At nine in the morning we directed our course S.S.E. Ibrahim my guide, to whom I had given several articles stopped all of a sudden, and told me, by means of a negro who could speak English, that he should be obliged to make a great many presents on the way, and that he was afraid after all I should never get safe to Fouta-Dhialon, on account of my fair complexion. This reflection appeared to come a little too late, but I understood the purport of it, when he added in good Arabic that I must give him a piece of cloth. It would have been dangerous to encourage his importunity, so I pretended that I did not know what he said, and went on in the same direction without giving him any thing. We found the soil composed of red earth, and rather stony, but covered with most beautiful vegetation; the _nédé_[44] in particular is very abundant. We came to a group of Mandingoes and Foulahs seated under some large trees; they were quarrelling with one another, and looking out for the customary presents. There is such a competition in the Kakondy trade, that the proprietors of each factory send couriers before the caravans to make presents to the dealers and to draw them to themselves; if they are numerous, an ox is killed on their arrival at the factory, and they are supplied with rice all the time the traffic lasts: when they are about to return a present is made them, and they are furnished with provision for the journey. So great is the competition that the merchants will even sell their goods without profit. As I proceeded, I found the face of the country broken by stony hillocks, covered with large trees which formed a most picturesque and varied landscape. The heat was beginning to be painful; our porters were fatigued, and we halted near a pretty rivulet, with the limpid and delicious water of which we quenched our thirst. We had then travelled nearly twelve miles to the east. We kindled a fire; the negro slaves went in quest of wood, and my guide’s wife prepared to cook our dinner. Throughout all Africa, the merchants have adopted the plan of taking one of their wives with them to cook for the caravan. These unhappy creatures are loaded with earthen pots, calabashes, salt, &c.; in short, they are compelled to carry the heaviest burdens, whilst their husbands walk at their ease.