158 
PARTICULARS RESPECTING FOUTATORO. 
countries of which they had taken possession. The Poulas 
who had till then fled before their enemies, would not quit for 
ever a fertile tract to bury themselves in barren deserts. They 
began therefore to think of recovering the conquests from 
which they had been dislodged, and engaged to pay to the 
Moors a tribute of ten measures of millet for every chief of a 
family, and to embrace the Mahometan religion. This is now 
the only religion tolerated in the country, and the tribute is 
punctually paid every year. . • 
This great nation of the Poulas, or men of a red colour, 
is almost become extinct. These people having contracted 
marriages with the Jolofis and Serreres, have produced a 
race of Mulattoes called Torodos, from whom the province 
of Toro in Fouta derives its name, which has even been 
extended to the whole country, because these Torodos have 
made themselves masters of it, and driven out the red Poulas 
by whom it w^as formerly occupied. The latter, dispersed in 
the deserts of the kingdoms of the Bourb-Jololfs, Cayor, and 
Salum, still lead there the roving life of their ancestors ; a 
very small number of them, however, have retained their colour. 
The red Poulas and the Torodos speak the language of their 
forefathers, but mingled with Serrere and JolofF words. The 
Serreres are evidently the most ancient inhabitants of this 
part of Africa. Their language, which is extremely simple, is 
probably one of the oldest, and their wild manners have not 
undergone any change. - . 
