42 
RELIGIOUS REJOICINGS. 
bare. The immense marshes on both banks were covered 
with cattle belonging to the Soorgoos. These herds as I 
have already observed^ are their chief property. 
At eight in the morning we stopped to say the prayer 
of the salam, it being the last day of the Ramadan, which 
the Mandingoes call Sali, We were within sight of Cabra, 
and the negroes testified their joy on perceiving the date 
trees of the village. They put on their finest dress^ assem- 
bled in a large plain, and piously prostrated themselves in 
adoration of their God. I remained in the canoe, and ob- 
served them through the holes that I had made in the 
matting of my prison, where the heat was suffocating. I 
congratulated myself that I was not required to join in these 
religious ceremonies, and secretly offered up a prayer that 
my enterprise might be favoured by Heaven. Their devotions 
being ended, the negroes went to dinner, and good cheer 
compensated for their past abstinence, which, however, had 
not been very rigorously observed. An easterly wind obliged 
us to pass some part of the day at this spot. 
About four in the afternoon it became somewhat calm, 
and preparations were made for pursuing our voyage; but 
the Soorgoos opposed our departure until they had received 
four sacks of millet from each boat, independently of the 
duties we should be obliged to pay them on arriving at Cabra. 
This exaction on their part led to a long discussion : all the 
masters of canoes gathered round the chief of the flotilla, 
attended by the chiefs of the Soorgoos, and each party de- 
fended their own interests and those of their employers with 
considerable warmth. The Soorgoos were not inclined to 
abate their demands ; but, by dint of entreaty and resistance, 
the contributions were reduced to one-half the amount which 
had been at first demanded. 
About nine in the evening the canoes received orders to 
send on shore two sacks of millet ; which was done without 
delay. These sacks were of the height of a man, and as 
