158 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, by the shrieks of women and the bustle of my men running from all quarters, where they had been either on duty or amusing themselves, and seizing their arms. Such preparations on their part led me to suppose we had been attacked.

I therefore ran into my Imt for my arms, and without delay proceeded to the spot where all seemed to be directing their steps.

On my arrival at the place where the market was usually held, under the shade of a large acacia, about two hundred yards outside our fence, I found a woman lying dead, a musket ball having passed through her head. She had just disposed of a little corn, and was sitting on the ground in the crowd, tying up a few beads she had received in exchange, when she received the fatal wound.

On my inquiring by whom it was done, one of my own men (Shaw, a black soldier), answered from within his hut, that it was his rifle which went off while he was cleaning the brasses of it. Some men of the town who were present, and armed, as they always are, shewed symptoms of wishing to take steps of retaliation, under the impression, no doubt, that it had been done designedly. One or two Marabouts, who were also present, and on whom I called to assist me in preventing unnecessary effusion of