38 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA 
paganism, to pay them a yearly tribute or quit 
the country which had for ages been their own. 
From that family is descended the present 
Almamy. Karamoka Alpha was the first Al- 
mamy of Teembo, and was surnamed Moudoo, or 
the great, being at the same time acknowledged 
as the chief Iman and defender of their religion. 
He was succeeded by his son, Yoro Padde, sur- 
named Soorie, at whose death the regal power 
was assumed by Almamy Saadoo, who was de- 
posed by Ali Bilmah and Alpha Salihou, and to 
whose sanguinary intrigues he afterwards fell a 
victim. Salihou was next proclaimed king, and 
distinguished his reign by a succession of pre- 
datory excursions against several Cafir or pagan 
tribes of the neighbouring states, many of whom 
he destroyed, plundered, or rendered tributary. 
He was succeeded by Abdulahi Ba Demba, who, 
having a dispute with Ali Bilmah, sent him in 
irons to Bondoo, whiere he vainly thought he 
could not injure him 5 but Ali Bilmah contrived 
to keep up a secret communication with his 
friends, and was eventually instrumental in re- 
moving his tyrannical sovereign from the throne, 
which was next occupied by Abdoolghader. Ba 
Demba then retired to Toogumba, a village at 
some distance north-west of Teembo, and, with 
the assistance of a few friends, assembled an 
army for the purpose of attempting to regain his 
