PICTURESQUE VIEWS ON THE NIGER. 
15 
1. On coming out of my liut at Fandali one morning, I saw the king seated at the gate of his palace, surrounded by his great men, adminis- 
tering justice. At a little distance, on the grass, were two men and two women, who were charged with robbery. The evidence had already been 
gone through, before my arrival. The king was the principal speaker, and when he paused, the whole court murmured approbation. The younger 
woman made a long defence, and quite astonished me by her volubility, variety of intonation, and graceful action. The appeal, however, seemed to be 
in vain ; for when she had finished, the king, who had listened with great patience, passed sentence in a speech of considerable length, delivered with 
great fluency and emphasis. In many parts he was much applauded, except by the poor wretches, who heard their doom with shrieks of despair. 
The king then retired, the court broke up, and the people dispersed. None remained but the prisoners and a decrepit old man, who, veith many 
threats and some ceremony, administered a small bowl of poison, prepared, I believe, from tlie leaves of a venerable tree in the neighbourhood, 
which was hooped and pi-opped all round. The poor creatures received the potion on their knees, and, before they could be induced to swallow it, 
cast many a lingering look and last farewell on the beautiful world, fi'om which a small draught was about to separate them. They afterwards 
drank a prodigious quantity of water, and when I next went out, the dose had done its deadly work. I canziot tell how far justice was truly 
administered, but there was a great appearance of it ; and I must say that I never, in any court, saw a greater display of decorum and dignity. 
2. While I was wandering one morning about the market-place at Fandah, I received a message that Ibrahim, the head Malem, wished to see me. 
Following my guide, I entered a court-yard filled with people. On the opposite side was a square building having more pretensions to architectural 
design, than any I had seen. On each side of a low doorway, were placed a drawn dagger and a book. I entered, rather reluctantly, a large 
apartment dimly lighted and filled with people. It was divided by a wall, through which were three openings; that in the centre being an 
archway ornamented with a moulding. Through one of these I was led to a venerable man, who sat alone on a white bull's hide, his 
elbow resting on a cushion. A single ray of light from a narrow window streamed full on his long snowy beard and white dress. All around was 
perfectly dark ; at least to me, who had just left the light of the sun. He gave me to understand that he was the High Priest among the 
Mahomedans ; and expressed himself highly gratified at my visit, and with a small present which I had sent him. He gave me permission to 
sketch his house, and a square tem])le adjoining, built of mud, where some Mahomedans were vociferating their prayers. The court -yard was filled 
with devout loungers, who attended the Malem's levee. They treated me with great respect, though my operations excited surprise. Other courts 
on each side were occupied by the numerous wives, children, and slaves of the Patriarch, who did not appear to have limited himself in point of 
number. I saw among them some very pretty young girls, but whether they were his wives or great grand-children I could not tell. Most likely, 
among the many of the same age who were playing together, were some of the former, as well as his progeny of several generations. 
