68 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXIII. 
that he begged me most urgently not to tell anybody 
that I had made him the presents here, adding, that 
he would afterwards say that he had received them 
from me from Kano. 
Having returned home, I thankfully received the 
compliments which were made me from different 
quarters on account of the fortunate issue of my 
affair with this " munafeki," or evil-doer; and al- 
though the horse, which was not brought till next 
morning after we had been waiting for it a long 
while, proved rather ill-looking and poor, being 
scarcely worth more than ten thousand kurdi, or four 
dollars, and though the saddle was broken and har- 
ness wanting altogether, I was quite content, and 
exulted in my good fortune. But before leaving this 
once most important place, I shall try to give a short 
historical sketch of its past, and an outline of its 
present state. I only hope that the description of my 
personal relations in this town may not be thought 
too diffuse ; but while it affords a glance into the 
actual state of things, it may also serve to instruct 
those who may hereafter travel in these regions. 
