The difpofition of the people of Für has appeared to me more cheerful than that of the Egyptians; and that gravity and referve which the precepts of Mohammedifin infpire, and the practice of the greater part of its profeffors, countenances and even require, feem by no means as yet to fit eafy on them. A government perfectly defpotic, and at this time not ill adminiftered, as far as relates to the manners of the people, yet forms no adequate reftraint to their violent paffions. * Prone to inebriation, but unprovided with materials or ingenuity to prepare any other fermented liquor than bûza, with this alone their convivial excelles are committed. But though the fultaun hath juft published an ordinance (March, 1795) forbidding the ufe of that liquor under pain of death, the plurality, though lefs publicly than before, ftill indulge themselves in it. A company often fits from fun-rife to fun-fet drinking and converfing, till a fingle man fometimes carries off near. two gallons of that liquor. The bûza has however a diuretic and diaphoretic tendency, which precludes any danger from these excelles. In this country, dancing is practifed by the men as well as the women, and they often dance promifcuously. Each tribe feems to have its appropriate dance: that of Für is called Secondari, that of Bukkara Bendala. Some are grave, others lafcivious, but confifting rather of violent efforts than of graceful motions. Such is their fondness for this amufement, that the flaves dance in fetters to the mufic of a little drum and, what I have rarely feen in Africa or the eaft, the time is marked by means of a long ftick held by two, while others beat the cadence with fhort batons. They ufe the games of Tab-u-duk and Dris-wa-talaité, defcribed by Niebuhr, which however appear not indigenous, but to have been borrowed of the Arabs. The vices of thieving, lying, and cheating in bargains, with all others nearly or remotely allied to them, as often happen among a people under the fame circumftances, are here almoft univerfal. No property, whether confiderable ог trifling, is fafe out of the fight of the owner, nor indeed fcarcely in it unless he be ftronger than the thief. In buying and felling, the parent glories in deceiving the fon, and the fon the parent; and God and the prophet are hourly invocated, to give colour to the most palpable frauds and falfehoods. The privilege of polygamy, which, as is well known, belongs to their religion, the people of Soudan pufh to the extreme. At this circumftance the Muffulmans of Egypt, with whom I have converfed on the fubject, affect to be much fcandalized: for whereas, by their law they are allowed four free women, and as many flaves as they can conveniently maintain, the Furians take both free women and flaves without any limitation. The fultan has more than a hundred free women, and many of the meleks have from twenty to thirty. Teraub, a late king, contented *The inhabitants of a village called Bernoo, having quarrelled with thofe of another hamlet, and fome having been killed on both fides, all the property of Loth villages was forfeited to the king, the inhabitants being abandoned to poverty. X 4 himfelf himself with about five hundred fe males as a light travelling equipage in his wars in Kordofan, and left as many more in his palace. This may feem ridiculous, but when it is recollected that they had corn to grind, water to fetch, food to drefs, and all menial offices to perform for feveral hundred individuals, and that thefe females (excepting thofe who are reputed Serrari, concubines of the monarch) travel on foot, and even carry utenfils, &c. on their heads, employment for this immenfe retinue may be imagined, without attributing to the fultan more libidinous propenfities than belong to others of the fame rank and ftation, Some Account of Bondou, and its Inhabitants, the Foulahs. From Park's Travels in the Interior of Africa. Beat by Bambouk; on ONDOU is bounded on the the fouth-eaft, and fouth, by Tenda, and the Simbani Wilderness; on the fouth-weft, by Woolli; on the west, by Foota Torra; and on the north, by Kajaaga. The country, like that of Woolli, is very generally covered with woods, but the land is more elevated, and towards the Falemé Niver, rifes into confiderable hills. In native fertility the foil is not furpafled, I believe, by any part of Africa. From the central fituation of Bondou, between the Gambia and Senegal rivers, it is become a place of great refort; both for the Slatees, who generally país through it, in going from the coaft to the interior countries; and for orca fional traders, who frequently come hither from the inland countries, to purchafe falt. Thefe different branches of commerce are conducted principally by Mandingoes and Serawollies, who have fettled in the country. These merchants likewife carry on a confiderable trade with Gedumah, and other Moorish countries, bartering corn and blue cotton clothes for falt; which they again barter in Dentila and other diftricts for Iron, fhea-butter, and fmall quantities of gold-duft. They likewife fell a variety of fweet fmelling gums packed up in fmall bags, containing each about a pound. Thefe gums, being thrown on hot embers, produce a very pleasant odour, and are ufed by the Mandingoes for per fuming their huts and clothes. The cuftoms, or duties on travellers, are very heavy; in almoft every town an afs load pays a bar of European merchandife; and at Fatteconda, the refidence of the king, one Indian baft, or a musket, and fix bottles of gunpowder, are exacted as the cormon tribute. By means of thefe duties, the king of Bondou is well fupplied with arms and ammunition; a circumftance. which makes him formidable to the neighbouring states. The inhabitants differ in their complexions and national manners from the Mandingoes and Serawool lies, with whom they are frequently at war. Some years ago the king of Bondou crofled the Falemé river with a numerous army, and after a fhort and bloody campaign totally defeated the forces of Samboo, king of Bambouk, who was obliged to fue for peace, and furrender to him all the towns along the eastern bank of the Falemé. The The Foulahs in general are by means abundantly more efficacious. By eftablishing small schools in the different towns, where many of the Pagan as well as Mahomedan children are taught to read the Koran, and inftructed in the tenets of the prophet, the Mahomedan priests fix a bias on the minds, and form the character of their young difciples, which no accidents of life can ever afterwards remove or alter. Many of thefe little schools I.vifited in my progrefs through the country, and obferved with pleasure the great docility and fubmiflive deportment of the children, and heartily withed they had better inftructors, and a purer religion. of a tawny complexion, with fmall features, and foft filky hair; next to the Mandingoes they are undoubtedly the moft confiderable of all the nations in this part of Africa. Their original country is faid to be Fooladoo (which fignifies the country of the Foulahs); but they poffefs at prefent many other kingdoms at a great diftance from each other; their complexion however, is not exactly the fame in the different districts; in Bondou, and the other kingdoms which are fituated in the vicinity of the Moorish territories, they are of a more yellow complexion than in the fouthern ftates. The Foulahs of Bondou are naturally of a mild and gentle difpofition, but the uncharitable maxims of the Koran have made them lefs hofpitable to ftrangers, and more referved in their behaviour than the Mandingoes. They evidently confider all the negro natives as their inferiors; and when talking of different nations, always rank themfelves among the white people. Their government differs from that of the Mandingoes chiefly in this, that they are more immediately under the influence of the Mahomedan laws; for all the chief men (the king excepted) and a large majority of the inhabitants of Bondou, are Muffulmen, and the authority and laws of the prophet, are every where looked upon as facred and decifive. In the exercise of their faith, however, they are not very intolerant towards fuch of their countrymen as ftill retain their ancient fuperftitions. Religious perfecution is not known among them, nor is it neceflary; for the fyftem of Mahomet is made to extend itfelf With the Mahomedan faith is alfo introduced the Arabic language, with which moft of the Foulahs have a flight acquaintance. Their native tongue abounds very much in liquids, but there is fomething unpleasant in the manner of pronouncing it. A ftranger on hearing the common converfation of two Foulahs, would imagine that they were fcolding each other. Their numerals are thefe: One Three *Four Five Seven. Eight Ten - Go. Deeddee. The industry of the Foulahs, in the occupations of pafturage and agriculture, is every where ramarkable. Even on the banks of the Gambia, the greater part of the corn is railed by them; and their herds and flocks are more numerous and and in better condition than thofe like innovation. The heat of the of the Mandingoes; but in Bondou they are opulent in a high degree, and enjoy all the neceffaries of life in the greatest profufion. They difplay great fkill in the management of their cattle, making them extremely gentle by kindness and familiarity. On the approach of night, they are collected from the woods, and fecured in folds, called korrees, which are conftructed in the neighbourhood of the different villages. In the middle of each korree is erected a fmall hut, wherein one of two of the herdsmen keep watch during the night to prevent the cattle from being ftolen, and to keep up the fires which are kindled round the korree to frighten away the wild beasts. climate, and the great fearcity of falt, are held forth as unanswerable objections; and the whole procefs appears to them too long and troublefome, to be attended with any folid advantage. Befides the cattle, which conftitute the chief wealth of the Fou lahs, they poflefs fome excellent horfes, the breed of which feems to be a mixture of the Arabian with the original African. Account of the Mainottes, the Defcendants of the ancient Laccdemonians; from Major Taylor's Tra vels from England to India. HE Mainottes poffefs a cha The cattle are milked in the Tracter diferent from any people mornings and evenings: the milk is excellent; but the quantity obtained from any one cow is by no means fo great as in Europe. The Foulahs ufe the milk chiefly as an article of diet, and that, not until it is quite four. The cream which it affords is very thick, and is converted into butter by ftirring it violently in a large calabafh. This butter, when melted over a gentle fire, and freed from impurities, is preferved in fmall earthern pots, and forms a part in most of their difhes; it ferves likewife to anoint their heads, and is beftowed very liberally on their faces and arms. But although milk is plentiful, it is fomewhat remarkable that the Foulahs, and indeed all the inhabitants of this part of Africa, are totally unacquainted with the art of making cheese.. A firm attachment to the cuftoms of their anceftors, makes them view with an eye of prejudice every thing that looks in modern Europe. Of the Greek church, they are alike the enemy of the Chriftians and the Turks. Pirates by fea, robbers by land; op, pofed to corfairs of all denominations, they feem to regard themfelves as privileged plunderers on the deep. Reftrained by no laws, human or divine, they are neither just to them, felves, to their neighbours, or their friends. Cuftom, which becomes fecond nature, fanctions, and even the religion of the Mainottes ap proves the worst of crimes. dexterity of the Spartans is here refined into fyftem and maturity. In moft countries religion is at least a feeble check to irregularities, and has a tendency to guard the property of others in this the calogers, or monks, from their cells and caves, are the fpies and fentinels to give warning of the approach of veffels, On their appearance they piously turn out to encourage the banditti, and to partake of their plunder. The They They demand the tenths of the church, and by this means religion becomes a cloak to their infamy and knavery. The vices of the Mainottes are many, their virtues few. Were they deprived of courage, and the independence of their nature, there could no where be met fo defpicable a race. Unworthy to affociate with any nation, they form no alliances, but depend on themfelves, the ftrength of their country, and their own infignificance. They are dextrous in handling the oar, and in ufing the fail; their veffels being alike adapted for both purpofes. The best failing Turkish or Venetian galleys fall very thort, either of the kill of their feamen, or the swiftness of their cruizers; and the circumftance of their drawing little water, and being able, when purfued, to run into fhallow creeks, gives them a decided advantage. The Brazzo de Maina, as their country is termed, contains about 40,000 fouls-the tops of its mountains are frequently covered with fnow, whilft the bottom affords good pasture for their numerous herds of cattle and goats-their grapes are delicious, and make wine not inferior to that of Lepanthe, efteemed the beft in Greece. Game they have in abundance, particularly quails: thefe, when falted, afford them an agreeable and wholefome food, but the plenty of wild hogs, bears, and deer, is altogether in credible. The finest water in the world is diftilled from their mountains, and running ftreams interfect the country more than any other of the fame extent. What luxury is here for the gratification of fo abandoned a people it is faid, that the moun tain of Tenara yields rock cryftal, minerals of various kinds, and even fome precious ftones. In the midst of this mountain is an extraordinary crater, very wide, and of an immenfe depth. This opening was by the ancient Greeks confecrated to Neptune, and is now fuppofed by the ignorant Mainottes to be the gateway of the devil, by which he vifits the earth. By the Lacedemonians it was gfteemed one of the gates of hell, in the fame manner as the lake Peneus was fuppofed to be another, and the fource of the Styx. Hercules was reputed to have entered the Tenarcan crater, when he conquered and carried off the tripleheaded Cerberus, when defending the infernal mansion of his master Pluto. The Mainottes ftill remain in a confiderable degree independent of the Turks, and are divided into two races the inhabitants of the fouthern diftrict are denominated by the Turks Cacovouguis, or " the Rafcals of the Mountain," while those who poffefs the low country to the northward, are lefs favage and ferocious. They maintain a republican government, at the head of which are their papao or priests of the higher order, to whom are joined one or two of their most opulent families. There is no doubt but their entire fubjugation could be eafily effected, were it ferioufly undertaken; but as I have already obferved, they are too infignificant; and befides, they are now bridled with citidals and garrifoned with Janizaries, which makes them cautious of plundering the Turks as they formerly used to do. · In former times, and indeed not much above a century ago, the pi racies of the Mainottes were thock ing to humanity. When a Turkish |