This happened when a party of five hundred men were going out to make war on Bambarra [*].

The day after their departure, they were followed by a great number of slaves, dromedaries, and heiries laden with previsions.

Such of these people as afterwards returned, came back in parties of forty or fifty; many of them did not return at all whilst Adams remained at Timbuctoo; but he never heard that any of them had been killed.
[Footnote: This statement, which is in opposition to the usual opinion, that Timbuctoo is a dependency of Bambarra, receives some corroboration from a passage in Isaaco's journal (p.

205.), where a prince of Timbuctoo is accused by the king of Sego, of having, either personally, or by his people, plundered two Bambarra caravans, and taken both merchandise and slaves.] About once a month, a party of a hundred or more armed men marched out in a similar manner, to procure slaves.

These armed parties were all on foot, except the officers; they were usually absent from one week to a month, and at times brought in considerable numbers.