DEPARTURE FROM TIME. 
361 
CHAPTER XIV. 
Departure from Time, January 9th, 1829. — ^The name of Kong, applied 
by Mungo Park to a chain of mountains, is a generic term. — Use of 
bells in caravans. — Loubakho. — Cacoron. — Dancing and music of the 
Bambaras. — Sananso. — Dhio. — The oil palm-tree. — Tale. — Customs of 
the inhabitants. — Borandou. — Grotesque mask. — Tangrera. 
On the 9th of January, after a slight repast of yams, which 
the old negress prepared for us, we got ready to leave 
Time. I made my hostess a handsome present, which she 
received with pleasure, and I also gave Baba some merchan- 
dise, which I had promised him, as a compensation for the 
time I had stayed with him. 
About nine o'clock in the morning we left the village,, 
after taking leave of the good old chief, who wished us a 
prosperous journey. 
My guide brought his wife to carry my baggage, 
which had now become very light, and his brother Baba was 
to accompany us a short distance on the road. We directed 
our course to the S. S. E. and gained the foot of the chain of 
mountains, which is composed of masses of granite. In 
crossing this chain, I observed several trees growing among 
the rocks, principally the ce. Numerous springs rise in 
the mountains and fertilize the country, the soil of which^ 
composed of black mould mixed with grey sand, is ex- 
ceedingly fertile. The country was stripped of all its charms r 
the grass was burned up, the trees had lost half their foliage, 
and the birds had flown from the woods to the margins of 
the streams. All was sad and desolate, and the dreary ap- 
pearance of the hills of granite augmented the sombre effect 
of the scene. We entered a Bambara village named Dsagoe, 
