388 
park's first journey. 
refused to surrender, though reduced to such an 
extremity by famine, that they devoured the 
bark and leaves of their Bentang tree, the king 
proclaimed, that, if they would open the gates, 
no person should suffer injury except the Dooty. 
The Dooty immediately resolved to sacrifice him- 
self for the city, and walked out to the camp of 
Bambarra, where he was put to death, after which 
his son was massacred, and the inhabitants sold 
for slaves. At the village of Song the people re- 
fused to receive him within the gate, though the 
country was infested with lions. Mr Park col- 
lected grass for his horse, and lay down under a 
tree near the gate, but was soon roused by the 
roar of a lion, which advanced so near, that he 
heard him rustling among the grass, and imme- 
diately climbed the tree for safety. The inhabi- 
tants, who believed him to be a Moor, would not 
admit him till midnight ; when, convinced of 
their error, they opened the gates, declaring that 
no Moor ever waited long at the gate of a city 
without cursing the inhabitants. Being about to 
swim over the river Frina, he had fastened his 
clothes upon the saddle, and was standing up to the 
neck in the water, pulling the horse by the bridle, 
when a negro, who accidentally approached, called 
to him vehemently to come out, otherwise the 
-alligators would devour both him and his horse. 
Emerging from the stream, the native, who had 
