INTERIOR OF AFRICA. IO5 
bottom of some rocky hills. But before I proceed to describe the 
place itself, and relate the various occurrences which befel me 
there, it will not be improper to give my readers a brief recital of 
the origin of the war which induced me to take this route ; an 
unfortunate determination, the immediate cause of all the mis- 
fortunes and calamities which afterward befel me. The recital 
which I propose to give in this place, will prevent interruptions 
hereafter. 
This war, which desolated Kaarta soon after I had left that 
kingdom, and spread terror into many of the neighbouring 
states, arose in the following manner. A few bullocks belong- 
ing to a frontier village of Bambarra having been stolen by a 
party of Moors, were sold to the Dooty, or chief man, of a town 
in Kaarta. The villagers claimed their cattle, and being refused 
satisfaction, complained of the Dooty to their sovereign, Man- 
song, King of Bambarra, who probably beheld with an eye of 
jealousy the growing prosperity of Kaarta, and availed himself 
of this incident to declare hostilities against that kingdom. 
With this view he sent a messenger and a party of horsemen 
to Daisy King of Kaarta, to inform him that the King of Bam- 
barra, with nine thousand men, would visit Kemmoo in the 
course of the dry season ; and to desire that he (Daisy) would 
direct his slaves to sweep the houses, and have every thing ready 
for their accommodation. The messenger concluded this insult - 
ing notification by presenting thekingwith apair of iron sandals; 
at the same time adding, that *' until such time as Daisy had 
worn out these sandals in his flight, he should never be secure 
from the arrows of Bambarra.'* 
P 
