TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 205 male his army had taken, were inhumanly butchered. This affair took place in the spring of I8I7.

Early in the following year Almamy, taking advantage of the absence of the Kartan army, laid siege to Toobab-en-Cane, having first fruitlessly attempted to storm two of Samba's towns.

So active were the besiegers, that the besieged found it impossible to obtain water from the river, although distant only thirty yards from the walls of the town, and so great was their want of that necessary article, that they dug wells within the walls upwards of forty feet deep.

Samba, feeling that a much longer continuance in that state must become insupportable from the want of provisions, contrived means to despatch two horsemen by night to demand relief from Modiba, and, in eight days after, four hundred horse made their appearance on the opposite bank of the river.

Almamy supposing the whole Kartan army had again made its appearance, did not think prudent to wait their nearer approach, raised the siege, and retreated to Lanel, a strong town of Samba's, commanded by his brother-in-law, who basely gave it up, allowing the enemy of the country to defend himself in it. When the Kartans had crossed the river, they advised Samba to attack Almamy without delay,