INTRODUCTION. 
11 
tisfied with it, or apprehensive that the English were going 
to join the French for the purpose of attacking his domi- 
nions, or had vowed not to allow us to pass, he declared with 
feigned regret that he could not permit us to proceed to Ba- 
kel; that he would suffer us to go to Clego, but we must 
traverse his territories and those of Kaarta : otherwise there 
was no alternative for us but to take the road of Fouta-Toro, 
to reach the Senegal. These two routes were equally arduous 
and dangerous for us, since we were sure to find in both 
those countries people as fanatic and as barbarous as the 
inhabitants of Bondou. It was evidently the almamy's de- 
sign to cause us to be plundered and perhaps murdered. Our 
situation became alarming. A council was held, and the in- 
dignation excited by the almamy's conduct caused the adop- 
tion of the violent measure of opening by force a passage to 
Bakel. The animals were immediately laden, and prepara- 
tions made for breaking up : but no sooner was our intention 
known than the king's s oldiers, fifty in number, armed with 
lances and muskets, came and possessed themselves of the 
wells and surrounded our camp. We had but little water, 
through the imprudence which I have mentioned above ; and 
notwithstanding the economical manner in which we em- 
ployed it, we were on the point of being totally cut off from 
it. In Africa it is easier to reduce a place by thirst than by 
famine. 
This was not the only danger that threatened us ; the 
war-drums were already heard on all sides. At the sound 
of this tocsin of alarm, crowds of armed men hastened to 
obey the summons of their chiefs; and a tremendous 
uproar every where prevailed. In less than two hours a 
numerous army was on foot, ready to rush upon us : resist- 
ance became impossible, since we were no more than one 
hundred and thirty persons. Notwithstanding the ardour 
and the despair which animated all of us, we could not hope 
to withstand so many foes united. It was useless therefore, to 
