66 
.'TRAVELS IN THE 
mother, who dwelt at a neighbouring town called Dramanet. 
He was joined by my other attendant the blacksmith ; and as 
soon as it was dark, I was invited to see the sports of the inha- 
bitants, it being their custom on the arrival of strangers, to 
welcome them by diversions of different kinds. I found a great 
crowd surrounding a party who were dancing, by the light of 
some large fires, to the music of four drums, which were beat 
with great exactness and uniformity. The dances, however, con- 
sisted more in wanton gestures, than in muscular exertion or 
graceful attitudes. The ladies vied with each other in display- 
ing the most voluptuous movements imaginable. 
December 25th. About two o'clock in the morning a num- 
ber of horsemen came into the town> and having awakened 
my landlord, talked to him for some time in the Serawoolli 
tongue ; after which they dismounted, and came to the Ben- 
tang on which I had made my bed. One of them thinking 
that I was asleep, attempted to steal the musket that lay by 
me on the mat ; but finding that he could not effect his purpose 
undiscovered, he desisted ; and the strangers sat down by me 
till daylight. 
I could now easily perceive, by the countenance of my inter- 
preter, Johnson, that something very unpleasant was in agita- 
tion. I was likewise surprised to see Madiboo and the black- 
smith so soon returned. On inquiring the reason, Madiboo 
informed me that as they were dancing at Dramanet, ten horse- 
men belonging to Batcheri, king of the country, with his se- 
cond son at their head, had arrived there, inquiring if the white 
man had passed ; and on being told that I was at Joag, they 
