40 
TEAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXI. 
Dire, having arrived with a considerable troop of 
armed men from Hamda-A'llahi, and another man of 
still more importance, A'hmed el Ferreji, was soon 
expected. The Fiilbe seemed fully resolved to vindi- 
cate their power and authority over the town ; and, 
in order to show that they were masters of the 
place, they exacted this year a tribute of 2000 shells 
on each slave with great severity. 
Uncertain as were my prospects, I contrived to 
pass my time usefully by applying myself to the study 
of the idiom of the Western Tawdrek, wdth Moham- 
med ben Khottdr, the Sheikh's nephew, and a Tdrki 
of the name of Miisa, for my teachers. Thus en- 
deavouring to master my impatience, I listened with 
composure to the several rumours which were repeat- 
edly spread with regard to the arrival of the various 
brothers of the Sheikh, an event which, according 
to his statement, formed now the only reason for 
delaying my departure. But in a long private con- 
versation which I had with him on the 4th, when I 
urged him more than usual, he began to appeal to my 
humane feelings, and, discarding all political motives, 
confessed that the chief reason which detained him 
was the pregnancy of his wife, and earnestly begged 
me to await the result of this event. 
All this time, on account of the unusual height 
which the inundation had reached this year, a great 
deal of sickness prevailed in the town ; and among 
the various people who fell a sacrifice to the disease 
was the son of Tdleb Mohammed, the richest and 
