.ACCOUNT OF THE MANDINGOS, 39 
•f the commerce; the king and his great men being Mandingos. 
They are the only well informed persons in the state ; for they 
know almost every thing, and can read and write. They have 
public schools, in which the Marabous, who are the masters, 
teach the children the Arabic tongue; their lessons are written 
on small pieces of white wood; but they give the preference to 
the paper which we have introduced amongst them. When they 
know the alcoran, they obtain the title of doctors. 
It is remarkable that the Mandingos, who have all come from 
a republican state, have formed nothing but monarchies wher- 
ever they have established themselves; but they have not invested 
their kings w-ith unlimited authority. On all important occasions 
these princes are obliged to convoke a meeting of the wisest old 
men, by whose advice they act, and without which they can nei- 
ther declare war nor make peace. 
In all the large towns the people have a chief magistrate who 
bears the name of alcaide, and whose place is hereditary: his duty 
is to preserve order, to receive the tribute imposed upon travellers^ 
and to preside at the sittings of the tribunal of justice. The juris- 
diction IS composed of old men who are free ; and their meeting is 
called a palaver; it holds its sittings in theopen air, and with mucli 
solemnity. The aftairs vihich are brought for discussion, are 
investigated with much candour ; the witnesses are publicly 
heard ; and the decisions generally excite the approbation of both 
parties. 
They have no w ritten laws, but decide on the cases according 
to their ancient customs; nevertheless they sometimes have re- 
course to the civil institutes of Mahomet, and when the korau 
does not appear to them sufficiently perspicuous, they consult a 
commentary entitled Al Scharra, which contains a complete ex- 
position of the civil and criminal laws of Islamism. They have 
amongst them people w ly> exercise the profession of counsellors,, 
or interpreters of the laws, and who are allowed to plead either 
for the accuser or the accused, as at European tribunals: thesa 
negro-lawyers are MahoiDetaiis, and have, or pretend to have, 
studied, with particular attention, tlie institutions of the prophet. 
Xn the art of chicanery they ecjual the most acute pleaders of 
civilized countries. 
These people foliov/ the laws of Mahomet, of which they are 
rigid observers: most of them neither drink wine nor spirits;, 
and all fast with the utmost rigour durino; the maradan or lent. 
They br<;ed no hogs, becau'^e their laws foi bid the eating of their 
flesh ; though they might sell them to great advantage. They 
are very affectionate amongst themselves, and always assist each 
other. It is not understood that they make slaves, as this pu- 
niîhraent is only decreeJ by the king, ajid chitBy against the 
