a considerable cataract, where the river flows over a ledge of whin-stone rock, with great force: below this, the river is remarkably black and deep; and here it was proposed to make our cattle swim over. After hallooing, and firing some muskets, the people on the Kasson side observed us, and brought over a canoe to carry our baggage. I did not, however, think it possible to get the cattle down the bank, which is here. more than forty feet above the water; but the Negroes seized the horses, and launched them one at a time, down a sort of trench or gulley that was almost perpendicular, and seemed to have been worn smooth by this sort of use. After the terrified cattle had been plunged in this manner to the wa ter's edge, every man got down as well as he could. The ferryman then taking hold of the most steady of the horses by a rope, led him into the water, and paddled the canoe a little from the brink; upon which a general attack commenced upon the other horses, who finding themselves pelted and kicked on all sides, unanimously plunged into the river, and followed their companion.

A few boys swam in after them; and by laving water upon them when they attempted to return urged them onwards; and we had the satisfaction in about fifteen minutes, to see them all safe on the other side. It was a matter of greater difficulty to manage the asses: their natural stubbornness of disposition made them endure a great deal of pelting and shoving before they would venture into the water; and when they had reached the middle of the stream, four of them turned back, in spite of every exertion to get them forwards. Two hours were spent in getting the whole of them over; an hour more was employed in transporting the baggage; and it was near sunset before the canoe returned, when Demba Sego and myself embarked in this dangerous passage-boat, which the least motion was like to overset. The king's nephew thought this a proper time to have a peep into a tin box of mine, that stood in the fore part of the canoe; and in stretching out his hand for it, he unfortunately destroyed the equilibrium, and overset the canoe. Luckily we were not far advanced,

and got back to the shore without much difficulty; from whence, after wringing the water from our clothes, we took a fresh departure, and were soon afterwards safely landed in Kasson.

1

CHAPTER VI.

Arrival at Teesee.-Interview with Tiggity
Sego, the King's Brother-the Author's
Detention at Teesee-some Account of that
Place and its Inhabitants-Incidents which
occurred there.
Rapacious Conduct of
Tiggity Sego toward the Author on his
Departure.-Sets out for Kooniakary, the
Capital of the Kingdom.-Incidents on the
Road, and Arrival at Kooniakary.

WE no sooner found ourselves safe in
Kasson, than Demba Sego told me that
we were now in his uncle's dominions, and
he hoped I would consider, being now out
of danger, the obligation I owed to him,
and make him a suitable return for the
trouble he had taken on my account by a
handsome present. This, as he knew how
much had been pilfered from me at Joag,
was rather an unexpected proposition; and
I began to fear that I had not much im-
proved my condition by crossing the water;

but as it would have been folly to complain, I made no observation upon his conduct, and gave him seven bars of amber, and some tobacco; with which he seemed to be content,

After a long day's journey, in the course of which I observed a number of large loose nodules of white granite, we arrived at Teesee on the evening of Dec. 29th, and were accommodated in Demba Sego's hut. The next morning he introduced me to his father Tiggity Sego, brother to the King of Kasson, chief of Teesee. The old man viewed me with great earnestness, having never, he said, beheld but one white man before, whom by his description I immediately knew to be Major Houghton. I related to him, in answer to his inquiries, the motives that induced me to explore the country. But he seemed to doubt the truth of what I asserted; thinking, I believe, that I secretly meditated some project which I was afraid to avow. He told me, it would be necessary I should go to Kooniakary, the residence of the king, to pay my respects to that prince; but desired me to come to him again before I left Teesee.