178 MEDINA. 
inhabitant of Bode did not sutFer us long- to be without our 
repast. 
March 19th. We directed our course towards the south- 
east. After proceeding- two leagues, we turned eastward, and 
passed through a village of considerable extent. All the 
Poulas who dwell in Bondou in the midst of the woods, 
confine themselves to the culture of small millet and cotton. 
They have some cows and fowls, but no horses. Their villages 
are extremely miserable. We travelled a long time without 
seeing any habitations. At length we reached a little village, 
where we found only one man, who presented us with a 
calebash full of excellent honey, which he had been at the 
pains to clarify. As all the women were absent, we were 
obliged, notwithstanding the oppressive heat of the day, to go 
as far as Medina,-* which was also afflicted with famine. We 
seated ourselves under a cobdi, a great tree, the extremely 
broad leaves of which, without indentation, and having large 
fibres, alFord a very cool shade ; its fruit, of the size of a hazel 
nut, is according to the inhabitants so delicious, that they 
want nothing else to eat w^hen they can procure it. Wliilst 
we were resting, several men came to ask permission to take 
my horse to water, for none of them had ever mounted or 
* Many places bear this name, which signifies town. 
