74 
MUNGO PARK'S 
back the asses. One of them seized the Serjeant's horse 
by the bridle to lead it into the village ; but when the Ser- 
jeant cocked his pistol and presented it, he dropped the 
bridle ; others drove away the asses with their loads, and 
every thing seemed going into confusion. The soldiers 
with great coolness loaded their pieces with ball, and fixed 
their bayonets : on seeing this the villagers hesitated, and 
the soldiers drove the asses across the bed of a torrent ; 
and then returned, leaving a sufficient number to guard 
the asses. 
The natives collected themselves under a tree by the 
gate of the village, where I found the Dooty and Isaaco 
at very high words. On enquiring the cause of the tumult, 
Isaaco informed me that the villagers had attempted to take 
the loads from the asses. I turned to the Dooty, and 
asked him who were the persons that had dared to make 
such an attempt. He pointed to about thirty people armed 
with bows ; on which I fell a laughing, and asked him 
if he really thought that such people could fight ; adding, 
if he had a mind to make the experiment, they need only 
go up and attempt to take off one of the loads. They 
seemed by this time to be fully satisfied that they had 
made a vain attempt ; and the Dooty desired me to tell the 
men to go forward with the asses. As I did not know but 
perhaps some of the sick might be under the necessity of 
