Chap. L. 
A SERIOUS VISIT. 
409 
running into my room, and hastily informed me that 
a numerous cortege of messengers had just arrived 
from court. 
I had scarcely time to conceal my treasure under 
my mat when the courtiers arrived ; and in a few 
moments my room was filled with black people and 
black tobes. The messengers who had brought me 
the letters, had likewise been the bearers of a letter 
addressed by the ruler of Bornu to the banga of 
Bagirmi, who in a certain respect was tributary to 
him, requesting him to allow me to return without 
delay to his country, in the company of the mes- 
sengers. There were some twenty persons, besides 
the lieutenant-governor or kadamange, and the two 
relations of Maina ; and the manner in which they 
behaved was so remarkable, that I was almost afraid 
lest I should be made prisoner a second time. There 
could be no doubt that they had heard of the 
large correspondence which I had received. But 
there had been moreover a great deal of sus- 
picion, from my first arrival, that I was a Turkish 
spy. There was even a pilgrim who, from his scanty 
stock of geographical and ethnological knowledge, 
endeavoured to persuade the people that I was an 
" Arnaut," who, he said, were the only people in the 
world that wore stockings. Be this as it may, the 
courtiers were afraid of coming forward abruptly with 
the real object of their visit, and at first pretended 
they wished to see the presents that I had brought for 
the sultan. These consisted of a caftan of red cloth, of 
