338 Mr. Park's Journey into Africat 



the Moors; the principal part of the inhabitants being Bufb-« 

 reens or Mahometans ; and even the governor himfelf, 

 though appointed by Manfong, was of the fame feet. Mr. 

 Park's reflections on this occafion were aggravated by the 

 circumftance, that his danger was likely to increafe as he ad- 

 vanced on his journey ; for he learnt that the places beyond 

 Jenne were under the Moorifh influence, in a ftill greater 

 degree than Jenne itfclf ; and that Tombuctoo, the great 

 object of his refearch, was altogether in the pofleflion of 

 that favage and mercilefs people. 



Notwithstanding thefe difcouraging reflections, Mr. Park 

 perfifted in what he conceived to be his duty ; and the firlt 

 town of note at which he arrived after leaving Sego, was 

 called Kabba. It is fituated in the midft of a beautiful and 

 highly cultivated country, " bearing," fays Mr. Park, " a 

 greater refemblance to the centre of England, than to what 

 I fhould have fuppofed had been in the middle of Africa ;" 

 and the feafon was that of the /hea harveft, or the gathering 

 in the fruit which produces the Jfyea-toulou or tree-butter, 

 the great abundance of which in this quarter was aftonifb- 

 ing. The tree itfelf very much refembles the American 

 oak ; and the nut, from the kernel of which the butter is 

 prepared by boiling it in water, has fomewhat the appear- 

 ance of a Spanifh olive. The kernel is enveloped in a fweet 

 pulp under a thin green rind ; and it is Mr. Park's opinion, 

 that the butter produced from it, befides the advantage of 

 its keeping without fait the whole year, is whiter, firmer, 

 and of a richer flavour than the beft butter he ever tatted 

 made from cow's milk. The growth and preparation of 

 this commodity feem to be among the firfl objects of African 

 induftry in this and the neighbouring dates ; and it consti- 

 tutes a main article of their inland commerce. 



On the afternoon of the fecond day Mr. Park and his 

 guide reached Sanfanding, a very large town fituated on the 

 banks of the Niger, much reforted to by the Moors, who 

 bring thither large quantities of fait, which they barter for 



(hea 



