LAST MISSION TO AFRICA. 
19 
the succession : and as the report had spread that a coffle 
of white men were going to the interior, every person im- 
mediately concluded that we were loaded with the richest 
merchandize to purchase slaves ; and that whichever of 
the parties should gain possession of our wealth, he would 
likewise gain the ascendency over his opponent. On 
this account, gave orders to the men not to fire at any 
deer or game they might see in the woods ; that every 
man must have his piece loaded and primed, and that the 
report of a musket, but more particularly of three or four, 
should be the signal to leave every thing and run towards 
the place. 
May 15th. — Departed from Kussai. At the entrance of 
the woods, Isaaco laid a black ram across the road and 
cut its throat, having first said a long prayer over it. This 
he considered as very essential towards our success. The 
flesh of the animal was given to the slaves at Kussai, that 
they might pray in their hearts for our success. 
The first five miles of our route was through a woody 
country ; we then reached a level plain nearly destitute of 
wood. On this plain we observed some hundreds of a spe- 
cies of antelope of a dark colour with a white mouth ; they 
are called by the natives Da qui, and are nearly as large 
as a bullock. At half past ten o'clock we arrived on the 
banks of the Gambia, and halted during the heat of the 
