PROPOSED ROUTE TO JENNE. 261 
my guide sat down beside him, and he began to scrutinize 
me with great curiosity, appearing to doubt whether I was 
an Arab. He was told whence I came and that I wished to 
go to Jenne. I inquired of him the distance from that town 
to Kankan, and begged him to inform me what sort of peo- 
ple I should meet with on the road. He assured me posi- 
tively that it was a journey of three months and ten days, 
and when I remarked that it would consequently be neces- 
sary to rest by the way, he told me that, on the contrary, 
the caravans travelled every day. He said that most of the 
tribes between Kankan and Jenne were idolaters, and that 
there were very few Musulmans among them. He assured 
me that I should have many difficulties to encounter* that the 
negroes would take me for a white ; and that they had no 
great liking for people of my colour. As for the difficulties, 
which he spoke of, I had made up my mind to meet 
and to surmount them, but I was somewhat startled by the 
length of the journey which I should be obliged to perform on 
foot ; I soon bethought myself, indeed, that the negroes never 
count the time which their journeys take and that this man 
could not know for certain how long he had been on his. I 
was desirous of setting off as soon as possible, before the 
rains became heavier, but 1 wanted a guide, and I could not 
find one willing to accompany me to Sambatikila, though I 
promised a handsome present as a reward. I was therefore 
persuaded to wait for an opportunity, which would, I was 
told, soon occur ; and I was glad to hear, that there were 
numerous communications between Kankan and the country 
to which I was bound. 
On the 29th of June, the saracolets and some Mandin- 
goes prepared to set out on their journey through the woods 
which separate Kankan from the Wassoulo. My saracolet 
friend came to see me, and asked me if I was ready to go with 
him, observing that I should not, for some time, meet with so 
favourable an opportunity foi traversing the woods of the 
