INTERIOR OF AFRICA. q6i 
State. When any individual of free condition, had the means 
of cultivating more land than he actually possessed, he applied 
to the chief man of the district, who allowed him an extension 
of territory, on condition of forfeiture if the lands were not 
brought into cultivation by a given period. The condition 
being fulfilled, the soil became vested in the possessor; and, for 
aught that appeared to me, descended to his heirs. 
The population, however, considering the extent and ferti- 
lity of the soil, and the ease with which lands are obtained, 
is not very great, in the countries which I visited. I found 
many extensive and beautiful districts, entirely destitute of 
inhabitants; and in general, the borders of the different king- 
doms, were either very thinly peopled, or entirely deserted. 
Many places are likewise unfavourable to population, from 
being unhealthful. The swampy banks of the Gambia, the 
Senegal, and other rivers towards the Coast, are of this de- 
scription. Perhaps, it is on this account chiefly, that the 
interior countries abound more with inhabitants, than the ma- 
ritime districts; for all the Negro nations that fell under my 
observation, though divided into a number of petty independent 
states, subsist chiefly by the same means, live nearly in the^ 
same temperature, and possess a wonderful similarity of dis- 
position. The Mandingoes, in particular, are a very gentle 
race; cheerful in their dispositions, inquisitive, credulous, simple, 
and fond of flattery. Perhaps, the most prominent defect in 
their character, is that insurmountable propensity, which the 
reader must have observed to prevail in all classes of them, to 
steal from me the few effects I was possessed of. For this part 
