248 CHAPTER XI.

Description of the Plain of Hourey—Occurrences there-Departure and Arrival at Baquelle—Unfavourable Accounts from IMr. Dochard—Kingdom of Galam.

The village of Samba Jamangele, which is of considerable extent, is one of many which compose the district of Hourey, and is, with all the others, situate in an extensive plain of that name, the view of which is finely terminated in the south and west by a range of hills covered with wood. To the north are a few isolated hills, and to the east the eye loses itself over a gently undulating surface of some miles thinly sprinkled with large trees.

The inhabitants, whose numbers do not exceed 3000, are descended from the Foolahs (who some years since possessed themselves of that country) and such of the former proprietors and their vassals as embraced the Mahomedan faith. They are governed by Bayla, who is a priest and a minister of the council of Foota, which is a sort of republic, headed by an almamy, but who reigns only during the pleasure of the council, and it is not at all uncommon to see this chief changed two or three times within one year. These people have every appearance of being