380 
MR PARK'S FIRST JOURNEY. 
He sprung up with renovated hopes, and, travelling 
forward, soon reached a village, when he proceeded 
to Sibidooloo, which he reached in the evening. 
Sibidooloo, the frontier town of Manding, is si- 
tuated in a fertile valley, circumscribed by ele- 
vated rocky grounds, which are scarcely accessible 
to horse. It had never been plundered in the 
wars of the Barnbarrans, Foulhas, and Mandingoes. 
He stated his situation to the Dooty, who inte- 
rested himself in his cause with great humanity, 
and promised to recover his horse and effects ; 
but, as the scarcity of provisions was very great, 
Mr Park resolved not to trespass on the humanity 
of the Dooty, (who is termed the Mansa in Man- 
ding,) but proceeded on his journey to Wonda, a 
small town with a mosque, surrounded with a high 
wall. At one of the villages which he passed, he 
ate of an uncommon species of food, composed of 
the blossoms of maize stewed in milk and water. 
At Wonda, he remained for nine days, affected 
with severe feverish symptoms, occasioned by the 
united influence of mental anxiety, corporeal fa- 
tigue, and exposure to the heat of the day, and the 
dews of night, almost without clothes. These 
symptoms he could not conceal from his landlord, 
whom he overheard observing to his wife, that 
their guest would probably occasion them much 
trouble and cost ; as, for the sake of their good 
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