90 
MUNGO PARK'S 
astonishment, Ashton,* the sailor whom I had left in the 
woods the evening before, came up quite naked, having 
been stripped of his clothes by three of the natives during 
the night. Found his fever much abated. 
July 5th. — With great difficulty got the asses loaded, 
but had not a sufficient number of spare asses for the sick. 
Set one of them on my horse, and walked, feeling a remis- 
sion of the fever, though still very giddy and unwell. 
We soon reached Boolinkoomboo, it being only two miles 
from the landing place. This village is sometimes called 
Moiaharra : it does not contain above one hundred people. 
On collecting the asses, found that three were missing, 
besides a sickly one, which was too weak to cross the river, 
and was eaten by the people of Fonilla. All this diminished 
our means of carrying forward the sick. 
I now found my situation very perplexing. To go for- 
ward without Isaaco to Keminoom, I knew would involve 
us in difficulties ; as Keminoom's sons are reckoned the 
greatest thieves and blackguards on the whole route. To 
stop till Isaaco recovered (an event which seemed very 
doubtful), would throw us into the violence of the rains. 
There was no other person that I could trust ; and, what 
was worst of all, we had only two days rice, and a great 
* The name is thus written in Mr. Park's MS. \ but it seems to be a mistake 
for Alston, v. ante p. 87. 
