BADI ARAN A. 
401 
In the evening, I heard some strange howlings in the 
vicinity of the village. I made no doubt that the Lous had 
commenced their nightly incursions, and felt great curi- 
osity to see them. I cautiously crept out of my hut, and 
took my station behind a little palisade, vrhence I could see 
without being seen. I soon saw a man advance. His 
head was covered with a piece of rag, and from various parts 
of his body were suspended bells and little bits of iron, 
which made a horrid jingling noise. Before he entered the 
village, he announced his approach by running round it, 
uttering frightful howlings, and rattling his noisy appendages. 
He was followed by a number of boys, dressed like himself. 
I heard some old men, who were sitting conversing together 
at their doors, call out to the Lou, not to go that way, as 
there were people there ; and he and his retinue immediately 
turned another way. During a great part of the night I 
could get no sleep, on account of the howling of these 
savages. 
At six next morning, we left Missabougou, and travelled 
six miles N. E. Our road was covered with ferruginous 
stones. About nine in the morning, we halted at Badiarana, 
a village containing about eight or nine hundred inhabitants* 
The market was abundantly supplied with all the necessaries 
of life. The inhabitants maintain a considerable trade; 
merchants from Sego and Yamina bring salt to Badiarana, 
which they exchange for cloth of native manufacture, and 
cowries. Mandingoes coming from the market of Jenne 
also traffic at Badiarana, to procure a supply of cowries for 
the remainder of their journey. I inquired of several mer- 
chants the distance of this place from Sego. They all con- 
curred in telling me that Kayaye, a large commercial town, 
was nine days' journey north of Badiarana, and that 
Sego was nine days' journey from Kayaye in the same 
direction. 
VOL. 1. 2 B 
