Chap. LVI. 
KIND RECEPTION". 
135 
felt justified in allowing to proceed on his errand to 
their enemy. In order to give him an example how, 
in the case of foreign visitors or messengers, such cir- 
cumstances ought not to be taken into account, I 
took this opportunity to show him that the ruler of 
Bornu, although in open hostility with the most 
powerful of his ('Aliyu's) governors, nevertheless had 
allowed me, at the present conjuncture, to proceed 
on my journey to them without the slightest obstacle. 
He then concluded our conversation by observing that 
it had been his express wish to see me the very day 
of my arrival, in order to assure me that I was 
heartily welcome, and to set my mind at rest as to 
the fate of Clapperton, which he was well aware could 
not fail to inspire Europeans with some diffidence in 
the proceedings of the rulers of Sokoto. 
With a mind greatly relieved I returned to my 
tent from this audience. The dusk of the evening, 
darkened by thick thunder-clouds, with the thunder 
rolling uninterruptedly, and lighted up only by the 
numerous fires which were burning round about in 
the fields where the troops had encamped under the 
trees, gave to the place a peculiar and solemn interest, 
making me fully aware of the momentous nature of 
my situation. The thunder continued rolling all night 
long, plainly announcing the approach of the rainy 
season, though there was no rain at the time. Mean- 
while I was pondering over the present which I was 
to give to this mighty potentate, who had treated me 
with so much kindness and regard on the first inter- 
K 4 
