Chap. LXIII. PERSONAL RELATIONS. 
357 
company, However, it was only by degrees that I 
became acquainted with all these circumstances, while 
I had to bear silently all the intrigues of this man, my 
only object being to reach safely in his company the 
town of Timbuktu ; but it was evident enough that 
he was continually wavering, whether it was not more 
profitable for him to deliver me into the hands of the 
Fulbe, as he knew well that in the town of Dar-e'- 
Salam, which was only thirty miles distant, there was 
a powerful governor, under the ruler of Masina, and 
himself a son of Mohammed Lebbo, who, at the first 
intelligence of my real character, would have cut 
short all my proceedings, and, in the most favourable 
case, would have sent me direct to his liege lord and 
nephew in Hamda-Allahi. 
I had to make here some considerable presents to a 
number of people. There was first our host Jobbo, 
who had given us quarters, and who treated us very 
hospitably ; then, the son of the chief or emir, who was 
absent in Hamda-Allahi ; next, three kinsmen of the 
latter, who were represented to me as dhalemin ; and 
lastly, three Arabs from Timbuktu, who were staying 
here at the time, and whose friendly disposition I had 
to secure for some reason or other. One of the lat- 
ter was a very amiable young man, of the name of 
Mohammed el Amm, son of the learned kadhi Mus- 
tapha, and it was he, in particular, who gave me some 
information with regard to my friend El Walati, who, 
on his part, endeavoured to obtain the favour of 
this young man, by persuading me to make him a 
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