NEGBO VILLAGES. 
147 
such a supply of provisions, merchandize, and arms, as I con- 
ceived adequate to the undertaking. The party set off from 
Gandiolle, whither I accompanied them, on the 13th, at break of 
day. After a march of seven hours, over a liât soil covered 
with palm-trees, they arrived at a village called Camessou, the 
master of whom received them with great kindness, and gave 
them a preparation of flour and milk. 
Each village, in this part of Africa, has a chief known by the 
title of master. In some parts of the country the name does not 
correspond with that of master; but the prerogatives and attri- 
butes of the chief are the same. He receives a tribute from all 
the inhabitants for his expenses, and is charged with executing 
the orders of the king in whatever relates to the police or gene- 
ral justice, except that recourse is had to the sovereign in cases 
of condemnation to death or slavery. This establishment is 
nearly the same as the feudality which is said to have prevailed 
in the earliest times of the creation. The master is the lord of 
the village. 
On setting out after his repast, at three in the afternoon, Ru- 
bault arrived by seven at another village, named Bety, where he 
passed the night ; this he left at ten next morning, and at seven 
in the evening came to a third village, called Merine-Giob. 
The inhabitants of this village were celebrating the Gammon, 
which is an annual festival in honour of the birth of Mahomet; 
it lasts three days. Here Rubault was well treated, and pro- 
ceeded onwards the next morning at six o'clock. The country 
over which he travelled this day was covered with little hamlets. 
Amongst the trees he observed a white tamarind, or ape's bread- 
tree, of so extraordinary a size that he stopped to measure it, 
and found it to be eighty-four feet in circumference. He next 
reached Gure, a village governed by a prince of the royal family; 
and afterwards that of Hyam-Hyren, where he arrived at noon, 
and stopped for three hours till the intense heat had subsided. 
The chief here refreshed him, and had him taken to a couch, 
where he ordered one of his women to stand and fan him. 
On the l6th, after passing through several small Negro vil- 
lages, he arrived at that of Meriné, where the inhabitants re- 
ceived him with acclamations, which testified their great plea- 
sure. The master and the principal inhabitants came in bodies 
to salute him, and kept off their people, who pressed on him 
through curiosity. At the same time a prince named Yousoufat, 
the governor of a neighbouring village, having heard of the ar^ 
rival of a white man, came with a numerous suite of cavalry, 
and offered his services. This prince urged him to stop a few 
days in his village, which he declined, but was obliged to pro^- 
mise that he would accept the offer on his return. On the 17th^ 
T S 
