park's first journey. 91 



two on e^ch side of the river, surrounded with high mud- 

 walls, — the houses, though only of clay, neatly white- 

 washed, — the streets commodious, with mosques rising in 

 every quarter. The place was estimated to contain about 

 thirty thousand inhabitants. The numerous canoes on the 

 river, the crowded population, and the cultivated state of 

 the surrounding country, presented altogether an appear- 

 ance of civilization and magnificence little expected in the 

 bosom of Africa. The traveller sought a passage to Sego- 

 see-Korro, the quarter where the king resided ; but, owing 

 to the crowd of passengers, he was detained two hours ; 

 during which time his majesty was apprized that a white 

 jnan, poorly equipped, was about to pass the river to seek 

 an audience. A chief was immediately sent, with an ex- 

 press order that the traveller should not cross without his ma- 

 jesty's permission, and pointed to a village at some distance, 

 where it was recommended that the stranger should pass 

 the night. Park, not a little disconcerted, repaired to the 

 village ; but as the order had not been accompanied with 

 any provision for his reception, he found every door shut. 

 Turning his horse loose to graze, he was preparing, as a se- 

 curity from wild beasts, to climb a tree and sleep among the 

 branches, when a beautiful and affecting incident occurred, 

 which gives a most pleasing view of the negro character. 

 An old woman, returning from the labours of the field, cast 

 on him a look of compassion, and desired him to follow her. 

 She led him to an apartment in her hut, procured a fine fish, 

 which she broiled for his supper, and spread a mat for him 

 to sleep upon. She then desired her maidens, who had 

 been gazing in fixed astonishment at the white man, to re- 

 sume their tasks, which they continued to ply through a 

 great part of the night. They cheered their labours with 

 a song which must have been composed extempore, since 

 Mr. Park, with deep emotion, discovered that he himself 

 was the subject of it. It said, in a strain of aflfecting sim- 

 plicity, — " The winds roared, and the rains fell. The poor 

 white man, faint and weary, came and sat under our tree. 

 He has no mother to bring him milk, no wife to grind his 

 corn. — Chorus — liCt us pity the white man, no mother has 

 he," &c. Our traveller was much effected, and nextmom- 

 'ing could not depart without requesting his landlady's ac- 

 ceptance of the only gift he had left, two out of the four 

 4»rass buttons that stUl remained on his waistcoat. 



