140 TRAVELS IN THE 
About niidaight on the 16th, Ali departed quietly from Be- 
nowm, accompanied by a few attejidants. He was expected 
to return in the course of nine or ten days. 
April 18th. Two days after the departure of Ali, a Shereef 
arrived with salt, and some otlier articles, from Walet, the 
capital of the kingdom of Biroo. As there was no tent appro- 
priated for him, he took up his abode in the same hut with me. 
He seemed to be a well informed man, and liis acquaintance 
both with the Arabic and Bambarra tongues, enabled him to 
travel, with ease and safety, through a number of kingdoms ; for 
though his place of residence was Walet, he had visited Houssa, 
and had lived some years at Tombuctoo. Upon my inquiring 
so particularly about the distance, from Walet to Tombuctoo, 
he asked me if I intended to travel that way ; and being answered 
in the atiirmative, he shook his head, and said, it would not do\ 
for that Christians were looked upon there as the devil's 
children, and enemies to the Prophet. From him I learned the 
following particulars; that Houssa was the largest town he had 
ever seen: that Walet was larger than Tombuctoo; but being 
remote from the Niger, and its trade consisting chiefly of salt, 
it was not so much resorted to by strangers: that between Be- 
nowm and Walet was ten days' journey ; but the road did not 
lead through any remarkable towns, and travellers supported 
themselves by purchasing milk from the Arabs, who keep their 
herds by the watering-places: two of the days' journies, was 
over a sandy country, without water. From Walet to Tom- 
buctoo, was eleven days more ; but water was more plenti- 
ful, and the journey was usually performed upon bullocks. He 
