98 PARK S FIRST JOURNEY. 



his sleeve, said, with an indignant air, " Sit down, yon shall 

 have every thing restored to you ; I have sworn it." He 

 then ordered several of his people to go by daybreak next 

 morning over the hills, and obtain the assistance of the 

 dooty of Bammakoo in pursuing the robbers. Thus re- 

 lieved, Mr. Park remained two days in this hospitable vil- 

 lage, but found it pressed by so severe a famine that he 

 could not think of tasking their kindness any longer, and 

 went on to a town called Wonda. Here the mansa, who 

 was at once chief magistrate and schoolmaster, received 

 him with kindness ; but the famine was felt there with 

 equal severity. Remarking five or six women who came 

 daily to receive an allowance of com from the dooty, he 

 took leave to ask an explanation. " Look at that boy,'* 

 said the magistrate ; *' his mother has sold him to me for 

 fifty days' subsistence for herself and family." Our tra- 

 veller, having during his stay become very unwell, heard 

 the hospitable landlord and his wife lamenting to them- 

 selves the necessity of supporting him till he shouM either 

 recover or die. 



At the end of nine days messengers arrived from Sibi- 

 dooloo with Mr. Park's horse, harness, clothes, and even 

 the pocket compass, though broken ; all of which had been 

 recovered by the exertions of the mansa. The horse, being 

 reduced to a skeleton, and quite unfit for a journey over the 

 flinty roads, was presented to his landlord ; the saddle and 

 bridle were sent to his generous friend at Sibidooloo. 

 Then, sick as he was, our traveller took leave, and went 

 through several towns in the mountain territory of Mand- 

 ing, where he was, on the whole, hospitably treated. His 

 arrival at Kamalia formed a most important era. There he 

 met Karfa Taura, a negro, who was collecting a cofHe of 

 slaves for the Gambia. Karfa told him it was impossible 

 at this season to traverse the Jallonka wilderness, in which 

 there were eight rapid rivers to be crossed ; but he ofiered 

 to support him in the interval, and conduct him at the pro- 

 per season to the Gambia, asking only a reasonable com- 

 pensation, which was fixed at the value of a prime slave. 

 Mr. Park was thus seasonably delivered from all his trou- 

 bles, and obtained a more certain prospect of reaching home 

 in safety. 



He no longer encountered those difficulties and viciss*. 



