INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 325 
longing to the coffle sprang up, and without taking a formal 
farewell of their friends, set forwards. As many of the slaves had 
remained for years in irons, the sudden exertion of walking 
quick, with heavy loads upon their heads, occasioned spasmodic 
contractions of their legs; and we had not proceeded above a 
mile, before it was found necessary to take two of them from 
the rope, and allow them to walk more slowly until we reached 
Maraboo, a walled village, where some people were waiting to 
join the coffle. Here we stopt about two hours, to allow the 
strangers time to pack up their provisions, and then continued 
our route to Bala, which town we reached about four in the 
afternoon. The inhabitants of Bala, at this season of the year, 
subsist chiefly on fish, which they take in great plenty from 
the streams in the neighbourhood. We remained here until 
the afternoon of the next day, the 20th, when we proceeded 
to Worumbang, the frontier village of Handing towards Jallon- 
kadoo. As we proposed shortly to enter the Jallonka Wilderness, 
the people of this village furnished us with great plenty of pro- 
visions; and on the morning of the 21st, we entered the woods 
to the westward of Worumbang. After having travelled some 
little way, a consultation was held, whether we should continue 
our route through the Wilderness, or save one day's provisions 
by going to Kinytakooro, a town in Jallonkadoo. After debating 
the matter for some time, it was agreed that we should take the 
road for Kinytakooro; but as that town was a long day's 
journey distant, it was necessary to take some refreshment. 
Accordingly every person opened his provision bag, and brought 
a handfull or two of meal, to the place where Karfa and the 
