278 FAMILY OF MOHAMMED. 
would shortly occur. The rains had begun to be frequent ; 
not a day passed over without a storm^ and I was continual- 
ly tormented by the thought that the country through which 
I should have to travel would be flooded. But even this 
was less distressing than the idea of staying in a place, where 
the quarrel which I had had with Lamfia promised me no 
security for the future. I was afraid that his ill-will towards 
me might give rise to something unpleasant. However, I 
was very comfortable with my new host, who was very rich, 
and much more generous than the generality of Mandingoes. 
He possessed numerous herds of oxen and cows, which sup- 
plied him with abundance of excellent milk. He often sent 
me some of it, together with a deguet, (a sort of couscous) 
an attention which no Man dingo had before paid me, with 
the exception of a sherif of the country, who gave me a 
little milk, because, as he said, we were relations. I was a 
neighbour to the Moor Mohammed, and every evening we 
took our supper together. He often came to bear me com- 
pany, and he helped to while away my tedious hours, by 
introducing me to all his friends. This good old man, who 
was about sixty, was short, and had the features of an Arab ; 
he was inconceivably active, and talked much, and with great 
rapidity. His wife, who was a negress, had borne him a 
son, who was at that time between twelve and fifteen years 
old. The lad was a poor looking creature, and his delicate 
health caused much anxiety to his old father. The mother 
was extremely industrious ; she cooked all the victuals, and 
attended to the household concerns. Mohammed had a 
slave, whom he employed in cultivating a little garden, which 
surrounded his habitation. Three huts, built upon a piece 
of ground which the alkali had given him, served for the 
dwelling of himself and family. He had no field to culti- 
vate, and his only resource was to go from place to place, 
asking the Mandingoes for rice, foigne, salt, meat, &c. 
for the maintainance of his family. In the middle of his 
