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March 6th. Westopt here this morning, because'spme of the townspeople, who were going for Goomba on the day following, wished to accompany u s ; but in order to avoid the crowd of people which usually assembled in the evening, we went to a Negro village to the east of Dalli, called Samee, where we were kindly received by the hospitable Dooti, who on this occasion killed two fine sheep, and invited his friends to come and feast with him. March 7th. Our landlord was so proud of the honour of entertaining a white man, that he insisted on my staying with him and his friends until the cool of the evening, when he said he would conduct me to the next village. As I was now within two days* journey of Goomba, I had no apprehensions from the Moors, and readily accepted the invitation. I spent the forenoon very pleasantly with these poor Negroes: their company was the more acceptable, as the gentleness of their manners presented a striking contrast to the rudeness and barbarity of the Moors. They enlivened their conversation by drinking a fermented liquor made from corn ; the same sort of beer that I have described in a former chapter ; and better I never tasted in Great Britain. In the midst of this harmless festivity, I flattered myself that all danger from the Moors was over. Fancy had already placed me on the banks of the Niger, and presented to m y imagination a thousand delightful scenes in my future progress, when a party of Moors unexpectedly entered the hut, and dispelled the golden dream. They came, they said, by Ali's orders, to convey me to his camp at Benown. I f I went peaceably, they told me, I had nothing to fear; but if I refused, they had orders to bring me by force. I was struck dumb by surprise and terror, which the Moors observing, endeavoured to calm my apprehensions, by repeating the assurance that I had nothing to fear. Their visit, they added, was occasioned by the curiosity of Ali’s wife Fatima, who had heard so much about Christians, that she was very anxious to see one: as soon as her curiosity should be satisfied, they had no doubt, they said, that Ali would give me a handsome present, and send a person to conduct me to Bambarra. Finding entreaty and resistance equally fruitless, I prepared to follow the messengers, and took leave of my landlord and his company with great reluctance. Accompanied by my faithful boy (for Daman’s slave made his escape on seeing the Moors,) we reached Dalli in the evening ; where we were strictly watched by the Mooes during the night. Match 8th. We were conducted by a circuitous path through the. woods to Dangali, where we slept. March gth. We continued our journey, and in the afternoon arrived at Sampaka. On the road we saw a party of Moors, well armed, who told us that they were hunting for a runaway slave.; but the townspeople informed us, that a party of Moors had attempted to steal some cattle from the town in the morning, but were repulsed ; and, on their describing the persons, we were satisfied that they were the same banditti that we had seen in the woods. Next morning (March: 10th) we set out for Samaming-koos. On the road we overtook a woman and two boys, with an ass: she informed us that she was going for Bambarra, but had been


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