242 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXVIII. 
Besher, a group of villages scattered over the corn- 
fields, where numerous horsemen of the sheikh were 
quartered ; and being unable myself to find the well, 
I made a bargain with one of the people to water my 
horse, for which he exacted from me forty " kiingona " 
or cowries. However, when I had squatted down for 
a moment's rest in the shade of a small talha-tree, 
his wife, who had been looking on, began to reprove 
him for driving so hard a bargain with a young in- 
experienced stranger ; and then she brought me a little 
tiggra and curdled milk diluted with water, and after- 
wards some ngaji, or paste of sorghum, 
Having thus recruited my strength, I continued 
my march ; but my horse, not having fared so well, was 
nearly exhausted. The heat was intense ; and there- 
fore we proceeded but slowly till I reached Kalil- 
wa, when I began seriously to reflect on my situation, 
which was very peculiar. I was now approaching the 
residence of the chief whom the mission, of which I 
had the honour to form part, was especially sent out 
to salute, in a very poor plight, without resources of 
any kind, and left entirely by myself owing to the 
death of the director. I was close to this place, a 
large town, and was about to enter it without a single 
companion. The heat being just at its highest, no 
living being was to be seen either in the village or 
on the road ; and I hesitated a moment, considering 
whether it would not be better to wait here for my 
camels. But my timid reluctance being confounded 
by the thought that my people might be far behind, 
