Giboodoo returned to Dhyaje on the 11th, for the purpose of paying a parting visit to his majesty. He promised to be back on the 14th, till which day I consented to wait at Sanjarra for him[32]; but as he did not keep his time, I removed to Missira on the 15th, where I was received by Ali. Giboodoo did not join me until the 17th, when, having informed me that Modiba could not send people to escort us to Galam before the ensuing week, I again despatched him to tell the king that unless they joined me before the 23d, I should move on before them to the frontier. On the 20th, the maraboo, accompanied by Bokari, one of the head slaves, and some of their followers, came to Missira, by Modiba’s orders, to take us to Moonia, and whither, in case I refused to proceed with them, they had orders to force me. Here then was what I had long expected, namely, to be plundered of every thing, and which I told them they could do at Missira, and not harass me as well as my men by travelling all over the country. The maraboo, as on a former occasion, said he was nothing more than the bearer of Modiba’s orders, which he should carry into execution. Remonstrance was vain, and refusal would have been equally so (if not worse), as I plainly saw those people were prepared to act forcibly. Giboodoo arrived in the afternoon, and was accompanied by two more of the head slaves, sent by their master on the same errand as the former. I had however rendered their interference unnecessary, having consented to proceed to Moonia, with the almost certainty of being plundered, and, under such a conviction, I laid out a part of the few articles the rapacity of the Kaartans had spared me, in redeeming from slavery two women of Bondoo, who had been taken in the affair which took place before I left Galam. In taking this step I had two motives; first, that of placing out of Modiba’s reach a portion at least of my merchandize, which alone excited his avarice; secondly, I had in view, by sending those women (who were related to Almamy Bondoo) to their friends in that country, to convince that chief that our intentions towards them were good indeed; and however I might feel on the subject of the treatment I met with at his hands, I was, nevertheless, deeply impressed with sentiments of compassion for those of his people who had fallen victims to Kaartan power. One of Ali’s sons was their possessor, and from him I had much trouble in obtaining their freedom, which was the more difficult and expensive, from its having been his intention to add them to the list of his concubines, whose number already amounted to twelve. Polygamy is carried to a frightful extent in Kaarta. Many private individuals have ten wives, and as many concubines; the princes, for the most part, not less than thirty of each, and Modiba himself is said to have one hundred wives and two hundred concubines; and I verily believe that one-third of the free inhabitants of Kaarta are of the blood royal.