INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 83 
When all the peopl? present had seated themselves, the black- 
smith was desired by his father to give them some account of 
his adventures ; and silence being commanded, he began ; and 
after repeatedly thanking God for the success that had attended 
him, related every material occurrence that had happened to 
him from his leaving Kasson to his arrival at the Gambia ; his 
employment and success in those parts ; and the dangers he 
had escaped in returning to his native country. In the latter 
part of his narration, he had frequently occasion to mention 
me; and after many strong expressions concerning my kind- 
ness to him, he pointed to the place where I sat, and exclaim- 
ed, affille ibi siring, " see him sitting there/' In a moment all 
eyes were turned upon me ; I appeared like a being dropped 
from the clouds ; every one was surprised that they had not 
observed me before ; and a few women and children expressed 
great uneasiness at being so near a man of such an uncommon 
appearance. By degrees, however, their apprehensions sub™ 
sided ; and when the blacksmith assured them that I was per- 
fectly 'inoffensive, and would hurt nobody, some of them ven- 
tured so far as to examine the texture of my clothes ; but many 
of them were still very suspicious ; and when by accident I 
happened to move myself, or look at the young children, their 
mothers would scamper off with them with the greatest pre- 
cipitation. In a few hours, however, they all became reconciled 
to me. 
With these worthy people I spent the remainder of that, and 
the whole of the ensuing day, in feasting and merriment ; and 
the blacksmith declared he would not quit me during my stay 
M 2 
