DISCOVERIES OF THE FRENCH. 
Gambia. From these various sources he com- 
piled an account of Bambouk, by much the most 
copious and complete that has yet appeared ; for 
Mr Park only travelled along its southern fron* 
tier, through part of Konkodoo and Satadoo. It 
cannot^ therefore, be amiss to glean a few addi- 
tional particulars respecting a country so import- 
ant in a commercial point of view. 
Bambouk is situated between 30^, and 14° 
15' north latit. It is about thirty-six leagues in 
extent from north to south, and about twenty- 
eight of average breadth. The number of inha- 
bitants is not supposed to exceed 60,000. They 
are of Man ding origin, and their national charac- 
ter, as well as most of their custom s^ are similar 
to those of the other Manding tribes, which have 
been so fully delineated by Park. They seem, 
however, to be peculiarly indolent and licentiouSo 
The whole country is nominally subject to a Sira° 
tik or king ; but the Farims or chiefs of the vil- 
lages, whose situation is also hereditary, exercise 
a power almost wholly independent. According 
to the tradition of the Bamboukians, in the year 
1100 of the Christian era, a Manding warrior^ 
called Abba Manko, inspired with a conquering 
zeal for the Mahometan religion, invaded Bam- 
bouk w^ith a large army. He subdued it, and 
compelled all the inhabitants who had not fallen 
by the sword to embrace the profession of Isla- 
