28 MERINA — MALL. 
Peulhs. * I accompanied him, in spite of the fever which 
had not left me, and we arrived there at three in the afternoon. 
This village is about eighteen miles N.E. from N'pM. We 
had still to travel through woods. I was extremely fatigued, 
and lay down in the shade of a hut into which I had been 
refused admission. The man, who had acted in the capacity 
of guide, came and informed me that two men would set out 
the same evening for Mall, and he advised me to seize this 
opportunity. He asked me if I could walk well at night, 
adding that it was as far from that place to Mall as it was 
from N'pal to Merina; and he assured me that on the follow- 
ing day I should not meet with a guide. I determined there- 
fore to accompany those whom chance offered me : I arranged 
with one of them to carry my baggage ; he agreed to do so for 
two quires of paper and four heads or three leaves of tobacco ; 
at sun- set we started. 
The direction we pursued was N.E. | E. One of my 
guides was on horseback ; we walked at a good pace. Travel- 
ling in the dark was very unpleasant ; I ran so many thorns 
into my feet that I was unable to proceed, and 1 offered the 
negro who had the horse the same price to let me ride as I 
paid for carrying my baggage: the negro accepted it and 
made me get up behind. I found this position so inconvenient 
that I was as tired as if I had walked ; my feet, however, 
became no worse. 
An hour before we reached the village, we entered some 
very fine fields of millet, which the moon-light enabled us to 
perceive. We reached Mall about one in the morning : at the 
noise made by the dogs on our approach, some of the inha- 
bitants rose to enquire who we were. A good old marabout 
offered me his hut: my feet were so swollen and so painful 
that I could not stir a step : the negro lent me his arm, and 
kindly leading me in, told me to lie down on his humble bed - 
*Tlie Peulhs inhabit Fouta-Toro ; they are also called Foulahs. 
