DISCOVERIES OF THE FRENCH. 171 
number of followers. The director called upon 
him, and made some little presents, which were re- 
ceived politely, and with apparent satisfaction. But 
he soon after sent his son to assure the French go- 
vernor, that he had been entirely deceived as to his 
present situation ; that, though some of his sub- 
jects had revolted, he was still sovereign, and would 
soon reduce them to subjection; the French, there- 
fore, would do well to pay him the customary du- 
ties ; otherwise he would not only interrupt their 
commerce, but would cut off their return. Brue 
seems to have made an uniform principle of repel- 
ling threat by threat ; he therefore informed the 
young prince, that he would pay no duty, would 
carry on commerce as he chose, and on the least 
insult, would send his father and himself prisoners 
to America. This speech induced the prince to a 
very speedy departure, and the French continued 
their voyage till they arrived at Dramanet, a town 
of considerable magnitude. The inhabitants, 4000 
in number, are Mahometans, and the best trader^ 
whom the French had yet met with. They carry 
on trade as far as Tombuctoo, which they described 
as situated five hundred leagues in the interior. 
They imported from it gold and ivory, and slaves 
from Bambarra, which they described as an exten- 
sive region between Tombuctoo and Kasson, bar- 
ren, but very populous. They had been chiefly 
accustomed to send their commodities to exchange 
