TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
159 
blood, persuaded them to desist, assuring them 
that every satisfaction would be given. My 
first step was to order Shaw into confinement, 
and send for Osman, to consult what was ne- 
cessary to be done. On his arrival at my hut, 
where the Marabouts were awaiting him at my 
request, I stated the unfortunate occurrence 
precisely as it had taken place, pointing out to 
him the position of the deceased in the market, 
and that of the prisoner in his hut, through the 
side of which, being composed of straw, the 
ball had passed. 
The Marabouts fully corroborated my state- 
ment, by relating every circumstance with the 
most minute exactness, and gave it as their 
opinion, that the thing occurred wholly by acci- 
dent : but as the deceased was a slave belonging 
to spme of the inhabitants of a neighbouring 
village, it w^ould be necessary for me to send a 
person to acquaint them with the affair, and de- 
spatch without delay a messenger to Almamy, 
requesting him to have the business tried and 
decided on immediately. Both these injunc- 
tions I complied with at the moment, and gave 
the prisoner into the hands of Osman, who ex- 
pressed a wish that I might keep him myself, 
which I could have done, but I preferred acting 
otherwise, as I was aware that the inhabitants 
