172 
VOYAGE TO SENEGAL. 
place. When the mine happens to be rlcli, and they are satisfied 
with its produce without much trouble, the}^ stop on the spot> 
and dig to the depth of six, seven, or eight feet; but they never 
go farther, being totuliy ignorant of the art of working by strata ; 
nor are Miey sufficiently industrious to prevent the ground from 
failing in upon them. 
By this manner of proceeding, they never come to the prin- 
cipal veins; while the ramifications are so rich, and the gold 
\vl i^h they contain is so pure, that no mixture of marcassite or 
other mineral substances prevails in it : it is, indeed, so pure^ that 
there is no occasion to nselt it; but just as it comes from the 
mines it may be worked. 
When the lumps are covered by mould, the Negroes put them 
into water, which detaches the terraqueous parts, and the gold 
sinks to the bottom. 
It may be conceived, that with such little industry they not 
only obtain but a small part of the gold which is in the mine, but 
that they only imperfectly collect what they have extracted, be- 
cause, on pouring off the water and mould, an iufinity of particles 
p-ass with them. 
Besides the gold which is so abundant in the country of Bam- 
bouk, there is found in many parts a quantity of blue stones, which 
are considered as certain tokens of other valuable mines. There 
have been discovered copper, silver, lead, iron, and tin, as well 
as excellent loadstones and salt-petre. 
Iron is found at Bambouk as well as in all the contiguous 
states ; and the mines are not only abundant, but the ore is of the 
best quality. The Negroes make it into pots and kettles, without 
any other aid tlw the hammer and a fire; they therefore will 
not buy our iron unless it be wrought. 
They have somehow or other learned the art of making gun- 
powder, which they use w hen they are not in possession of our's ; 
but the latter always fetches a certain value, on account of its 
superiority. 
Almost all the commandants at the fort of Galam have made 
attempts to acquire a perfect knowledge of tlie kingdom of Bam- 
bouk and its gold mines. In 1716 M. Compagnon undertook 
this perilous journey, and tjurmounted all its difficulties. He re- 
sided in tîie country nearly eighteen months, travelled all over it, 
visited the mines, and described them in the most satisfactory 
manner; he even so far gained the good opniion of the inhabit- 
ants, that they not only allowed him to visit all their mines, but 
they even permitted him to take as much earth as he pleased 
and to send it to isle St. Louis. In 1720, he published an ac- 
count of the principal mines which he discovered, and states them 
to be at Fourquaro/iNe, K^arnbanouraj Scgalia, Quiugtiifarama^ 
