SETIABABANBÎ — AFRICAN HOSPITALITY. 
125 
the wells to fetch our clothes, which my Marabout's niece was 
wasJiing- ; for, like the beautiful Nausicaa, the richest women 
in Africa are not above performing- the humblest household 
duties. 
The plain of Senopalé which we traversed, contains a 
great number of villages, so near to each other that they 
seem to form but one ; the population of this plain amounts 
to at least twenty-five thousand souls. The fires of these 
huts diffused so much light, that it might have been mistaken 
for one of the conflagrations so common in the deserts of 
Africa. The roaring of the hyEenas which traversed these 
plains at the same time as ourselves, induced us to halt at 
Setiababanbi. V/ e should have been a long time without 
finding a lodging had not a Toucoulor offered us his warehouse 
for that purpose, and shared his supper with us. What civi- 
- lized country would have exhibited such an example of hos- 
pitality? Without money, without an order from the sovereign, 
without recommendation, an inn is always to be found in 
Africa ; and it is not an accommodation afforded out of pity 
to a poor and unknown traveller, as is often the case in 
Europe, it is not a bundle of straw given from compassion, as 
to a beast. If food is bestowed it is not the remnants of the 
table that are offered with a disdainful liberality ; on the 
contrary you are treated like a friend ; for half an hour at 
least your health is enquired after with particular attention ; 
you are seated by the side of your host, who apologizes for the 
