Slaves were exposed in the outer market in great numbers, and early in the morning considerable numbers had changed owners. Sheep, goats, and oxen, are numerous, and very handsome. Horses are handsome also, but small, few exceeding thirteen hands high. Pigeons are numerous in this town, and are of various kinds. The vulture is common in all the towns in this country. The government may be said to be quite despotic, for though a certain power is pretended to be vested in the chief malaam, or minister, still every objection is overruled in acquiescence with the will of the sovereign. Offenders against the laws are punished according to the estimated enormity of their crimes, by flagellation or imprisonment in irons, and labour in the fields; but all serious offences, such as those against the king, murder, and adultery with the wives of superiors, are punished by death and torture of the most barbarous description. Sometimes a pole, about six feet long, is prepared, with an iron hose fixed on the end of it; the iron being tapered to a long spike. This spike is made red-hot, and the culprit, being suddenly seized, is placed on his head with his legs or feet upwards. The spike, while red-hot, is passed into the lower part of his person and the bowels, and even to the crown of his head.[15] This mode of torture is only resorted to in cases of adultery with the king’s or malaam’s wives. Sometimes another mode of torture for similar offences is resorted to, equally barbarous and cruel--that of mutilation, and placing it in the mouth of the offender. After promising to make a longer stay on my return, I marched from Kallakandi, this being the 31st of July, bearing N. 22° westward; during the day’s journey varying from 22° to 5°, 10°, 5°, and 12° degrees to westward. The country near the town was well cultivated. At seven miles we crossed a narrow river running eastward; and at twelve miles arrived at the town of Gooba. This is also a great market for the sale and purchase of slaves. Here salt is sold, but at a very high price, though of a very coarse and dirty description. The town is governed by a malaam, named Dibo or Dibbo. He, however, is under the directions of the gadadoo of Kallakandi. The inhabitants of this town are about seven thousand in number, and seem a mixture of many tribes, which is easily detected by the cranium, independent of the particular marks or scars on the face to distinguish each tribe from the other. They seem to live in ease and plenty, having little trouble in cultivating the soil, which here produces four crops in the year of several sorts of grain.