Chap. XXIII. BEL-GHE't CONCILIATED. 
59 
Katsena from Bornu, after having received sufficient 
supplies from the coast. This I did to a certain 
degree, under the condition that circumstances should 
not prove unfavourable to such a proceeding ; indeed 
I doubted at that time very much whether I should 
be able to return this way again. But when I did 
re- visit Katsena in the beginning of 1853, with a 
considerable supply of presents, and met before the 
gates of the town this same man, who had been sent 
to compliment me on the part of the same governor, 
it was a triumph which I could scarcely have ex- 
pected. The old man was on the latter occasion 
almost beside himself with joy, and fell upon my 
neck exclaiming, over and over again, " f Abd el 
Kerim ! \Abd el Kerim ! " while I told him, " Here I 
am, although both my companions have died ; I am 
come to fulfil my promise. I am on my way to 
Sokoto, with valuable presents for the Emir el Mu- 
menfn." 
Leaving Bel-Ghet in better humour, I went with 
El Wakhshi to his house, where he treated me and 
two A'sbenawa with a dish of roasted fowl and dates, 
after which I proceeded with him through the de- 
cayed and deserted quarter where the rich Ghadam- 
siye merchants once lived, and through some other 
streets in a rather better state, to the market place, 
which forms a large regular quadrangle, with several 
rows of sheds, or runfa, of the same style as those in 
Tasawa, but much better and more regularly built. 
Of course there was here a better supply of native 
