of her family.  I have bought another boy in the same manner.”  Good God! thought I, what must a mother suffer before she sells her own child!  I could not get this melancholy subject out of my mind; and the next night, when the women returned for their allowance, I desired the boy to point out to me his mother, which he did.  She was much emaciated, but had nothing cruel or savage in her countenance; and when she had received her corn, she came and talked to her son with as much cheerfulness as if he had still been under her care.

September 6.—­Two people arrived from Sibidooloo, bringing with them my horse and clothes; but I found that my pocket-compass was broken to pieces.  This was a great loss, which I could not repair.

September 7.—­As my horse was grazing near the brink of a well the ground gave way and he fell in.  The well was about ten feet in diameter, and so very deep that when I saw my horse snorting in the water I thought it was impossible to save him.  The inhabitants of the village, however, immediately assembled, and having tied together a number of withes, {3} they lowered a man down into the well, who fastened those withes round the body of the horse; and the people, having first drawn up the man, took hold of the withes and, to my surprise, pulled the horse out with the greatest facility.  The poor animal was now reduced to a mere skeleton, and the roads were scarcely passable, being either very rocky, or else full of mud and water.  I therefore found it impracticable to travel with him any farther, and was happy to leave him in the hands of one who, I thought, would take care of him.  I accordingly presented him to my landlord, and desired him to send my saddle and bridle as a present to the mansa of Sibidooloo, being the only return I could make him for having taken so much trouble in procuring my horse and clothes.

I now thought it necessary, sick as I was, to take leave of my hospitable landlord.  On the morning of September 8th, when I was about to depart, he presented me with his spear, as a token of remembrance, and a leather bag to contain my clothes.  Having converted my half-boots into sandals, I travelled with more ease, and slept that night at a village called Ballanti.  On the 9th I reached Nemacoo; but the mansa of the village thought fit to make me sup upon the chameleon’s dish.  By way of apology, however, he assured me the next morning that the scarcity of corn was such that he could not possibly allow me any.  I could not accuse him of unkindness, as all the people actually appeared to be starving.

September 10.—­It rained hard all day, and the people kept themselves in their huts.  In the afternoon I was visited by a negro, named Modi Lemina Taura, a great trader, who, suspecting my distress, brought me some victuals, and promised to conduct me to his own house at Kinyeto the day following.