Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, or Goths, were comprehended
under the general name of _Mauri_ or Moors. All these nations were
converted to the religion of Mahomet, during the Arabian empire under the
Caliphs. About this time many of the Numidian tribes, who led a wandering
life in the Desert, and supported themselves upon the produce of their
cattle, retired southward across the Great Desert, to avoid the fury of
the Arabians: and by one of those tribes, says Leo, (that of Zanhaga,)
were discovered and conquered the Negro nations on the Niger. By the
Niger is here undoubtedly meant the river of Senegal, which in the
Mandingo language is called _Bafing_, or the Black River.

To what extent these people are now spread over the African continent it
is difficult to ascertain; There is reason to believe, that their
dominion stretches from west to east, in a narrow line or belt, from the
mouth of the Senegal (on the northern side of that river) to the confines
of Abyssinia. They are a subtle and treacherous race of people; and take
every opportunity of cheating and plundering the credulous and
unsuspecting Negroes. But their manners and general habits of life will
be best explained, as incidents occur, in the course of my narrative.

On my arrival at Jarra, I obtained a lodging at the house of Daman Jumma,
a Gambia slatee. This man had formerly borrowed goods from Dr. Laidley,
who had given me an order for the money, to the amount of six slaves; and
though the debt was of five years standing, he readily acknowledged it,
and promised me what money he could raise. He was afraid, he said, in his
present situation, he could not pay more than two slaves' value. He gave
me his assistance, however, in exchanging my beads and amber for gold,
which was a more portable article, and more easily concealed from the
Moors.