KONOMBA. 
183 
scenes of the wedding night. The spectators encouraged these 
dancers by clapping their hands, because griots are rare in 
Mahometan countries. Other guests kept aloof, and conversed 
amongst themselves ; all were dressed in white, every one had 
on the best apparel ; for gaiety, it truly resembled one of our 
rustic weddings. My presence interrupted their sports, and 
all the young females quitted the bride to examine a guest 
such as is rarely seen at African weddings. A bullock had 
been killed for the occasion ; the arrival of a griot slave, (for a 
Mahometan would never take up a drum) and good cheer, 
prolonged the ball till day-light. As to us, they sent us a 
bowl full of couscous, and a piece of meat, so tough, that we 
must have gone without breakfast as well as dinner, to have 
touched so detestable a supper. 
March 21st. We stopped during the day at Konomba, 
where we laid in a supply of millet flour, mixed with honey, 
and pounded pistachio nuts, for we were about to enter the 
deserts which separate Bondou from Fouta Jallon. A black 
man with very weak sight asked me for a charm, and I wrote 
it on a leaf of the rondier, which is used in Africa, where 
paper is not to be had. When the women of Konomba had 
prepared our provisions, we resumed our route. 
The country which we traversed was very woody ; and 
the surface of the soil, entirely covered with ferruginous stones, 
was so hot, that my people imagined it must contain subter- 
raneous fire. It was midnight before we could reacli Dian- 
