TIMBUCTOO. 15

ARMY. The troops are paid by the king of Hoiisa, and

are armed with pikes, swords, cutlasses, sabres, and muskets ; the other natives use the bow and

arrow. At Timbuctoo, in time of war, there are about 12,000 or 15,000 troops, 5000 of which

receive constant daily pay in time ofpeace,andare

clothed every year ; they are all infantry except a few of the king's household. Sometimes he

subsidises the friendly Arabs, and makes occa-

sional presents to their chiefs

*" ; these Arabs can

furnish him with from 30,000 to 40,000 men.

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.

Punishments are the bastinado, imprisonment, and fine. He recollects but one prison. If a

native stabs another, he is obliged to attend the

wounded man until he recovers ; if he dies, the

offender is put to death. The offender must pay a daily allowance to the wounded man for

his support ; if the wound appears dangerous,

the culprit is immediately imprisoned ; if the w^ounded man recovers, the offender must pay a fine and suffer the bastinado. There are four

capital punishments : beheading, hanging, stran- gling and bastinadoing to death. Beheading is preferred ; it is thus performed : the criminal sits down, and a person behind gives him a blow or push on the back or shoulder, which makes him turn his head, and while his attention is thus employed, the executioner strikes it off. Hang-

• Of the Brabeesh clan ; sec tlie Map.