78 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



desire I had of departing with the caravan ; it was 

 the chief of the caravan himself who sohcited me, 

 who persecuted me to take my departure with 

 him. He came to see me several times in a day, 

 and every day he became more earnest in his im- 

 portunities. Promises the most flattering which 

 he could devise, were not spared ; he assured me 

 that I would be very well received at the court of 

 his king. In the description of the comforts which 

 I was to enjoy there, this sensual and savage beast 

 told me that I should eat the whole day long, 

 and that there the most beautiful women would be 

 devoted to my pleasure. I spoke to him one day of 

 the assassination of M. du Roule, whom his com- 

 patriots had massacred when Maillet was consul. 

 He did not know immediately what reply to make; 

 he wished to deny the fact, and afterwards to 

 justify it, by saying that the French physician was 

 an ignorant fellow, and that besides he was never 

 introduced to the king. This was false, since it 

 was actually at Sennaar that du Roule lost his life. 

 At last, to remove all diiiiculties, and to testify, as 

 he said to me, his extreme desire of conducting me 

 into his country, and of presenting me to the black 

 monarch ; from whom I might be certain of a wel- 

 come reception ; the Kahir, after having reduced 

 his demand to the moderate sum of fifty patacas 

 (275 francs, or about eleven guineas), f6r\vhichhe 

 engaged to furnish camels and provisions, con- 

 cluded 



