40^ 
park's first journey. 
attack of the Jallonkas, who, as they were inform- 
ed, intended to plunder the coffle, they traversed 
a rough stony country with great rapidity, till they 
arrived at Malacotta in Woradoo, the native town 
of the schoolmaster, who, from gratitude to Karfa, 
entertained them for several days. Malacotta is 
a large unwalled town, the houses of which are 
formed of bamboo wicker, plastered with mud. 
The inhabitants manufacture excellent iron, and 
form a good soap, by boiling ground-nuts in water, 
and adding a ley of wood-ashes. During their 
stay in Malacotta, they received information con- 
cerning a religious crusade which had been car- 
ried on by the king of Foota Torra, against the 
Damel of the JalofFs, and had become a favourite 
subject with the minstrels of the country. This 
zealous prince, being inflamed with an ardent 
desire of saving the souls of his infidel neighbours, 
sent an ambassador to the Damel, accompanied 
with two Bushreens, who carried each a large 
knife on the top of a pole, and thus explained the 
emblems of their mission : " With this knife, Ab- 
" dulkader will condescend to shave the head of 
" Damel, if Damel will embrace the Mahometan 
faith ; and with this other knife, Abdulkader 
will cut the throat of Damel, if Damel refuses 
" to embrace it — take your choice.'* The Damel 
coolly informed the ambassador, that, as he neither 
chose to have his head shaved, nor his throat cut, 
