ajdanson's narrative. 
ed. The track by which he went, though the 
high road of the countryj was so neglected and 
overgrown with vegetation, that it was often im- 
possible to penetrate, unless on all-fours. The 
underwood consisted frequently of thorns, which, 
besides their action on the skin, seldom permitted 
him to pass, without levying heavy contributions 
on the slight cotton fabrics in which he was clad. 
At other times, he w^alked over sands, where the 
feet sunk to the ancle, and which might justly be 
called burning, since they were above sixty degrees 
(of Reaumur) at a time when the ambient air was 
only 22 in the shade. When the heat was intense, 
the effects became terrible ; the shoes grew first 
tough like horn, then cracked, and finally moul- 
dered into dust ; the feet were thus left defence- 
less. An obstacle, which appeared at first still 
more insurmountable, lay in the marigots, or 
creeks, running into the Senegal, by which the 
road was frequently crossed. His negro atten- 
dant, however, caught him in his arms, and run- 
ning into the water, though it took him up to the 
breast, passed it with the same velocity as if he 
had been running a race. Thus he reached the 
village of Sor, and found a reception so hospita- 
ble, as removed all his prejudices against the Afri- 
can character. He was invited to dinner by the 
chief of the village, named Baba Sec. They 
dined without table, table-cloth, spoon, knife, fork^ 
