446 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXVII. 
not fail to adopt it, but not till then. Upon this, 
he and his pupils began with alacrity a spirited 
discussion, in the firm, hope that they would soon be 
able to overcome my arguments ; but after a little 
while they found them rather too strong, and were 
obliged to give in, without making any further pro- 
gress at the time in their endeavours to persuade me 
to turn Mohammedan. This incident improved my 
situation in an extraordinary degree, by basing my 
safety on the sincere esteem which several of the 
most intelligent of the inhabitants contracted for me. 
While thus gaining a more favourable position, 
even in the eyes of this unprincipled man, I had the 
pleasure of receiving a letter from his elder, more 
intelligent, and straightforward brother, the Sheikh 
el Bakay himself, late in the evening of the 13th, 
full of the most assuring promises that I should be 
quite safe under his protection, and that he would soon 
arrive to relieve me from my unsatisfactory posi- 
tion. And although I felt very unwell all this time, 
and especially the very day that I received this mes- 
sage, I did not lose a moment in sending the Sheikh 
a suitable answer, wherein I clearly set forth all 
the motives which had induced me to visit this 
city, in conformity with the direct wish of the 
British government, whose earnest desire it was 
to open friendly intercourse with all the chiefs and 
princes of the earth ; mentioning among other Mo- 
hammedan chiefs with whom such a relation existed, 
the Sultan e Abd el Mejid, Miila 'Abd e' Rahman, and 
