We found the chief in the midst of business. He was presiding over the council of elders, assembled at the women’s mosque. We entered a hut, and soon afterwards the judges arrived. A native of Kankan, who knew something of Arabic, acted as my interpreter; I asked him to perform this office for me, as I did not understand the Mandingo sufficiently to make myself understood. He declared to the assembly, in terms which appeared to me very forcible, the manner in which I had been robbed; mentioning every particular, even the razor scene. Lamfia maintained, with great boldness, that I had not been robbed; he reverted once more to the loss of my paper, still accusing the absent Foulah. My interpreter answered, and stated in my name, that I could never sufficiently express the sense I entertained of the kind reception I had experienced from the inhabitants of Fouta-Dhialon, on my passage through their country; that so far from cheating me, they had behaved to me with the most generous hospitality; that there was no doubt that the person who had stolen my glass beads had also taken the paper. Lamfia, to justify himself, and defend his character, proposed to submit to the ordeal of red-hot iron, which often takes place among the people without any appeal to the judge. The mansa, however, ordered him to be silent. This chief, with whom I asked leave to lodge, advised me to remain with my present host, as he was to depart in two days, with a number of other merchants, to traverse the forests of Wassoulo.[51] I suspected that the mansa was afraid of being put to the expense of maintaining me, and I did not insist further on taking up my residence with him. I replied that I would rather return to Fouta-Dhialon than remain longer with this man, and I requested to be permitted to live with the worthy old Moor, who had continued to pay me amicable visits, and with whom I had always been on good terms. To this the assembly gave a unanimous consent. I left all my baggage under the care of the mansa, until a place should be procured for me in which I could lock it up safely. He urged me, with an air of kindness, to take my woollen wrapper to lay over me at night, observing that I should probably be cold.