258 EXAMINATION OF THE AUTHOR. 
again questioned respecting the circumstances which had 
induced me to travel through the country. The answers of 
my guide were repeated aloud by a crier, in order that they 
might be heard by those who were outside. When his ex- 
amination was ended, one of the old men asked me whether 
I had any more to say, or whether all that Lamfia had said 
was true. I replied that it was. The saracolet, who spoke 
Arabic, and had travelled with us from Baleya, was then 
called in ; I repeated in Arabic all that my guide had first 
stated. The saracolet was desired to put many questions 
to me ; but he got rid of this task by saying that the Arabic 
spoken in my country, was not at all like that which he 
understood. Lamfia was then praised for the manner in 
which he had treated me, and the whole assembly unani- 
mously agreed that I was a true Musulman. The meeting 
had only been held to make all the inhabitants acquainted 
with my journey through the country, and the circumstances 
which occasioned it. Thus, I had nothing to fear from 
those who might take me for a European. The assembly 
consisted of between a thousand and twelve hundred persons, 
all very well dressed, and there were many more outside 
than in the mosque, which is very large. We were informed 
that we might retire, and we did not wait to be told so a 
second time. After this examination, I regularly attended 
the mosque in order to lull suspicion, and when any one 
entered my hut, I took care to be holding in my hand a leaf 
of the Koran. I frequently saw the saracolet, to whom I 
gave the pair of scissors, which I had promised him on the 
road. He professed a regard for me, and wished to take 
me with him to Sego. I thought he wished to extort further 
presents from me ; but, perhaps, I was somewhat prejudiced 
against him. He and his comrade rested for some days at 
Kankan. I did not wish to go by the way of Sego, being 
apprehensive of detection there, and, besides, had I gone 
thither, I must, on account of the continual war between 
