INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 67 
rode off without stopping. Madiboo added, that on hearing this, 
he and the blacksmith hastened back to give me notice of their 
coming. Whilst I was listening to this narrative, the ten horse- 
men mentioned by Madiboo arrived ; and coming to the Ben- 
tang, dismounted and seated themselves with those who had 
come before, the whole being about twenty in number, form- 
ing a circle round me, and each man holding his musket in his 
hand. I took this opportunity to observe. to my landlord, that 
as I did not understand the Serawoolli tongue, I hoped, what- 
ever the men had to say, they would speak in Mandingo. To 
this they agreed, and a short man, loaded with a remarkable 
number of saphies, opened the business in a very long ha- 
rangue, informing me that I had entered the king's town with- 
out having first paid the duties, or giving any present to the 
king, and that, according to the laws of the country, my people, 
cattle, and baggage were forfeited. He added, that they had 
received orders from the king to conduct me to Maana,* the 
place of his residence ; and if I refused to come with them, their 
orders were to bring me by force ; upon his saying which, all of 
them rose up and asked me if I was ready. It would have been 
equally vain and imprudent in me to have resisted or irritated 
such a body of men ; I therefore affected to comply with their 
commands, and begged them only to stop a little until I had 
given my horse a feed of corn, and settled matters with my land- 
lord. The poor blacksmith^, who was a native of Kasson, mistook 
* Maana is within a short distance of the ruins of Fort St. Joseph, on the 
Senegal river, formerly a French factory. 
K 2 
