Chap. LXXII. NATIVE ESTIMATE OF EUROPEANS. 91 
are fond of raw eggs (a most disgusting article to a 
Mahommedan), as already proved by the experience of 
Mungo Park, has spread over the whole of Negro- 
land, and it can only be partially explained by the 
great predilection which the French have for boiled 
eggs. 
Altogether my situation required an extraordinary 
amount of forbearance, for Alawate also troubled 
me again with his begging propensities. But when he 
came himself to take leave of me, I told him that the 
time for presents was now past ; whereupon he said, 
that he was aware that if I wanted to give I gave, 
meaning that it was only the want of goodwill that 
made me not comply with his wish. I assured him 
that I had given him a great many presents against 
my own inclination, He owned that he had driven a 
rather hard bargain with me, but, when he wanted me 
to acknowledge at least that he had done me no per- 
sonal harm, I told him that the reason was rather his 
want of power than his want of inclination, and that, 
although I had nothing to object to him in other 
respects, I should not like to trust myself in his hands 
alone in the wilderness. 
The difficulties which a place like Timbuktu pre- 
sents to a free commercial intercourse with Euro- 
peans are very great. For while the remarkable 
situation of the town, at the edge of the desert and 
on the border of various races, in the present de- 
generated condition of the native kingdoms makes a 
strong government very difficult, nay almost im- 
