1830.] Ancient and Modern Systems of Slavery. 391 



narrative of Mr. Caillie,* now before us. That hardy and enduring 

 Frenchman left his country for the African coast in the year 1816, 

 when a mere youth, and joined the unsuccessful expedition under 

 Major Gray and M. Portarrieu. Being obliged to return to France 

 for the recovery of his health, he again sailed for Senegal in 1824, and 

 being strongly imbued with that restless spirit which has cost so many 

 of our countrymen their lives, he obtained some trifling assistance from 

 Baron Roger, and set out for the interior, that he might take up his 

 residence among the Braknas Moors, to learn the Arabic language and 

 something of their religious ceremonies. In the vicinity of N'pal, he 

 found fields of considerable extent, cultivated with the greatest care by 

 slaves, and that slavery was universal, the slaves performing the whole 

 drudgery of the field and of the camp. " They (the Braknas) treat 

 their slaves with great barbarity, calling them by insulting names, 

 beating them, and requiring a great deal of service in return for very 

 little food, and having no other garment than a sheep-skin. I some- 

 times protested against the cruelty with which these wretches were 

 treated. f They are slaves, they are infidels,' was the reply ; ' you 

 see that they never pray ; they know neither God nor the prophet.'t 

 On a journey, the slaves carry on their heads whatever cannot be 

 laid on oxen ; they are ill-treated, ill-fed, and beaten at the caprice of 

 their masters ; they are seldom addressed by any name but that of 

 slave. In short, there is no species of vexation which they are not 

 obliged to endure." 



After submitting to the greatest privations and being nearly starved 

 to death amongst these beastly people, M. Caillie returned to St. Louis, 

 in the hope that he should be able to obtain assistance from the governor 

 to enable him to follow out his schemes, but having met with a refusal, 

 he proceeded to Sierra Leone. General Turner, and afterwards Sir 

 Neil Campbell, also declined to assist him ; but having remained in that 

 colony until he acquired a sum equal to about two thousand francs, he 

 purchased suitable goods, and resuming his Arabian dress, departed 

 for Kakondy, on the Rio Nunez. Here he resided for some time. 



He experienced kindness from several European residents, and gives 

 an amusing account of various idolatrous tribes on this part of the 

 coast. Having made such arrangements as he considered necessary, 

 he set out for the interior in April, accompanied by some Mandingoes, 

 slaves, and Foulahs most of the party carrying enormous burdens. 

 In his progress he passed whole villages of slaves, and further on " as 

 we crossed the chain of mountains, I saw the poor negroes with loads 

 on their heads, leaping from precipice to precipice," J &c. " The slaves 

 were dreadfully fatigued, they work entirely naked, exposed to the 

 heat of a burning sun. The presence of their masters intimidates 

 them, and the fear of punishment expedites the work, but they make 

 themselves amends in his absence." 



Continuing to pass through the Mandingoe and Foulah country, as 

 an Arab, and approaching the Niger, he every where found the natives 

 ignorant, selfish, irritable, and vindictive. || " The Mandingoes," says 





* Travels through Central Africa to Timbuctoo, &c. in the years 1824 and 1825, by 

 Rdne' Caillid Colburn and Bentley. 1830. 

 f Ib. pp. 102, 106. 

 J Ib. pp. 181, 182, 190. 

 Ib. pp. 210, 332. 

 j| Ib. p. 242. 



