494 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXIX. 
by a troop of armed men, amongst whom there were 
some musketeers. It now remained to be decided what 
course we should pursue, and there was great indeci- 
sion, Alawate wanting to remain himself with me 
at the tents, while the Sheikh returned to the town. 
But besides my dislike to stay any longer at the 
encampment, I had too little confidence in the 
younger brother of the Sheikh to trust my life in his 
hands, and I was therefore extremely delighted to 
find that El Bakay himself, and Mohammed el 'Aish, 
thought it best for me to return into the town. At the 
moment when we mounted our horses, a troop of Kel- 
hekikan, although not always desirable companions, 
mounted on mehara, became visible in the distance, so 
that in their company we re-entered Timbuktu, not 
only with full security, but with great eclat, and with- 
out a single person daring to oppose our entrance ; 
though Hammadi, the Sheikh's rival, was just about to 
collect his followers in order to come himself and fight 
us at the tents. Frustrated in this plan, he came 
to my protector in his " msid," or place of prayer in 
front of his house, and had a serious conversation with 
him, while the followers of the latter armed themselves 
in order to anticipate any treachery or evil design, of 
which they were greatly afraid. But the interview 
passed off quietly, and, keeping strict watch on the 
terrace of our house, we passed the ensuing night 
without further disturbance. 
This happened on the 1st of December ; and the 
following morning, in conformity with the Sheikh's 
