360 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXIII. 
represented the direct road from here to Timbiiktu as 
leading along the encampments of several powerful 
chiefs, whom it would be more prudent to avoid ; and 
perhaps he was right, not so much from the reason 
stated as on account of the water- communication be- 
tween Sarayamo and Timbuktu offering a great ad- 
vantage. In conformity with these circumstances, on 
the third day of our stay here, El Wal&ti at length 
set out for the encampment of Somki, in order to ob- 
tain his protection, to enable me to pass safely through 
his territory ; and I sent along with him my faithful 
servant, Mohammed el Gatr6ni, whom I had just cured 
of a severe attack of dysentery, although I could not 
expect that he would be able to control the pro- 
ceedings of the crafty Arab, as he did not under- 
stand the language of the Tawarek. They did not 
return until the third day, and gave me in the mean- 
time full leisure to study a little more accurately the 
relations of this place. 
