384 
MR PARK'S FIRST JOURNEY* 
ding with a sigh, " the irons were not then upoii 
" my legs." Mr Park immediately recollected one 
of his Kaartan friends, who had been taken by the 
Bambarrans, and gave him some earth-nuts, which 
he received from Karfa. On the 19th of Decem- 
ber, Karfa went to purchase slaves at Kancaba, a 
large town on the Niger, where an extensive com- 
merce in gold and slaves is carried on. During 
his absence he committed his guest to the care of 
the schoolmaster, a Bushreen of mild manners and 
tolerant principles, who possessed various books and 
manuscripts, and read them with indefatigable ap- 
plication. The scholars received their instructions 
in the morning and evening, and, during the day, 
were employed as domestic slaves in the service of 
their master. They are chiefly the children of Pa- 
gans, who, induced by the desire of knowledge, im* 
bibe and propagate the doctrines of Mahomet, by 
this mode, which, except at Sierra Leone, has ne- 
ver been attempted by the Christians. Mr Park 
believes, that a short introduction to Christianity, 
elegantly printed in Arabic, and distributed among 
the negroes, who read that language, would have a 
wonderful effect in disseminating the mild doc- 
trines of Christianity, and, from its superior ele- 
gance and cheapness, might soon be classed among 
the school-books of Africa. On the 24th of Janu- 
ary, Karfa returned from Kancaba ; and, as all the 
Slatees and slaves of the coffle or caravan were as- 
