On my arrival at Kamalia, I was conducted to the house of a Bushreen named Karfa Taura, the brother of him to whose hospitality I was indebted at Kinyeto. He was collecting a coffle of slaves, with a view to sell them to the Europeans on the Gambia, as soon as the rains should be' over. I found him sitting in his baloon surrounded by several Slatees, who proposed to join the coffle. He was reading to them from an Arabic book ; and inquired, with a smile, if I understood it ? Being answered in the negative, he desired one of the Slatees to fetch the little curious book, which had been brought from the west country. On opening this small volume, I was surprised and delighted, to find it our Book o f Common Prayer ; - and Karfa expressed great joy to hear that I could read i t : for some of the Slatees, who had seen! the Europeans Upon the Coasts observing the colour of my skin (which was now become very yellow from sickness), my long beard, ragged clothes, and extreme poverty ; were unwilling to admit that 11 was a white man, and told Karfa, that they suspected- I Was some Arab in disguise. 1 Karfa, however, perceiving- that I Could read this book, had no doubt-concerning me ; and kindly promised me every assistance in -his power. A t the same time he informed me, that it was impossible to cross the Jallonka wilderness for many months yet to come, as no less than eight rapid rivers, he said, lay in the. wayj t He added,, that he intended to set out himself for Gambia as soon as the rivers-were- fordable, and the grass burnt; and advised me to stay and accompany him. He remarked, that when a caravan ofthenatives could not travel through the country; it was idle for a single white man to
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