54 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXIII. 
However, my new protector, Bel-Ghet, did not 
leave me much time for reflection, but soon came 
back to take me again to the governor. Having sat 
awhile in the cool shade of the tree, we were called 
into his audience-room, which was nothing more 
than the round hut or derne ("zaure" in Kanuri) 
which generally forms the entrance and passage-room 
in every Piillo establishment. Besides myself, the 
haj Bel-Ghet, and his constant companion Miisa, 
there was also the wealthy merchant Haj Wali, whom 
I had seen in Tasawa, when he tried to persuade 
me to follow the men sent to take me to Zinder, 
while he now sought to represent the governor of 
Katsena as the greatest man in all Negroland, and the 
best friend I could have. The governor soon began 
to display his talent as an actor, and had the unfortu- 
nate letter from the sultan of A'gades read, interpreted, 
and commented upon. According to the sagacious 
interpretation of these men, the purport of the letter 
was to recommend me expressly to this governor 
as a fit person to be detained in his company. All 
my representations to the effect that my friend c Abd 
el Kader had recommended me in exactly the same 
terms to the governors of Daura and Kano, and that 
I had forwarded a letter from A'gades to the Emir el 
Mumemn in Sokoto, informing him that as soon as we 
had received new supplies from the coast, one of us 
at least would certainly pay him a visit, which under 
present circumstances, robbed and destitute as we 
were, we could not well do, were all in vain ; he 
