114 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXIV. 
Timbuktu, I employed every means in my power to 
persuade my friend to allow me to pursue my journey 
eastward, in the company of those pupils and followers 
of his whom he had promised to send along with 
me. But he would not consent to this, and I felt 
extremely dejected at the time, and could not but 
regard this retrograde journey to Timbuktu as a most 
unfortunate event. 
Just at this time the news was brought, by way 
of Ghadames, of the French having completely van- 
quished the Shaamba, and made an expedition to War- 
geld and Metlili. In consequence of this report, the 
fear of the progress of these foreign and hated in- 
truders into the interior of these regions became very 
general, and caused suspicion to attach to me, as these 
people could not but think that my journey to their 
country had some connection with the expedition of 
the French. But, taking all the circumstances into 
account, I found afterwards that my friend was alto- 
altogether right in postponing for the time my journey 
eastward. 
Sunday, This was thc sad day when, with the 
April 30th. jnost gloomy forebodings, I began my 
return journey towards the west. There had been 
the most evident signs of the approach of the rainy 
season, which in the zone further to the south had 
already set in, when, after so many reiterated delays, 
I was obliged once more to return towards that very 
place which I had felt so happy in having at length 
left behind me. 
