Chap. XXII. INTRIGUE DEFEATED. 
27 
sirous of paying my respects to the son of Mohammed 
el Kanemi and his enlightened vizier, I would set out 
for their residence as soon as I had settled my affairs 
in Kan6, and that I was sure of attaining my ends 
without his intervention, as I had not the least desire 
to visit him. 
This letter, as subsequent events proved, grew into 
importance, for the sherif being perplexed by its tone, 
sent it straight on to Kiikawa, where it served to in- 
troduce me at once to the sheikh and his vizier. But 
the difficulty was to send it off with the warlike mes- 
sengers who had brought the sherif 's letters, as they 
would not go without us, and swore that their orders, 
from the sherif as well as from Serk 1 lb ram, were so 
peremptory that they should be utterly disgraced if 
they returned empty-handed. At length, after a 
violent dispute with Farraji and these warlike-looking 
horsemen, the old chief, who took my part very fairly, 
finished the matter by plainly stating that if we our- 
selves, of our own free will, wanted to go, we might 
do so, but if we did not wish to go, instead of forcing 
us, he would defend us against anybody who should 
dare to offer us violence. Nevertheless the mes- 
sengers would not depart ; and it seemed impossible 
to get rid of them till I made each of them a present 
of two mithkals, when they mounted their horses 
with a very bad grace, and went off with my letter. 
The energetic and straightforward but penurious old 
chief left us in the afternoon, and rode to Ivalgo, a 
village at no great distance. 
