FRENCH DISCOVERIES. 73 



reducing them all to a powder. This is effected by pound- 

 ing them with a pestle of hard wood, which is soon worn 

 away by the resistance of the mineral substances. This 

 mine, therefore, though richer than the other, is less valuable. 

 The Farima, who are absolute chiefs of Bambouk, allow the 

 mining operations only at certain seasons, when they them- 

 selves attend to levy a proportion of the proceeds. Two 

 men, or two women, — for they are promiscuously employed 

 in this occupation,— dig out the earth or other substances, 

 which they hand to those who are to extract from it the 

 gold. This metal they imagine to be a capricious being de- 

 lighting to sport Avith their eager pursuit ; and when they 

 find a rich vein suddenly become unproductive, they call out 

 " He is off." The pit which is six feet in diameter, is dug 

 to the depth of thirty or forty, when the workers are usually 

 arrested by an impenetrable bed of reddish-coloured marble, 

 which, from certain indications, Golberry is led to consider 

 as only the covering of much more abundant veins. These 

 pits or shafts, by means of ladders, are carried down with 

 perpendicular sides, which often fall in and bury the unfor- 

 tunate workmen. This, however, does not at all discom- 

 pose the survivors. They apprehend that the Devil, or ra- 

 ther a certain subterranean deity, having occasion for la- 

 bourers to conduct his own operations underneath, seizes in 

 this manner the best miners he can find on the surface of 

 the earth. Nor do they feel the least surprise, though they 

 cannot conceal their regret, when, in the course of working, 

 they Ught upon the skeletons of the victims. The Devil, 

 they fancy, has then found himself mistaken in his choice, 

 and has rudely thrown them back to the place whence he 

 had withdrawn them. 



The trade to Gallam appears, by the report of M. Sau- 

 gnier, who undertook a voyage thither, to have been very 

 profitable when carried on with success. Gold, ivory, and 

 slaves could be purchased on easy terms ; and the natives, 

 called Serawoolies, were intelligent and active, though in- 

 clined to be thievish. The voyage, however, is Uable to 

 many vicissitudes, the navigation often dangerous, and the 

 natives on shore perpetually on the watch for plunder, espe- 

 cially the princes or robbers ; which terms in Africa are 

 nearly synonymous. The French government, also, had 

 issued instructions not to proceed to great extremities 



