400 
THE LOUS. 
me with earnest curiosity, saying, that they had never seen a 
Moor so white as I was. • 
A little after sun-set, as I was standing by the fire, 
boiling some pieces of bark to wash my mouth, which was 
still very painful, a young negro of our caravan, who had 
shewn me marks of attention during the whole of the 
journey, informed me that I must not stay out too late, 
because, if the Lous should see me, they would beat me 
unmercifully. I did not know what he meant, and asked 
him to explain himself. He told me that throughout the 
whole of Bambara, there are men who live all day in the 
woods, in huts made of the branches of trees. They have 
with them boys, to whom they teach the mysteries of their 
ceremonies. Every night they issue from the woods, ac- 
companied by the boys, running about the village, uttering 
frightful cries, and making a thousand hideous contortions. 
On their approach, the terrified inhabitants shut themselves 
up in their huts ; but there are some men, added the negro, 
who are not afraid of the Lous. I immediately conjectured, 
that these Lous must be an association similar to that of the 
Simos, which I have already described as existing among 
the people who inhabit the banks of the Rio Nunez, and also 
among the Timannees. I was confirmed in this supposition, 
when the young negro informed me that, on rejoicing days, 
they give notice of their intention to shew themselves 
openly. They come and join in the festivities of the day, 
and then return to their habitations, laden with presents of 
every kind, which all, and particularly the women, are eager 
to bestow upon them. The young negro, from whom I 
learned these particulars, had made several journeys through 
this country, and had acquired an acquaintance with the 
manners of the people, which a stranger can obtain but 
slowly and imperfectly. He, moreover, informed me that 
the Lous drink the beer of the country, with which they fre- 
quently become intoxicated. 
