126 DETENTION OF THE AUTHOR NEAR BANAL 
homeliness of the repast : and it is to Africa that we ought in 
preference to send the infatuated admirers of our civilization 
and humanity, that they may learn of those whom they treat 
as rude savag-es, to practise virtue without ostentation. There 
they would find excellent models to hold up to the imitation 
of Europeans. 
Near the village where we slept, resided a Marabout, 
who had performed a pilgrimage to Mecca. I went with 
Boukari to consult him respecting the course of the Niger ; 
he answered, that on this side of the river and beyond Tom- 
buctoo, there are countries entirely peopled by Poulas ; that 
the Dyaliba discharges itself into the Nile, and that its waters, 
after mingling w^ith those of the river of Egypt, pursue 
their course to the sea, 
March 4th. The crowin»- of the cocks was the sisrnal for 
departure ; our hosts took upon themselves the office of guides. 
We had made but little progress, when we were stopped by some 
men dispatched by the chief of the village of Banai, whither w e 
were going ; one of them even seized my gun by the barrel ; 
I had time to load it, and threatened to kill this Negro if he 
did not desist. Seeing me determined to execute my threats, 
he relinquished the gun ; ashamed, however, of having yielded 
so quickly, he returned to the assault, and I was then obliged 
to draw my dagger and prepare for defence. Our two guides, 
who were a little behind, arrived very opportunely to put an 
end to this unequal combat, for our antagonists were six to 
