52 TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LIV. 
standing the entreaties of the governor, I did not like 
to take up my quarters inside the place. 
Tn the evening, I received a visit from Yusuf 
Mukni, the late Mr. Richardson's interpreter, who 
at present had turned merchant, and, having sold 
several articles to Muniyoma the governor of the 
country, had been waiting here three months for pay- 
ment. He was very amiable on this occasion, and 
apparently was not indisposed to accompany me to 
S6koto, if I had chosen to make him an offer; but 
I knew his character too well, and feared rather 
than liked him. He gave me a faithful account of the 
wealth and power of Muniyoma, who, he said, was able 
to bring into the field 1500 horsemen, and from 8000 
to 10,000 archers, while his revenues amounted to 
30,000,000 of shells, equivalent, according to the 
standard of this place, to 10,000 Spanish dollars, 
besides a large tribute in corn, equal to the tenth 
part, or ashur, which, in all the provinces of B6rnu 
north-west of the komadugu, in consequence of the 
governors of these territories having preserved their 
independence against the Fulbe or Fellata, belongs to 
them, and not to the sovereign lord, who resides in 
Kiikawa. Each full-grown male inhabitant of the 
province has to pay annually 1000 shells for himself, 
and, if he possess cattle, for every pack-ox 1000 shells 
more, and for every slave 2000. 
1 had heard a great deal about the debts of this 
governor ; but I learned, on further inquiry, that they 
only pressed heavily upon him this year, when the 
