244 
RESIDENCE AT SOCCATOO AND MAGARIA. 
course of the river has left several pools and beautiful lakes of water. 
The soil in the flat is generally a blue clay and mould to a depth 
of from three to four feet ; in the upper parts planted with cotton 
and gourds, and the other parts, during the rains, with rice, which 
is of a very good quality. The river runs at this place in a narrow 
winding bed, about twelve feet deep ; the banks sandy below the 
strata of clay and mould ; and the falling of trees, and the looseness 
of the soil, cause it often to shift its bed through the flats or swamps 
in the rainy season. The acacia trees were in blossom, and the 
traces of elephants were numerous. I saw only three antelopes, 
but great numbers of guinea-fowl, which were too wild to come 
near, as they are so much hunted by the young F ellatas ; so I re- 
turned without any thing. I was very anxious to have shot a wild 
boar, of which there were great numbers ; but Malem Moodie was 
quite shocked at the thought of my wanting the skin, so that he 
would not, I suppose, have let me or my people have any supper if 
I had touched it ; though he had no objection to my shooting as 
many as I pleased of their Kaffirs and Eblis. I returned to my 
hut in the village, when the Malem, at meal-time, sent me a large 
store-pudding, and gravy made of butter and the leaves of the 
adansonia, with corn for my horses. 
Friday, 9th. — After day-light, left the village of Malem Moodie, 
having given his female slaves who brought the pudding and millet 
the full price in cowries, and the old Malem two gora nuts : the 
old man was quite pleased with the present, and accompanied me 
a little distance on the road, calling at two other villages on the 
road-side to show his guest to the people. Though they have seen 
me fifty times, every man and woman, for twenty miles round Soc- 
catoo, still their curiosity is as great as ever, examining my dress, and 
the dress of my servant Richard ; the buttons of brass they always 
call gold : also my English bridles, and the cloth of my trousers, 
