GREAT DRUM. 
213 
On the 17th of May, I went with Ibrahim to the village, 
to see a drum made, which is used by these people in time 
of war. There were twenty Mandingoes employed in making 
it. The drum consisted of a large bowl, formed of the trunk 
of a tree, three or four feet in circumference, and from six to 
eight inches deep, covered with a piece of untanned bullock's 
hide. At the bottom of the drum were pasted a great many 
bits of paper, inscribed with Arabic characters. These were 
amulets, to preserve them from their enemies. They were 
employed a whole day at this work, which they regarded as 
an amusement. 
The day was hot and stormy, and the sun was several times 
obscured by dark and thick clouds. In the evening a violent 
south wind rose, followed by thunder and lightning. Thick 
black clouds gathered on the summit of the mountains, sur- 
rounding the beautiful plain of Kankan-Fodea. About eight 
in the evening, a heavy rain set in, and lasted all night. 
1 could not sleep, and passed the time in reflecting on the 
difficulties which I should have to surmount, in crossing a 
country intersected by rivers and large streams, which in 
this season overflow their banks. I travelled on foot, for 
the appearance of humility which I had imposed upon myself 
during this journey did not allow me to purchase an animal 
to ride on, which would have awakened the cupidity of 
the various tribes that I had to visit ; thoroughly persuaded 
that the success of my undertaking depended on this appear- 
ance of poverty. 
The old schoolmaster fell ill, and I became his physician. 
He had a fever, and I gave him some doses of sulphate of qui- 
nine, and, afterwards, a dose of salts as a purgative ; I then 
advised him to buy a fowl to make broth, seasoned with brettes, 
a sort of herb which grows in that country, but the poor old man 
had not the means of buying a fowl. I begged Ibrahim to make 
him a present of one, but he replied coldly that he had none, 
