ACCOUNTS OF BAMBOUK* 
^59 
touch an object, the pride of their country, and 
the grand source of its wealth. Our traveller's 
pretence that he wished to make tobacco pipes of 
it, was very ill received; as it was reasonably 
urged^ that this was by far too trifling a motive 
for undertaking so long and dangerous a journey. 
However, by various contrivances, he at length 
succeeded in carrying oiF as much as might serve 
for a specimen of its quality. 
The kingdom of Bambouk is situated on the 
east of the river Faleme, which separates it from 
BondoUe On the north it has Gallam, or Ka- 
Jaaga, and Kasson. Its southern and eastern 
limits were not well known to the French ; but 
they have been proved by Park to be Jallonkadoo^ 
Gadou, Manding, and Fooladoo. It is divided 
into a great number of districts nearly indepen- 
dent, though they unite for defence against a 
common enemy. Each is governed internally by 
its own Farim, who exercises an authority almost 
absolute, unless where he is so imprudent as to 
violate established customs ; in which case an in- 
surrection often arises, and his expulsion is the 
consequence, Bambouk is chiefly composed of 
lofty, naked, and barren mountains; so that its 
wealth consists entirely in its mineral productions. 
These consist of gold, silver, and iron ; but the 
gold is so abundant, and so much the most valu- 
able, as to constitute almost the exclusive object 
