ABSTRACT
ON the morning of the 20th of January, Karamo-osila came to take leave of me. He made me a present of ten large colats, and again assured me of his sorrow at parting from me. I was also vexed at the separation, for I had every reason to be satisfied with his conduct. He always defrayed the expenses of my living, with the exception of some fowls which I purchased myself, and I had only given him, as a compensation for his attention, a cap of coloured cloth, and the silver bracelet which I received from the almamy of Samba¬ tikila. He left me, after wishing me a speedy departure and a pleasant journey. In the morning my host, who was then somewhat recovered from the carousal of the preceding evening, accompanied me on a visit to the chief of the village. Unfortunately I did not find the chief at home, and my host and I called on one of the sherif’s relations, whom we found sitting on a bullock’s hide, in a large hut, superintending the manipulation of tobacco. Six stout slaves were employed in this hard labour. Each was provided with a huge pestle, and the tobacco was pounded in a large mortar. It had an excellent odour, and was much paler in colour than ours. The slaves were quite naked, and the perspiration was running down their bodies. This merchant carried on a thriving trade; his house was always full of customers, and he had lying beside him a large heap of cowries, the produce
of the day’s sale. The tobacco cultivated in the country is of a very small species, like that at Timé, and the leaves are short and narrow. The people pay little attention to its cultivation, and are not accustomed to cut off the head of the plant, as we do. At Tangrera, the leaves are dried in the shade, and afterwards made up into rolls: they thus acquire a pale chesnut colour.
