54 
INSTANCES OF AFRICAN HEROISM. 
standard of revolt, and with a view to augment his force, 
was desirous of joining the rebels of Cape Verd ; he had twice 
beaten the troops of the king of Cayor, when he met his 
army on the way, at the very moment when he was on the 
point of forming a junction with that of Dakar. The danger 
was imminent. The partizans of the Marabout were inferior 
in number; surrounded in a disadvantageous position, he did 
not hesitate to give battle, though his destruction was inevitable. 
During the action he retired for the purpose of prayer, to a hut, 
round which he had placed heaps of dry reeds ; when he saw 
his warriors fall back, and the cavalry of the Daniel pursuing 
them towards his retreat, he set fire to the hut, preferring a 
lingering and painful death to the ignominy which would have 
been reserved for him by his king. 
The other example is as follows : — The Damel was at war 
with the JolofFs of the kingdom of Baol, which he afterwards 
annexed to his own dominions. The people of Baol, secure 
amon^- their woods, had declined to fight, excepting when 
stratagem or their position had given them a decided advan- 
tage. At length, having issued from their forests, they ap- 
peared on the plain, preceded by their king. " It is here," 
they cried, " that we must perish ! We have been accused 
of cowardice, let those who thus reproach us, imitate our 
example : they pretend that we know only how to run away. 
Let each of us then make it impossible for him to save him- 
self by flight." At these words each man filled his wide 
