INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 289 
from the inland countries, of which many are unknown, even 
by name, to the Europeans. The slaves which are thus brought 
from the interior, may be divided into two distinct classes; 
first, such as were slaves from their birth, having been born of 
enslaved mothers; secondly, such as were born free, but who 
afterwards, by whatever means, became slaves. Those of the 
first description, are by far the most numerous; for prisoners 
taken in war (at least such as are taken in open and declared 
war, when one kingdom avows hostilities against another) are 
generally of this description. The comparatively small pro- 
portion of free people, to the enslaved, throughout Africa, has 
already been noticed ; and it must be observed, that men of free 
condition, have many advantages over the slaves, even in war 
time. They are in general better armed, and well mounted; 
and can either fight or escape, with some hopes of success; but 
the slaves, who have only their spears and bows, and of whom 
great numbers are loaded with baggage, become an easy 
prey. Thus, when Mansong, King of Bambarra, made war 
upon Kaarta (as I have related in a former Chapter), he took 
in one day nine hundred prisoners, of which number not more 
than seventy were free men. This account I received from 
Daman Jumma, who had thirty slaves at Kemmoo, all of whom 
were made prisoners by Mansong. Again, when a freeman is 
taken prisoner, his friends will sometimes ransom him, by 
giving two slaves in exchange; but when a slave is taken, he 
has no hopes of such redemption. To these disadvantages, it 
is to be added, that the Slatees, who purchase slaves in the 
interior countries, and carry them down to the Coast for sale, 
Pp 
