I found them of little service, for they were wholly unacquainted
with the road, and being accustomed to a sandy soil, were very bad
travellers. Instead of wading before the bullocks to feel if the
ground was solid, the woman boldly entered the first swamp, riding
upon the top of the load; but when she had proceeded about two
hundred yards the bullock sunk into a hole, and threw both the load
and herself among the reeds. The frightened husband stood for some
time seemingly petrified with horror, and suffered his wife to be
almost drowned before he went to her assistance.

About sunset we reached Sibity, but the dooty received me very
coolly; and when I solicited for a guide to Sansanding he told me
his people were otherwise employed. I was shown into a damp old
hut, where I passed a very uncomfortable night; for when the walls
of the huts are softened by the rain they frequently become too weak
to support the weight of the roof. I heard three huts fall during
the night, and was apprehensive that the hut I lodged in would be
the fourth. In the morning, as I went to pull some grass for my
horse, I counted fourteen huts which had fallen in this manner since
the commencement of the rainy season.

It continued to rain with great violence all the 10th; and as the
dooty refused to give me any provisions, I purchased some corn,
which I divided with my horse.

August 11.--The dooty compelled me to depart from the town, and I
set out for Sansanding without any great hopes of faring better than
I had done at Sibity; for I learned, from people who came to visit
me, that a report prevailed, and was universally believed, that I
had come to Bambarra as a spy; and as Mansong had not admitted me