was a very zealous Musulman. An old man of Bondou, who was settled in the village, took the leaves of the Koran out of my hands, and wishing to show his learning, he mumbled some words in a low tone, holding the leaves sometimes sideways, and sometimes upside-down. I was so imprudent as to remark upon this, and laugh a little at his ignorance. He was offended, and immediately returned me the leaves of the Koran. He remained with the chief until we were gone, and then he asserted that I was a christian, and not a sherif, as my guide had stated. In the evening a storm came on, and it rained heavily all night. The chief sent us a supper of rice, cooked like the last. On the morning of the 7th of June we prepared to depart. Lamfia and myself, accompanied by the son of the chief of Kankan, went to see the mansa of Sancougnan, to whom I presented seven or eight charges of gunpowder and some leaves of tobacco; Lamfia added some colat-nuts, which we distributed among the relations of the chief. They were all in their smoky hut, on the walls of which were suspended bows, arrows, quivers, and lances. A jar for water, a bullock’s hide, and some mats, composed the whole furniture of the place. We left the village about eight in the morning, and were soon after overtaken by the mansa, accompanied by the Mandingo of Kankan; the latter proved very serviceable to me on this occasion. The chief told us that the old Bondouké had assured him that I was a European, and not a Moor; that, moreover, I was too white for a Moor; and, that we certainly intended to deceive him, in order to evade the payment of the passage duties. Here my guide behaved exceedingly well: he assured the chief that I was a real Arab, a countryman of the Prophet’s, and a great sherif, supporting his assertions by the arguments which he had already employed to convince other incredulous persons whom he had met with. The Mandingo of Kankan strongly confirmed the declarations of Lamfia, who manifested much zeal, and asked the chief whether he had ever seen a christian read the Koran; the mansa concluded by saying, that he perceived the old Bondouké had spoken falsely, and that he had no longer any doubt of my being a sherif; then, offering me his hand in token of peace, he wished me a pleasant journey, and returned to the village. We continued our route to the east, over a soil composed of gravel and volcanic stones, black, brittle, and porous. As I went along I reflected on my imprudent behaviour to the old Bondouké, which had irritated him and induced him to seek revenge. I resolved in future to be more circumspect in my intercourse with the negroes, who, being ignorant, are naturally irritable and vindictive.