£42 DISCOVERIES OF THE FKENCH. 
ble body of adherents. The Director called upon 
him, and made some little presents, which were 
received politely, and with apparent satisfaction. 
But he soon after sent his son to assure the French 
governor, that he had been entirely deceived as 
to his present situation j that, though some of 
his subjects had revolted, he was still sovereign^ 
and would soon reduce them to subjection ; the 
" French, therefore, would do well to pay him the 
customary duties, otherwise he would not only 
interrupt their commerce, but would cut off their 
return. Brue seems to have made an uniform 
principle of repelling threat by threat ; he there- 
fore informed the young prince, that he would 
pay no duty, would carry on commerce as he 
chose, and, on the least insult, would send his fa- 
ther and himself prisoners to America. Thi^ 
speech induced the prince to a very speedy depar- 
ture, and the French continued their voyage till 
they arrived at Dramanet, a town of considerable 
magnitude. The inhabitants, 4000 in number^ 
are Mahometans, and the best traders whom the 
French had yet met with. They carry on trade 
as far as Tombuctoo, which they described as 
. situated five hundred leagues in the interior. 
They imported from it gold and ivory, and slaves 
from Bambarra, which was represented by them 
as an extensive region between Tombuctoo and 
Kasson, barren, but very populous. They had 
