224 
ABDOUL CHIEF OF BANDEIA. 
endeavoured to gain over to my interest Abdoul, the chief of 
■ the village, who from his relationship to Almamy was very 
powerful in this country. I presented him for this purpose 
with three grains of amber, and added three more for his 
sister, of whose illustrious birth I was till then ignorant, for 
I had seen her driving her flocks herself to the pasture ; a 
fresh instance of the patriarchal manners of these people. 
Abdoul bestowed great praises on the respect which had in- 
duced me to undertake so perilous a journey to see Almamy, 
adding, " that I must be a very courageous man to traverse 
80 many countries for this single object. This prince," 
said he, " will be proud to receive a visit from a white 
man, and will make thee as great as himself." The 
gratitude of Abdoul was not confined to this pompous 
language ; he insisted on subsisting me during my stay 
at Bandéia, and assured me that he was very sorry he 
had not a sheep or a kid to offer me ; even if this excuse 
were not sincere, it at least indicated some principles of 
civility. He did more, and what I was particularly anxious 
for, he promised me a guide to Timbo. I thought that a 
native of the country might be very useful to me, because, 
being better acquainted with it than my two other guides who 
were foreigners, he would be able to point out to me whatever 
was worthy of notice. 
April 9th. Whilst my provisions, consisting of some 
onions and thirty-six small rice loaves, dried in the sun, were 
