10 
INTRODUCTION. 
we found asleep in the camp that it had formed outside 
the town. This camp was nothing more than a cluster of 
straw huts, surrounded by a palisade four feet high, formed 
of trunks of trees interlaced with branches. 
Our people had neglected to inclose the wells within the 
palisade of the camp — an unpardonable oversight, which in 
the sequel exposed us to the most severe privation. The 
chiefs of the expedition proceeded on their arrival to pay 
their respects to the old almamy, carrying with them valuable 
presents to dispose him in our favour. 
This was not all : they were obliged to make him fresh 
presents every day, for the greedy almamy was incessantly 
craving. Curious to see this sovereign, I repaired to his 
residence : I penetrated thither without impediment, and 
found the king of Bondou seated on a mat spread upon the 
ground, watching a negro mason belonging to our expedition, 
for whom he had applied, that he might build him a stone 
powder-room destined to contain the ammunition with which 
we had presented him. 
The almamy of Bondou, a man of about seventy, had 
quite white hair, a long beard, and a face deeply wrinkled. 
He was dressed in two pagnes* of the country and covered 
with amulets down to the ancles. He eyed me with a look 
of indifference and seemed to pay much more attention to the 
work of the mason than to my presence, which afforded me > ^ 
leisure to examine without giving him offence. 
Having staid some days at Boulibaneh, during which 
we were on the best terms with the inhabitants, Major Gray 
made arrangements for quitting this royal residence. But 
before his departure he deemed it right to make the almamy 
a farewell present : it consisted of a piece of Guinea cloth,t 
and a few trifling articles. Whether the prince was dissa^ 
* A piece of cotton cloth of the country, six feet long and two and a 
half wide. 
t Blue India calico. The pieces are about sixteen yards long. 
