Chap. XXX. DEBTS OF THE MISSION PAID. 
297 
and Mr. Overweg urged this subject with more 
success, as the further progress of my narrative will 
show. He was very desirous to open a commerce 
with the English, although he looked with extreme 
suspicion upon the form of articles in which the 
treaty was proposed to be drawn up ; but he wished 
to forbid to Christians the sale of two things, viz. 
spirituous liquors and bibles. He did not object to 
bibles being brought into the country, and even given 
as presents ; but he would not allow of their being 
sold. But the difficulties which I had to contend 
with in getting the treaty signed will be made more 
conspicuous as my narrative proceeds. 
The most pressing matter which I had with the 
vizier in the first instance, after my arrival, was to 
obtain some money, in order to settle, at least partly, 
the just claims of the late Mr. Richardson's servants, 
and to clear off debts which reflected little credit on 
the government which had sent us. I could scarcely 
expect that he would lend me the money without 
any profit, and was therefore glad to obtain it at the 
rate of 1000 cowries, or kiingona as they are called 
in B6rnu, for a dollar, to be paid in Fezzan ; and I 
lost very little by the bargain, as the creditors, well 
aware of the great difficulty I was in, and acknow- 
ledging my desire to pay them off, agreed to receive 
for every dollar of the sum which they claimed, only 
1280 cowries, while in the market the dollar fetched 
a much higher price. Indeed it was most grateful 
to my feelings to be enabled, on the 13th of April, 
