148 
VOYAGE TO SENEGAL. 
when he was about to leave the village of Mermé, the master 
came with great ceremony to wish him a good journey : he 
prostrated himself at his feet, kissed his hands, and refused to 
accept of any present whatever. 
He next reached the village of Beteldiabi, where the people 
came out and danced before him to the sounds of the instruments 
of their country, which are the rude kind of drum already de^ 
scribed, and one which resembles our mandolines. It is re- 
markable, that the Negroes of the Senegal can never accustom 
themselves to European drums, with which they have been ac- 
quainted for a length of time. 
The village of Beteldiabi is the last in this direction which 
belonsfs to the kinedom of Cavor. Rubault left it at three in 
the afternoon, and travelled the rest of the day, and a great part 
of the night, through a forest which is near this place. He saw 
in it a great number of tigers, lions, wolves, and other ferocious 
animals, which came very near to his party at different times, 
and whose roarings were dreadful. This forest was composed of 
palm, tamarind, gum, and other large trees, of which Rubault 
did not know the species. 
The kingdom is a dismemberment of the Yolofs. The 
extent of the latter was so great, that its king, Burba-Yolof, 
not being able to govern it himself, was obliged to divide it 
into several provinces, and entrust them to lieutenant-gene- 
rals. The one who governed the country now called the 
kingdom of Cayor, soon revolted, and caused himself to be de- 
clared king of the country in which he w^as stationed. Some 
others followed his example ; and thus were composed the states 
of Brack and Siratick, v^'hich formed parts of the above-men- 
tioned empire, but which are now independent kingdoms. At 
length the legitimate sovereign had only the smallest part of his 
territories left him, and this was the worst and the most distant 
from commercial intercourse. Notwithstanding this almost ge- 
neral defection, Burba-Yolof always maintained his pretensions 
to the countries which he had lost. He found a favourable op- 
portunity for attacking the kingdom of Cayor, and hastened to 
turn it to advantage. 
The people, irritated at the tyranny of Damel, were disgusted 
with his government, and \\ ished to shake off the yoke. Burba- 
Yolof fomented this dissension, and speedily raising an army, 
attacked Damel, who was killed in the first battle, and his forces 
were defeated and dispersed. On this occasion Burba-Yolof 
gave many proofs of valour, but he wanted prudence. He en- 
tered, it is true, on an usurped domain ; but the people wished 
him to make his conquest legitimate by a new election, which 
could not fail to be in his favour. Far^ however, from adopting 
