134 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. LVL 
A'gades (informing him of the reason why we could 
not then go directly to pay him our compliments), and 
that from that moment up to the present time he had 
followed our proceedings, and especially my own, 
with the greatest interest, having even heard at the 
time a report of my journey to A'damawa. 
I then informed him that in coming to pay him 
my compliments I had principally two objects in view, 
— one of which was that he might give me a letter 
of franchise guaranteeing to all British merchants 
entire security for themselves and their property in 
visiting his dominions for trading purposes ; and the 
second, that he might allow me to proceed to Tim- 
buktu, and facilitate my journey to that place (which 
w r as greatly obstructed at the present moment by the 
rebellion of the province of Kebbi) by his own para- 
mount authority. Without reserve he acceded to 
both my requests in the most cheerful and assuring 
manner, saying that it would be his greatest pleasure 
to assist me in my enterprise to the utmost of his 
power, as it had only humane objects in view, and 
could not but tend to draw nations together that 
were widely separated from each other. At the 
same time he expressed, in a very feeling way, his 
regret with regard to 'Abel Allah (Capt. Clapperton), 
whose name I had incidentally mentioned, intimating 
that the then state of war, or u gaba," between Bello 
and the sheikh el K&nemi, the ruler of Bornu, had 
disturbed their amicable relations with that eminent 
officer, whom in such a conjuncture they had not 
