Ixxiv 
ACCOUNT OF THE 
affords a very favourable specimen of his talents for sucb 
transactions.* 
It may be recollected that when Park arrived at Sego 
during his former journey, Mansong sent him a present of 
five thousand cowries, but refused to admit him into his 
presence, and gave directions that he should immediately 
depart from that city.j- This conduct in a sovereign appa- 
rently tolerant and liberal, was very reasonably attributed 
by Park to an apprehension on the part of Mansong, that 
he should be unable to protect him agairfst the inveterate 
malice of his Moorish subjects. There is every reason to 
think that Mansong, on the present occasion, was actuated 
by similar feelings ; since he neither saw Park, nor ex- 
pressed any desire to see him ; and his whole conduct, 
both during the negociation and afterwards, indicated 
great coldness and reserve. It appears also that many 
rumours unfavourable to the mission were industriously 
circulated; and that great jealousies, stimulated both by 
religious bigotry and the apprehension of commercial 
rival ship, were excited against Park among the Moorish 
inhabitants of Sego and Sansanding. 
The anxiety and suspense produced in Park's mind by 
these rumours, were in some degree removed by the arrival 
of Bookari, the singing man or bard of Mansong, with six 
canoes, being commissioned to attend him to the neighbour- 
hood of Sego. Under this escort, he embarked at Marraboo 
on the 13th of September ; and notwithstanding the unsa- 
tisfactory state of his affairs, his mind was sufficiently at 
ease to receive great delight from this short voyage down 
* Journal^ p. 151. f Park's Travels^ p. 199. 
