INTERIOR OB AFRICA. 35I 
her unperceived. At lehgth it was agreed that four people 
should go back a few miles to a small rivulet, where some of 
the coffle had stopt to drink, as we passed it in the night ; and 
that the coffle should wait for their return. The sun was 
about an hour high before the people came back with the 
woman, whom they found lying fast asleep by the stream. 
We now resumed our journey, and about eleven o'clock reach- 
ed a walled town called Tambacunda, where we were well 
received. Here we remained four days, on account of a 
palaver which was held on the following occasion: Modi Le- 
mina, one of the Slatees belonging to the coffle, had formerly 
married a woman of this town, who had borne him two 
children; he afterwards went to Manding, and remained there 
eight years, without sending any account of himself, during all 
that time, to his deserted wife ; who, seeing no prospect of his 
return, at the end of three years had married another man, to 
whom she had likewise borne two children. Lemina now 
claimed his wife; but the second husband refused to deliver 
her up; insisting that by the laws of Africa, when a man has 
been three years absent from his wife, without giving her 
notice of his being alive, the woman is at liberty to marry again. 
After all the circumstances had been fully investigated in an 
assembly of the chief men, it was determined that the wife 
should make her choice, and be at liberty either to return to 
the first husband, or continue with the second, as she alone 
should think proper. Favourable as this determination was to 
the lady, she found it a difficult matter to make up her mind, 
and requested time for consideration : but I think I could per- 
