The Negroes Do Not Go To Supper Till Late, And In Order To Amuse Themselves While The Beef Was Preparing, A Mandingo Was Desired To Relate Some Diverting Stories, In Listening To Which, And Smoking Tobacco, They Spent Three Hours.

These stories bear some resemblance to those in the Arabian Nights' Entertainments, but in general are of a more ludicrous cast.

About one o'clock in the afternoon of the 3rd of December, Park took his leave of Dr. Laidley and Messrs. Ainsley, and rode slowly into the woods. He had now before him a boundless forest, and a country, the inhabitants of which were strangers to civilized life. He reflected that he had parted from the last European he might probably behold, and perhaps quitted for ever the comforts of Christian society. These thoughts necessarily cast a gloom over his mind, and he rode musing along for about three miles, when he was awakened from his reverie by a number of people, who, running up, stopped the asses, giving him to understand, that he must either go with them to Peckaba, to present himself to the king of Woolli, or pay customs to them. He endeavoured to make them comprehend, that not travelling for traffic, he ought not to be subjected to a tax like merchants, but his reasoning was thrown away upon them. They said it was usual for travellers of all descriptions to make a present to the king of Woolli, and without doing so, none could be permitted to proceed. As the party were numerous, he thought it prudent to comply with their demand, and presented them with four bars of tobacco. At sunset he reached a village near Kootacunda.

The next day entering Woolli, he stopped to pay customs to an officer of the king. Passing the night at a village called Tabajang: at noon the following day Park reached Medina, the capital of the king of Woolli's dominions. It is a large place, and contains at least a thousand houses. It is fortified in the common African manner by a high mud wall, and an outward fence of pointed stakes and prickly bushes, but the walls were neglected, and the outward fence had suffered considerably by being plucked up for fire-wood. Mr. Park obtained a lodging with one of the king's near relations, who warned him, at his introduction to the king, not to shake hands with him, that liberty not being allowed to strangers. With this salutary warning, Park paid his respects to Jatta, the king, and asked his permission to pass to Bondou. He was the same old man, of whom Major Houghton speaks in such favourable terms. The sovereign was seated before the door of his hovel, surrounded by a number of men and women, who were singing and clapping their hands. Park, saluting him respectfully, told him the object of his visit. The monarch not only permitted him to proceed on his journey, but declared he would offer prayers for his safe return. One of Mr. Park's attendants, to manifest his sense of the king's courtesy, roared out an Arabic song, at every pause of which the king himself, and all present, striking their hands against their foreheads, exclaimed, with affecting solemnity, Amen, Amen. The king further assured him, that a guide should be ready on the following day, to conduct him to the frontier of Bondou. Having taken leave, he sent the king an order upon Dr. Laidley for three gallons of rum, and received in return a great store of provisions.

December the 6th, early in the morning, on visiting Jatta, he found his majesty sitting upon a bullock's hide, warming himself before a large fire, for the Africans frequently feel cold when a European is oppressed with heat. Jatta received his visitant very kindly, and earnestly entreated him to advance no farther into the interior, telling him that Major Houghton had been killed in his route. He said that travellers must not judge of the people of the eastern country by those of Woolli. The latter were acquainted with white men, and respected them; whereas, in the east, the people had never seen one, and would certainly destroy the first they beheld. Park, thanking the king for his affectionate concern, told him he was determined, notwithstanding all danger, to proceed. The king shook his head, but desisted from further persuasion, and ordered the guide to hold himself in readiness.

On the guide making his appearance, Park took his last farewell of the good old king, and in three hours reached Konjour, a small village, where he and his party rested for the night. Here he bought a fine sheep for some beads, and his attendants killed it, with all the ceremonies prescribed by their religion. Part of it was dressed for supper, after which a dispute arose between one of the negroes and Johnson, the interpreter, about the sheep's horns. The former claimed the horns as his perquisite, as he had performed the office of butcher, and Johnson disputed the claim. To settle the matter, Mr. Park gave a horn to each of the litigants.

Leaving Konjour, and sleeping at a village called Malla, on the 8th he arrived at Kolor, a considerable town, near the entrance into which he saw hanging upon a tree, a sort of masquerade habit, made of the bark of trees, which he was told belonged to Mumbo Jumbo. The account of this personage is thus narrated by Mr. Park: "This is a strange bugbear, common to all the Mandingo towns, and much employed by the pagan natives in keeping their women in subjection, for as the kafirs are not restricted in the number of their wives, every one marries as many as he can maintain, and, as it frequently happens, that the ladies disagree among themselves, family quarrels rise sometimes to such a height, that the husband can no longer preserve peace in his household. In such cases, the interposition of Mumbo Jumbo is called in, and is always decisive."

This strange minister of justice, who is supposed to be either the husband himself, or some person instructed by him, disguised in the dress before mentioned, and armed with his rod of public authority, announces his coming by loud and continual screams in the woods near the town.

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