among the long grass near the road ; and though I could see no blood upon him, I concluded he was dead. But when I came close to him, he whispered to me to stop ; telling me that a party of armed men had seized upon his companion, and shot two arrows at himself, as he was making his escape. I stopped to consider what course to take, and looking round, saw at a little distance a man sitting upon the stump of a tree : I distinguished also the heads of six or seven more, sitting among the grass, with muskets in their hands. I had-now no hopes of escaping, and therefore determined to ride forward towards them. As I approached , them, I was in hopes they were elephant hunters ; I i
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