202 TRAVELS IN AFRICA.

would be bullets from the muskets of Bondoo.

Almamy, however, did not give the messenger time to reach Modiba's town in Karta, but assembled his army and marched to Kasson, for the purpose of being joined by the forces of Hawah Demba, and entering Modiba's territories with as little delay as possible.

Modiba, being advised of this movement, also assembled his army, and, instead of waiting to receive Almamy, left a detachment to defend the frontier, and made forced marches to Dramanet, where he crossed the Senegal, and rested a few hours in order to give Samba time to collect his forces and accompany him.

On entering Bondoo they found nearly all the villages had been deserted by the few men Almamy had left behind, and the women and children ; they, therefore, met no opposition until they arrived at Boolibany, and even then so little resistance was made, that they soon laid the whole town in waste, with the exception of Almamy's palace, which was so resolutely defended by a handful of men that all attempts to reduce it proved fruitless.

They had, however, made a great number of slaves, particularly women and children, and had collected immense herds of black cattle,