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Travels in the Interior of Africa — Volume 02 by Mungo Park
page 31 of 143 (21%)
acquired a considerable property in the slave-trade, and, from his
hospitality to strangers, was called, by way of pre-eminence, jatee
(the landlord), and his house was a sort of public inn for all
travellers. Those who had money were well lodged, for they always
made him some return for his kindness, but those who had nothing to
give were content to accept whatever he thought proper; and as I
could not rank myself among the moneyed men, I was happy to take up
my lodging in the same but with seven poor fellows who had come from
Kancaba in a canoe. But our landlord sent us some victuals.

August 22--One of the landlord's servants went with me a little way
from the town to show me what road to take, but, whether from
ignorance or design I know not, he directed me wrong, and I did not
discover my mistake until the day was far advanced, when, coming to
a deep creek, I had some thoughts of turning back, but as by that
means I foresaw that I could not possibly reach Bammakoo before
night, I resolved to cross it, and, leading my horse close to the
brink, I went behind him and pushed him headlong into the water, and
then taking the bridle in my teeth, swam over to the other side.
About four o'clock in the afternoon, having altered my course from
the river towards the mountains, I came to a small pathway which led
to a village called Frookaboo, where I slept.

August 23--Early in the morning I set out for Bammakoo, at which
place I arrived about five o'clock in the afternoon. I had heard
Bammakoo much talked of as a great market for salt, and I felt
rather disappointed to find it only a middling town, not quite so
large as Marraboo; however, the smallness of its size is more than
compensated by the richness of its inhabitants, for when the Moors
bring their salt through Kaarta or Bambarra, they constantly rest a
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