386 tm PARK'S FIRST JOURNEY. 
tower to the heavens, and the birds of prey hover 
round the blaze, to feast on. the reptiles which en- 
deavour to escape the flame. 
The gold of Manding is never found in any ma- 
trix or vein, but, like that of Bambouk, scattered 
in small grains of pure metal through the strata 
of sand or clay. The women chiefly employ 
themselves in collecting it, and the Mansa of a 
particular district appoints a day for the purpose, 
when all that are concerned assemble. A person 
may collect, in general, during the dry season, as 
much as is equal to the value of two slaves. Gold 
abounds every where in Manding and Jallonkadoo, 
especially in the hilly district of Boori, or Bowriah, 
four journeys to the north-west of Kamaliah. The 
gold obtained is either used in commerce, or wrought 
into ornaments for the women. The standard of 
value in computation is the minkalli, a quantity of 
gold in value about 10s. In Bambarra, Kaarta, 
Jallonkadoo, and the woody districts, elephants are 
numerous, and often hunted, but never tamed. 
The negroes cannot believe that ships are built, 
and voyages undertaken, to procure ivory, only to 
be used for handles to knives, when pieces of wood 
would be equally convenient ; they, therefore, ima- 
gine that it is employed for some more important 
purpose, which is concealed from the negroes, lest 
they should raise its price. The system of domes- 
tic slavery prevails, in the same manner as on the 
4 
