and the blacksmith was afraid to be seen, or even to speak, lest any one
should discover him to be a native of Kasson. In this disposition we
passed the night by the side of a dim fire, and our situation the next
day was very perplexing: it was impossible to procure provisions without
money, and I knew that if I produced any beads or amber, the king would
immediately hear of it, and I should probably lose the few effects I had
concealed. We therefore resolved to combat hunger for the day, and wait
some favourable opportunity of purchasing or begging provisions.

Towards evening, as I was sitting upon the Bentang, chewing straws, an
old female slave, passing by with a basket upon her head, asked me _if I
had got my dinner_. As I thought she only laughed at me, I gave her no
answer; but my boy, who was sitting close by, answered for me, and told
her that the king's people had robbed me of all my money. On hearing
this, the good old woman, with a look of unaffected benevolence,
immediately took the basket from her head, and showing me that it
contained ground nuts, asked me if I could eat them; being answered in
the affirmative, she presented me with a few handfuls, and walked away
before I had time to thank her for this seasonable supply. This trifling
circumstance gave me peculiar satisfaction. I reflected with pleasure on
the conduct of this poor untutored slave, who, without examining into my
character or circumstances, listened implicitly to the dictates of her
own heart. Experience had taught her that hunger was painful, and her own
distresses made her commiserate those of others.

The old woman had scarcely left me, when I received information that a
nephew of Demba Sego Jalla, the Mandingo King of Kasson, was coming to
pay me a visit. He had been sent on an embassy to Batcheri, King of
Kajaaga, to endeavour to settle the disputes which had arisen between his
uncle and the latter; but after debating the matter four days without