244 
TRAVELS IN AFKICA. Chap. XXVIII. 
rather taken by surprise at seeing the large extent 
of the double town ; and I was equally astonished at 
the number of gorgeously-dressed horsemen whom I 
met on my way. 
Considering my circumstances, I could not have 
chosen a more favourable moment for arriving. 
About two hundred horsemen were assembled before 
the house of the vizier, who was just about to mount 
his horse in order to pay his daily visit to the sheikh. 
When he came out, he saluted me in a very cheerful 
way, and was highly delighted when he heard and 
saw that I had come quite alone. He told me he had 
known me already, from the letter which I had sent 
to his agent in Zinder stating that I would come after 
I had finished my business, but not before. While he 
himself rode in great state to the sheikh, he ordered 
one of his people to show me my quarters. These 
were closely adjoining the vizier's house, consisting of 
two immense courtyards, the more secluded of which 
inclosed, besides a half-finished clay dwelling, a very 
spacious and neatly-built hut. This, as I was told, 
had been expressly prepared for the mission before it 
was known that we were without means. 
I had scarcely taken possession of my quarters 
when I received several visits from various parties 
attached to the mission, who all at once made me 
quite au fait of all the circumstances of my not very 
enviable situation as one of its surviving members. 
The first person who called upon me was Ibrahim, 
the carpenter, who, at Mr. Richardson's request, had 
