262 VISIT TO THE SOURCES OF THE SENEGAL. 
could make a much better pair of the same kind ; while a 
blacksmith on his part, declared that he could make quite as 
good gun-stocks as ours. The presumption of this Negro was 
so great that he deserved a lesson, I therefore said to him : 
" Thou who workest in iron, didst thou make the lock and 
barrel to thy gun T " No !" said he peevishly, and instantly 
left my hut. 
April 26th. Ali had given us his word to conduct us to 
the sources of the Senegal, but the obligation of keeping his 
promise threw him into extreme terror ; he lost his appetite, 
and for three days he ate nothing. He fancied every moment 
that he saw a messenger from Timbo, arriving w ith orders to 
apprehend us; his fears were not unreasonable, for I confess 
I am surprised that the inhabitants of this country suffered a 
man to escape, whom they might so easily have pillaged with 
impunity. The safety which I every where enjoyed, proves 
that the NeoToes religiously keep their oaths. Ali, however, 
notwithstanding his fears, omitted no opportunity of collecting 
the information necessary to enable us to reach the sources of 
the Senegal. Agreeably to the instructions w^e had received 
from the inhabitants of Dalaba, we proceeded to the north ; aftre 
traversing a fertile plain watered by the Senegal, we crossed 
this river, the shallow current of which flowed over a bed of 
sand and flints ; we then began to climb a very steep mountain. 
We were still far from the summit when Ali suddenly stopping 
shewed us on our left at a little distance from our track, a 
