204 TRAVELS IN THE 
I was happy to find, that all the Negro inhabitants took me 
for a Moor ; under which character I should probably have 
passed unmolested, had not a Moor, who was sitting by the 
river side, discovered the mistake, and setting up a loud ex- 
clamation, brought together a number of his countrymen. 
When I arrived at the house of Counti Mamadi, the Dooty 
of the town, I was surrounded with hundreds of people, speak- 
ing a variety of different dialects, all equally unintelligible to 
me. At length, by the assistance of my guide, who acted 
as interpreter, I understood that one of the spectators pre- 
tended to have seen me at one place, and another at some 
other place ; and a Moorish woman, absolutely swore that 
she had kept my house three years at Gallam, on the river 
Senegal. It was plain that they mistook me for some other 
person ; and I desired two of the most confident, to point 
towards the place where they had seen me. They pointed due 
south ; hence I think it probable that they came from Cape 
Coast, where they might have seen many white men. Their 
language was different from any I had yet heard. The Moors 
now assembled in great number ; with their usual arrogance, 
compelling the Negroes to stand at a distance. They imme- 
diately began to question me concerning my religion ; but 
finding that I was not master of the Arabic, they sent for two 
men, whom they call Ilhuidi (Jews,) in hopes that they 
might be able to converse with me. These Jews, in dress and 
appearance, very much resemble the Arabs ; but though they 
so far conform to the religion of Mahomet, as to recite, in pub- 
lic, prayers from the Koran ; they are but little respected by 
