.152 VOYAGE TO SENEGALc 
ness, retired; amongst the number were four of the king's 
wives. 
Ou the 25th, at two in the afternoon, M. Rubault was ready 
for his departure; when he received a most affectionate and 
pompous farewell from the royal family, the king declaring that 
he would himself write a letter to M. Durand. He then ac- 
companied him to the spot where his camels were waiting, and 
taking him kindly by the hand, said, " I pray the Lord to pre- 
serve thee on thy journey.'* 
'J he king gave Rubault three men to accompany him to 
Galam ; and 0!i leaving the village of Hicarkor, they travelled 
over a large plain planted with gum-trees, of which the Negroes 
appeared to know neither the use nor value. On quitting this 
plain on the 27th, he was informed, that for the next four days* 
journey, he would meet with no habitation, but would have to 
pass through a vast and difficult forest, all the trees of which 
were of a thorny nature, and very close together. Arrangements 
were in consequence made: they reached the wood at noon, and 
travelled in the midst for the remainder of the day and part of 
the night. They then waited for the return of the sun, and re- 
posed, together with their camels, in a space surrounded by a 
large fire. They heard, and occasionally saw several lions ; but 
these animals made off on hearing the slightest noise. M. Ru- 
bault travelled through this large forest from the 28th to the 
31st; and he asserts, that half of it is filled with gum-trees. 
At five in the evening he left the kingdom of Yolof, and en- 
tered that of Barra. I have observed that the king promised to 
write me a letter, and send it by three of his subjects : this expe- 
dition shortly afterwards took place. 1 received the three Negroes 
with much distinction, and kept them a fortnight at Isle St. 
Louis; after which 1 sent them home with a proper answer, and 
presents for the king and his family. 
The letter of King Babakoury expressed the delight he expe- 
rienced at the sight of a white man, and the superior happiness 
he should derive from my acquaintance. It concluded with in- 
viting me to come and see him. In my answer I regretted that 
J could not have that pleasure, in consequence of being obliged 
to return to France, but that 1 expected soon to come back again^ 
and should take the first opportunity of paying him a visit. 
From the dismemberment of the kingdom of Yolof, have not 
only been formed several powerful kingdoms, particularly those 
of Cayor, Walos, and Foules, which reach along the Senegal^ 
from Galam to its mouth, but they cut off all communication 
between the Yolofs and that river. Hence these people being 
confined in the interior, have lost much of their ^ow^er and 
commercial influence; but even as it now is, the lolof king- 
