328 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
CiiAP. LXXXII. 
agreeable piece of information for me here ; viz., 
that nearly the half of the huts composing the 
town had been consumed during my absence by* a 
conflagration, and that all my books which I had left 
behind had in consequence been destroyed. 
I stayed four days in Gando, endeavouring once 
more, in vain, to obtain an audience from the prince, 
and to persuade my companions, the telamid, to give 
up their hopes of a handsome present from this nig- 
gardly man, who sent me, if I may attribute the pro- 
ceedings of his slaves to himself, in return for all the 
presents I had made him, a common black tobe and 
3000 shells, although my supplies were totally ex- 
hausted, and the two camels which I still possessed 
were more or less worn out, so that I stood greatly 
in need of generous aid. But not wanting anything 
besides from the governor, I was thankful that I had 
passed unmolested through his extensive dominions, 
on my outward as well as on my home journey, and 
even protected, as far as his feeble power was able to 
grant protection. 
The town was no better off now than it had been a 
year before, the expedition against Argiingo, of which 
I had heard on the road as being undertaken by 
'Aliyu, having turned out a mere sham, and in con- 
sequence the pagan rebels being stronger and more 
daring than ever ; and, just as was the case during 
my former residence, there was an expedition on a 
small scale every Tuesday and Thursday, made by 
the old people and the women, in order to collect 
