120 
CHARACTER OF FONEBE. 
you are going among the Bambaras ; therefore I advise you 
to assume the Moorish habit.". To have followed such advice, 
would have exposed me to imminent danger among fanatics, 
who, if they had detected my disguise, would have forced me 
to embrace their religion. 
In the evening our supper was served up ; it consisted of 
couscous and butter, salt, and two kinds of milk. My Mara- 
bout had never met with such good cheer, and his quarters 
appeared so comfortable, that he incessantly asked if I did not 
intend to remain there some time. Our host rose in the night 
and came to tell us that the weather was too cold to sleep in 
the open air ; that we must therefore remove and lie down in 
his hut. We accordingly followed him thither ; a fire was 
immediately lighted ; the mats and skins were spread out ; 
and we all three passed the night very quietly, close by the 
side of each other. 
March 2d. I gave my host a large grain of amber, and 
three charges of powder, -and I thought he never would have 
done thanking me ; he mounted his horse and conducted us a 
quarter of a league. Fonebé, who had treated me so well, 
was the chief of several villages. Like other chiefs, he drew 
his revenue from the rent and sale of lands which belonged to 
him in this quality. His frank and generous character 
procured him great esteem ; during a famine he alone had fed 
all Foutatoro ; the number of his slaves is considerable ; and 
a few years since he presented the king of Cassoun, with a 
