For many miles they could see nothing but large, open, well-built villages on both banks of the river, but more especially on the eastern, yet they touched at none of these goodly places, but continued their journey till the sun began to decline, when they stopped at a small hamlet on an island, with the intention of sleeping there, cut the inhabitants mistrusted their intentions, and were alarmed at their appearance; they would not even grant them an accommodation for the night, although they assured them, that the most homely, the most shattered hut would answer their purpose; fearing, however, that they might enforce their request, they did all they could to induce them to proceed onwards a little further, when they would arrive at a city of considerable importance called Kacunda, where plenty of provisions could be obtained, and where the inhabitants would pay the greatest attention to them.

Kacunda is situated on the western bank of the river, and at a little distance, it has an advantageous and uncommonly fine appearance.  The only access to the town was by winding channels, that interspersed an unwholesome swamp, nearly two miles in breadth.  It was evening when they arrived there, and the people at first were alarmed at their appearance, but they were soon welcomed on shore by an old mahommedan priest, who speedily introduced them into an excellent and commodious hut, once the residence of a prince, but then the domicile of a schoolmaster.

Kacunda, properly speaking, consists of three or four villages, all of them considerably large, but unconnected, though situated within a very short distance of each other.  It is the capital of a state or kingdom of the same name, which is quite independent of Nouffie, or any other foreign power.  The only dress that the natives wear, is a piece of cotton cloth round the loins.  The women wear small ear-rings of silver, but use no paint, nor do they bedaub their persons with any sort of pigment.

On the morning subsequently to their arrival, a large double bank canoe arrived at Kacunda, and they shortly found that the king’s brother had come in her to pay them a visit.  He was saluted on landing with a discharge from five old rusty muskets.  A messenger was immediately despatched to the Landers, announcing that he was ready to see them.  Their meeting was very cordial, and they shook hands heartily with him, and explained to him their business.  He brought a goat as a present, and in return Richard Lander presented him with a pair of silver bracelets, but he did not appear to be much interested about them, or indeed to care at all for them, but looking round their room, he perceived several little things to which he took a fancy, and which being of no value whatever to them, were readily presented to him.