Chap. XXXVI. POLITICAL DISPUTES. 
493 
gation upon them by facilitating the execution of our 
plans. 
Be this as it may, after a long dispute with regard 
to the boundaries, in which my friend from Mokha, 
and a learned native of Waday, M6de e Abd Allahi, 
who was employed by Lowel as a sort of secre- 
tary of state for foreign affairs, took part, I, with 
my party, was ordered to withdraw for a time. 
After sitting for full two hours on the damp ground 
outside, we received an intimation that we might 
return home. Thus I had to return with my pre- 
sents a second time to my quarters ; and of course 
I was greatly vexed. However, several people who 
saw my emotion endeavoured to console me ; and 
Mansiir, who before we left came out of his brother's 
audience-hall, entered into conversation with me, and 
assured me that this unkind treatment in no way re- 
lated to me, but that it was only intended for Billama, 
the officer of Bornu. There was present also the 
very amiable mall em whom I had met in Sarawu 
Fulfulde, and who had come after us ; and I felt sorry 
that I was not disposed to answer his well-meant 
discourse in the manner it deserved. 
When we reached Mansiir's house, he invited us to 
dismount, and entering the interior of his wide and 
neat dwelling we had a long and animated conversa- 
tion, when I explained to him in a deliberate manner 
that such treatment did not offend me on my own 
account, but on account of the government — the very 
first and most powerful in the world — which had sent 
