VOYAGE TO SENEGAL. 
under the protection of Sidy-Sellem. Their master had given 
them a camel to ride on without a saddle, and they proceeded in 
this manner for fîome days ; but the motion of the animal was so 
fatiguing, that they were obliged to quit it and travel the rest of 
the way on foot. 
This journey was difficult, but much less so than the former, 
as their master took them through villages where water was plen-? 
tifiil, and the people were more feeling. M. de Brisson, how- 
ever, had a shocking rencontre with some Moors of the tribe of 
Telkannes. They fired two muskets at him, but which Kickily 
missed him. Two Moors then seized him, and were about to 
carry him off, when Sidy-Sellem, who was some distance be-^ 
hind, came forward on the report of the guns, and loudly com- 
plained of the outrage ; but the Moors told him that they had 
taken the slave for a thief who had run away, Sidy-Sellem pre- 
tended to believe them, and the travellers continued their journey. 
The Moors of this tribe are the worst off of any in the desert, 
They live amongst hills which are formed entirely of sand raised 
by the wind; and it is so difficult to penetrate into their retreats, 
that it is a common savinaf, that thev endeavour to conceal them^ 
selves from the rays of the sun : the plains in the neighbour- 
hood contain great numbers of enormous serpents, which do not 
permit the cattle to approach them. 
At length our travellers reached the town pf Gouachnm) which 
is the refuge for all the rebels of the desert: it is divided intq 
two parts, each of which has a governor ; but the only supe- 
riority betw een them is that which is given by fortune, AH the 
houses are built alike, and receive their light from the door and 
the roof, which is uncovered. Four large walls surround the 
space which contains the houses; and the whole circumference 
has only one gate, which is guarded by large dogs. Each indi- 
vidual has also a dog for his own secvuity, because they have as 
much to tear from their neighlx)urs as from strangers. The town^ 
however, carries on a considerable trade, and has several mar- 
kets which resemble our fairs. They have for sale great quanti- 
ties of the most beautiful wo(ïl, and fine woollen stuff's, of whicli 
they make their cloathing. The mei chants who carry them into 
the interior of the country give in exchange camels and gold from 
the mines of Bambouk : they also receive for those articles wheat, 
barley, dates, horses, tobacco, salt, gunpowder, combs, mirrors, 
and other articles of hardware. This commerce is chiefly car^ 
ried on by Jews, who are exposed to the most outrageous in-i 
suits, which they nevertheless bear patiently, on account of the 
great advantages they derive from the trafhc, and the pleasure 
they experience in cheating the Moors. 
Our travellers remained eight days at Gouadiuini, From 
