DEPARTURE FROM KANKAN. 287 
and exceedingly narrow; it was formed of two trunks of 
trees, united lengthwise and fastened together with cords ; it 
was about eleven o'clock when we reached the right bank. 
The good Moor testified great regret at parting and after 
having broken in two a colat-nut, which we ate together, he 
left me with good wishes for the success of my journey ; 
when he was a little way from the bank, he turned his head 
towards me, bade me adieu once more, and wished me a 
speedy return to my country. 
We left the banks of the river, and directed our course 
to the east for a couple of miles, through a well cultivated 
country. In some places I perceived, on a level with the 
ground, red and porous rocks, which appeared to be of the 
same nature as those at Sierra-Leone. We crossed a large ri- 
vulet on a very tottering bridge, which was rather dangerous 
to the merchants, who were all laden ; one of them, having 
happily arrived at the further end of the bridge, could not 
keep his balance any longer, and fell into the water ; but 
received no injury : this stream falls into the Milo. We 
halted at Sofino, a village dependent upon Kankan, and 
inhabited by Wassoulo Foulahs ; the country is for the most 
part covered with nedes and ces ; the land round the village 
is well cultivated, and more attention is paid to agriculture 
than at Kankan. We took up our abode in a hut, the inside 
walls of which appeared to have been whitewashed, whether 
with lime or not I could not tell, but it looked like it. We 
roasted some pistachio-nuts, which we ate while we were 
waiting till it should be time to set off ; we were to travel 
by night through the woods, which are said to be infested by 
robbers. Our little caravan was composed of fourteen 
persons, Foulahs, Mandingoes, and saracolets. It might 
be about half past one when we set off, and the weather was 
cool, dark, and foggy. We proceeded eastward, walking 
at a great rate, and in perfect silence, lest we should be 
overheard by robbers, who would infallibly have stripped us. 
