236 TRAVELS IN THE 
few prayers over it, drank this powerful draught ; after which, 
lest a single word should escape, he licked the board until it was 
quite dry. A saphie writer was a man of too great consequence 
to be long concealed : the important information was carried 
to the Dooty, who sent his son with half a sheet of writing- 
paper, desiring me to write him a naphula saphie (a charm to 
procure wealth). He brought me, as a present, some meal and 
milk ; and when I had finished the saphie, and read it to him 
with an audible voice, he seemed highly satisfied with his bar- 
gain, and promised to bring me in the morning some milk for 
my breakfast. When I had finished my supper of rice and salt^ 
I laid myself down upon a bullock's hide, and slept very quietly 
until morning ; this being the first good meal and refreshing 
sleep that I had enjoyed for a long time. 
Aug. 21st. At daybreak I departed from Koolikorro, and 
about noon passed the villages of Kayoo and Toolumbo. In 
the afternoon I arrived at Marraboo ; a large town, and, like 
Koolikorro, famous for its trade in salt. I was conducted to the 
house of a Kaartan, of the tribe of Jower, by whom I was well 
received. This man had acquired a considerable property in the 
slave trade ; and from his hospitality to strangers, was called, 
by way of pre-eminence, (the landlord); and his house 
was a sort of public inn for all travellers. Those who had 
money were well lodged, for they always made him some re-- 
turn for his kindness; but those who had nothing to give, were 
content to accept whatever he thought proper ; and as I could 
not rank myself among the monied men, I was happy to take 
up my lodging in the same hut with seven poor fellows who 
