On The 15th, I Reached Dosita, A Large Town, Where I Staid One Day On
Account Of The Rain; But Continued Very Sickly, And Was Slightly
Delirious In The Night.
On the 17th, I set out for Mansia, a considerable
town, where small quantities of gold are collected.
The road led over a
high rocky hill, and my strength and spirits were so much exhausted, that
before I could reach the top of the hill, I was forced to lie down three
times, being very faint and sickly. I reached Mansia in the afternoon.
The Mansa of this town had the character of being very inhospitable. He
however sent me a little corn for supper, but demanded something in
return; and when I assured him that I had nothing of value in my
possession, he told me (as if in jest) that my white skin should not
defend me if I told him lies. He then showed me the hut wherein I was to
sleep; but took away my spear, saying that it should be returned to me in
the morning. This trifling circumstance, when joined to the character I
had heard of the man, made me rather suspicious of him; and I privately
desired one of the inhabitants of the place, who had a bow and quiver, to
sleep in the same hut with me. About midnight, I heard somebody approach
the door, and observing the moonlight strike suddenly into the hut, I
started up, and saw a man stepping cautiously over the threshold.
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