THE TOWN AND HOUSES. 
459 
well fed, well clothedj and not hard worked. Their lot 
would be preferable to that of the peasantry of some coun- 
tries of Europe, if any thing could compensate for the loss 
of liberty. In general they become confidential servants, 
who take care of the house in the absence of the master, or 
pack the merchandise and ship it, I remarked that these 
masters often gave them cowries to purchase what they 
liked. It was pleasing to witness conduct so well calculated 
to promote fidelity adopted towards them. They are indeed 
entrusted with whole sacks of cowries to count, without any 
apprehension of their stealing them. 
The town of Jenne is about two miles and half in cir- 
cumference ; it is surrounded by a very ill constructed 
earth wall, about ten feet high, and fourteen inches thick. 
There are several gates, but they are small. The houses are 
built of bricks dried in the sun. The sand of the isle of 
Jenn^ is mixed with a little clay, and it is employed to 
make bricks of a round form which are sufficiently solid. 
The houses are as large as those of European villages. The 
greater part have only one story, like Haggi-Mohammed*s, 
which I have already described. They are all terraced, 
have no windows externally, and the apartments receive 
no air except from an inner court. The only entrance, 
which is of ordinary size, is closed by a door made of 
wooden planks, pretty thick, and apparently sawed. The 
door is fastened on the inside by a double iron chain, and 
on the outside by a wooden lock made in the country. Some 
however have iron locks. The apartments are all long and 
narrow. The walls, especially the outer^ are well plastered 
with sand, for they have no lime. In each house there is 
a staircase leading to the terrace ; but there are no chim- 
neys, and consequently the slaves cook in the open air. The 
streets are not straight, but they are broad enough for a coun- 
try in which no carriages are used ; eight or nine persons 
may walk in them abreast ; they are kept in good order, 
