76 
TRAVELS m AFRICA. Chap. LXXII. 
would at all hazards bring me back into the town, 
I told him, in order to console him, that I would 
once more re-enter the place in the dark, quite by 
myself, stay a short time in my house, and then return 
to the camp, in order that his oath might be fulfilled. 
But he would not allow me to expose myself to any 
danger on his account, as the rules of his creed made 
it easy for him to get rid of the obligation thus con- 
tracted against his conscience, by subjecting himself to 
the penance of a three days' fast. He informed me now 
that the Fulldn officer, Ferreji, had accompanied him 
on leaving the town as far as the "rodha," giving 
him every assurance of his friendship, and that thus 
everything would end well ; and he hoped to obtain 
for me favourable conditions from the Fullan for any 
future European or Englishman visiting this place. 
Together with the Sheikh, Sidi Alawate also had come 
out, and he behaved in a rather friendly manner to 
me, offering his services towards hastening my depar- 
ture, which I gladly accepted, without however putting 
any confidence in him ; for I was well aware that he 
liked my property better than myself. 
Seeing that I was obliged to resign myself in pa- 
tience, and had still to wait here some time, I sent 
one servant and two of my horses into the town. 
Since the waters had retired, the flies had become 
such a terrible plague, that they threatened the life of 
man and beast, and it was chiefly this nuisance that 
rendered my stay here so uncomfortable. It was 
likewise almost the ruin of the horse, which I was 
