l88 TRAVELS IN THE 
transfer their allegiance to the King of Bambarra. They 
offered to take me along with them as far as Satile ; and I ac- 
cented the offer. 
July 12th. At daybreak we set out, and travelled with un- 
common expedition until sunset : we stopped only twice in the 
course of the day ; once at a watering-place in the woods, and 
another time at the ruins of a town, formerly belonging to 
Daisy, called Illa-Compe (the corn town). When we arrived 
in the neighbourhood of Satile, the people who were employed 
in the corn fields, seeing so many horsemen, took us for a party 
of Moors, and ran screaming away from us. The whole town 
was instantly alarmed, and the slaves were seen, in every direc- 
tion, driving the cattle and horses towards the town. It was 
in vain that one of our company galloped up to undeceive 
them : it only frightened them the more ; and when we arrived 
at the town, we found the gates shut, and the people all under 
arms. After a long parley, we were permitted to enter ; and, 
as there was every appearance of a heavy tornado, the Dooty 
allowed us to sleep in his baloon, and gave us each a bullock's 
hide for a bed. 
July 13th. Early in the morning we again set forward. 
The roads were wet and slippery, but the country was very 
beautiful, abounding with rivulets, which were increased by 
the rain into rapid streams. About ten o'clock, we came to the 
ruins of a village, which had been destroyed by war about six 
months before ; and in order to prevent any town from being 
built there in future, the large Bentang tree, under which the 
