We observed hanging on a stake, outside the walls of the town, a dress composed of the bark of a tree torn into small shreds, and formed so as to cover the whole body of the person wearing it, who is a sort of bugbear, called Mumbo Jumbo, that occasionally visits all the Mandingo towns, for the purpose of keeping the married women in order. I have been told that the husband who has occasion to find fault with one of his wives, for here every man has as many as his circumstances will admit, either puts on this dress himself, or gets one of his friends to do it, and having made known his intended visit to the town, by shrieking and howling in the woods near it, arrives after sunset at the assembly place, where all the inhabitants are obliged to meet him, with music, singing, and dancing, which continues for some hours, and terminates by his seizing the unfortunate woman, and flogging her most unmercifully in presence of the whole assembly, who only laugh at this horrid performance. We have never had an opportunity of seeing this ourselves, but have heard it from so many, and with such corroborative exactness of description, that we have no doubt of its existence to a much greater extent of blind savage superstition than has been described to us. Immediately on our arrival, we sent to apprize the king, and requested to be informed at what hour he could receive our visit. We were, however, told that he was then drunk, and could not be seen on business. Slatee Modiba arrived, bringing us a present of a fine bullock. He also told us the same story, but said he hoped the evening would find the king in a state to receive us. At length, about five in the afternoon, we went, accompanied by Mr. Burton, Lamina, and Sergeant Tuft; the latter served as interpreter. We found his majesty (if we may so prostitute the title), seated on a low wooden stool, outside the walls of his house, surrounded by all the great men of the town, who, with himself, did not appear to have entirely recovered from the effects of their morning’s debauchery. Having made him a small present, which it is the custom of this country to do, previous to addressing the king on our business, we told him in as few words as possible, the object we had in view in travelling through the country, and the advantages its inhabitants would derive from the existence of a friendly and direct intercourse with the English, who, should no serious difficulties present themselves, would soon make trading voyages into the interior, and furnish them with all European merchandize at a much cheaper rate than they could at present procure them. The only answer we received, was made by his friend Modiba (for he did not say a word himself), and, although expressed in many words, and in very ambiguous terms, might be construed into this, that he always thought the English were the friends of Africa, and would do every thing in his power to facilitate the attainment of their wishes.