18 
INTRODUCTION. 
out knowing where we were : and we might have continued 
thus but for a negro whom we met and forced to conduct 
us to the river : he first led us past a field^ where several 
negroes, who were at work, fled at sight of us towards their 
village. At length, at ten o'clock in the morning, we arrived 
at a hamlet situated on the left bank of the Senegal, at a 
little distance from Bakel. Without halting there, we lost 
no time in availing ourselves of a ford a short way off to 
cross the river. Though the water was then low, yet in 
some places it was up to our chins, so that every man was 
obliged to carry his things upon his head for fear of wetting 
them. 
We were now on the right bank of the river, and it w^s 
high time we were, for some of our number were still cross- 
ing when multitudes of Foulahs appeared on the other side 
armed with pikes and arrows. It had been all over with us 
had we fallen in with them in the woods, for they were the 
neighbours to our camp, enraged at having been deceived 
by our stratagem. They durst not cross the river ; but 
reckoning upon our simplicity, they made signs to M. Par- 
tarrieu to come to them and explain himself. The latter 
replied, that if they would call upon him at Bakel he would 
hear what they had to say. This invitation was not accept- 
able to them I accordingly they never came, but returned 
immediately to their village. 
After crossing the river we were still a day's journey 
from Bakel : and though it would have been more prudent 
to push on to that place at once, we were all so overwhelm- 
ed with fatigue that we were obliged to encamp by the way 
before night. We went to sleep in the most complete 
security, under the idea that the sentinels would keep good 
watch ; but these sentinels having undergone the same 
fatigues as ourselves fell asleep too. No accident, however, 
befel us, and early next morning we arrived at Bakel. 
The reader may conceive our joy on entering that fort. 
