INHABITANTS OF FOUTA JALLON. 229 
to the laws ; they secretly curse Almamy whose duty it is to 
enforce them. They plundered me ; I am only surprised that 
they did not murder me too, for no one would have revenged 
my death. Obliged by the ruggedness of the country they 
inhabit to remove the stones which cover the soil, before 
they can sow any seed, they take no farther trouble, but leave 
to Providence the care of its germination and growth. Their 
poverty is equal to the sterility of their country. With these 
people every thing is good ; the leaves of trees, the juice of wild 
fruits, a handful of pistachio-nuts, appease their hunger ; they 
boast of their sobriety, but with them this is a forced virtue. 
Salt is extremely rare in these districts ; they wrap it in small 
pieces of cloth with as much care as if it were gold. The look of 
these people has something hideous ; their features are coarse, 
and the elegant figures of the Poulas are very rarely to be 
seen among them. Their hair is thin, their teeth bad, their 
disposition phlegmatic. They are not very hospitable, for they 
have little to ofi^er, and the traveller must expect from them 
nothing but lodging, and frequently not even that : how often 
have I offered amber for millet without being able to procure 
it ? The women are malicious and vindictive, and incessantly 
demanding presents ; some have good features, but their 
decayed teeth spoil all their charms. 
They have a great deal of work, which is the common lot 
of all African females. When a woman is asked for water or milk, 
