6 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. LIII. 
protection ; and I did not fail to represent to them 
that, if the English should succeed in opening these 
great highroads of the interior for peaceful inter- 
course, it would be highly advantageous even for 
themselves, as they would thus be enabled to obtain 
those articles which they were in want of from the 
regions of Western Africa, such as kola nuts and gold, 
with much less expense and greater security ; and 
they were thus induced to endeavour to derive a 
profit even from this my enterprise. The sheikh, who 
had formed the intention of undertaking a journey 
to Mekka, wanted me to procure for him some gold 
in Timbuktu ; but, uncertain as were my prospects, 
and difficult as would be my situation, I could 
not guarantee such a result, which my character 
as a messenger of the British Government would 
scarcely allow. The sheikh sent me two very fine 
camels as a present, which stood the fatigue of the 
journey marvellously, one of them only succumbing 
on my return journey, three days from Kukawa, 
when, seeing that it was unable to proceed, I gave 
it as a present to a native mallem. Having finished 
my letters, I fixed my departure for the 25th of No- 
vember, without waiting any longer for the caravan 
of the Arabs, which was soon to leave for Zinder, and 
which, though it held out the prospect of a little more 
security, would have exposed me to a great deal of 
inconvenience and delay. 
Thursday, was half-past ten in the morning 
November 25th, 
1852. when I left the town of Kukawa, which 
