Extracts from the Travels of Mr. Mungo Parke. 



finding 1 was very hungry, she said she would procure me 

 something to cat; she accordingly went out and returned in 

 a short time with a very fine fish, which having caused to 

 be half broiled upon some embers, she gave me for my 

 supper. In the afternoon another messenger arrived with a 

 bag in his hands, he told me it was the King's pleasure, 

 that I should depart forthwith from the neighbourhood of 

 Sego, but that wishing to relieve a white man in distress, 

 had sent me five thousand cowries, to enable me to purchase 

 provisions in the course of my journey. Being thus com- 

 pelled to leave Sego, 1 was conducted the same evening to 

 a small village about seven miles to the eastward, with 

 some of which my guide was acquainted, by whom we 

 were well received. He was very friendly and communica- 

 tive, and informed me that the cities of Tombuctoo and 

 Jenne were under the dominion of the Moors. About eiffht 

 o'clock we passed a large town called Kabba, situated in 

 the midst of a beautiful and highly cultivated country, 

 bearing a considerable resemblance to England. The people 

 were employed in collecting the fruit of the shea trees, from 

 which they prepare a vegetable butter, and which grow in 

 all parts of Bambarra in great abundance; they are not 

 planted by the natives, but grow wild and iri cleariug wood 

 land for cultivation, every tree is cut down except the shea. 

 The tree itself much resembles an American oak, and the 

 fruit from the kernel of which being dried in the sun, the 

 butter is prepared by boiling the kernel in water, has some r 

 thing of the appearance of a Spanish olive; the kernel is 

 enveloped in a pulp and under a green rind, the butter 

 produced from it, besides the advantage of its keeping a 

 whole year without salt, is whiter, firmer, and to my 

 palate, of a richer flavour than the best butter 1 ever tasted 

 made from cows' milk ; the growth and preparation of this 

 commodity seem to be among the first articles of African 

 industry in this and the neighbouring states, and it constitutes 



