116 
MUNGO PARK'S 
Reached Nummasoolo at two o'clock. This has for- 
merly been a large town ; but being destroyed by war 
some years ago, nearly three-fourths of the town are in 
ruins. Before we had time to pitch the tent properly, the 
rain came down on us, and wetted us all completely, both 
men and bundles. This was a very serious atfair to us, 
many of our articles of merchandize being perishable. 
Slept very uncomfortably in wet clothes on the wet ground. 
Troubled in the night with a lion ; he came so near that 
the sentry fired at him, but it was so dark that it was im- 
possible to take a good aim. All the asses pulled up the 
pins to which they were fastened, and run together as near 
the men as they could. As the sick soldiers before men- 
tioned did not come up before sun-set, I concluded they 
had all returned to Bangassi ; and the Dooty's son coming 
up on horseback, informed me that they had really returned 
to his father's house, and wished to know what I meant to 
do respecting them. I told him that I wished my people 
to be taken proper care of, and gave him ten bars of am- 
ber for his care in coming to inform me of them. I like- 
wise put into his possession three strings of amber of forty 
bars each, and told him how to dispose of them for the 
use of the sick. I likewise told him that, if any of them 
should recover, if he would send a proper person forward 
with them to Bambakoo, I would give him an Indian 
