Chap. LIII. 
THE TWO AFRICANS. 
II 
person another man, as a sort of broker, and who was 
to serve as a mediator between me and the natives ; 
this was the Mejebri 'All el A'geren, a native of Jalo, 
the small commercial place near Aiijila, which has 
recently been visited and described by the Abbe 
Hamilton. He had travelled for many years in N" e- 
groland, and had traversed in various directions the 
region inclosed between S6kot6, Kano, Baiichi, Zariya, 
and Gonja. But for the present, on my outset from 
Bornu, I had not made any fixed arrangements with 
this man ; but in the event of his accompanying 
me beyond Sokoto, he was to have two horses and 
a monthly salary of nine dollars, beside being 
permitted to trade on his own account. Such an 
arrangement, although rather expensive to me consi- 
dering the means at my disposal, was of very great 
importance if the man did his duty, he being able, in 
his almost independent situation, to render me extra- 
ordinary assistance in overcoming many difficulties ; 
but, as an Arab, I only put full confidence in him 
as long as circumstances were propitious, while his 
wavering character as soon as dangers began to sur- 
round me did not put me in any way out of coun- 
tenance. 
These people, besides an Arab, a so-called sherif, 
from Fas, who was going as far as Zmder, and who 
had likewise attached himself to my small party, 
composed the band with which I cheerfully set out 
on my journey towards the west, on the 25th of No- 
vember, being accompanied out of the town by the 
